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I’m back to posts from my visit home back in October and today is the first of a few posts about Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo, Wisconsin, not far from Wisconsin Dells.

While I was home seeing the leaves change was kind of priority as far as activities went and one of the places we wanted to do that was Devil’s Lake State Park!

We planned to spend a night in Wisconsin Dells to explore the park a little bit and our first stop there, aside from the Dr. Evermor Sculpture Park, was the Tumbled Rocks Trail.

We really had no idea what there was to do at Devil’s Lake, besides hike of course, or that there were two parts to see so we just put it into Google Maps and ended up at the North Shore.

We stopped on our way in to take pictures of the road and the leaves because it was BEAUTIFUL. Then we went into the little visitor center and tried to decide what to do.

We wanted something easy and saw the Tumbled Rocks Trail along Devil’s Lake which seemed perfect so off we went. The trailhead is at the end of the beach (on the right looking at the lake) so we took a stroll on there, too.

While it was beautiful, it was extremely windy that day which made it super cold. Parts of the trail were a little sheltered from the wind if there were more trees but some sections were rough.

The trail itself is easy to follow and partially paved, but the paved parts are super lumpy and rough. It doesn’t make it more difficult to walk on but it’s not flat, either. The trail follows the lakeshore, weaving in and out of the woods, with beautiful views of the lake and surrounding hills.

We almost turned around, probably halfway, but decided to push on to the end before turning back (it’s an out and back trail) and I’m glad we did. I would say the last half (on the way to the end before turning around) was a lot colder.

I’m not sure if it was more open or just at a different angle but that wind was terrible. The trail wasn’t too busy, the park in general wasn’t, but again, it was a cold and windy weekday.

By the time we were on our way back I was ready to be done. I loved the hike but man was I cold. It was cold enough, literally just because of the wind, that I didn’t want to do anything else that day.

We did take a drive down to the south end of the lake just to see what was there and decided to save the Balanced Rock and Devil’s Doorway loop for the next day, and I’m glad.

Overall, I really liked the Tumbled Rocks Trail and if you’re looking for an easy hike at Devil’s Lake State Park, this one is perfect!

I think it probably took us two-ish hours but we always stop a lot for pictures, so depending on how fast you walk and how much you stop, 1-2 hours should be enough for this.

Wisconsin Books

• Wisconsin Legends & Lore
• Storied & Scandalous Wisconsin: A History of Mischief and Menace, Heroes and Heartbreak
• Little Faith
• Godspeed
• Beneath the Bonfire: Stories
• Shotgun Lovesongs
• The Jesus Cow
• Best Tent Camping: Wisconsin: Your Car-Camping Guide to Scenic Beauty, the Sounds of Nature, and an Escape from Civilization
• Monsters of Wisconsin: Mysterious Creatures in the Badger State
• Moon Wisconsin: Lakeside Getaways, Scenic Drives, Outdoor Recreation
• Wisconsin State Parks: Extraordinary Stories of Geology and Natural History
• A Dog Lover’s Guide to Hiking Wisconsin’s State Parks
• The Wisconsin Supper Clubs Story: An Illustrated History, with Relish
• Haunted Wisconsin: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Badger State

Where is the Tumbled Rocks Trailhead?

The Tumbled Rocks Trailhead is on the Devil’s Lake State Park north shore, not far from the concessions. If you put the Devil’s Lake North Shore Concessions into Google Maps, it will get you there.

From the parking area, head toward the beach and the trailhead will be on the far right, opposite the concessions. It’s sort of tucked into the trees on the shore but it’s easy to find. The hardest part for us was just figuring out which part of the park to go to.

II do think you could start this from the south shore, too though if you’re only going to be in that part of the park.

If so, you would want to start at the West Bluff Trailhead and walk down the road past the houses that would be on your right not the giant main parking area.

How long is the Tumbled Rocks Trail at Devils Lake State Park?

AllTrails says it’s 2.4 miles round-trip but it felt like more than that. It could have just been because of the cold though. It is an out and back trail so you’re just going to the end and turning around.

Is the Tumbled Rocks Trail easy?

Yes! It only has 59 feet of elevation gain. It is technically paved most of the way but it’s very lump, rocky, and uneven. I don’t think that makes it any more difficult but don’t expect nice smooth pavement on this.

Is the Tumbled Rocks trail worth it?

Yes! This easy trail is beautiful but just hilly and meander-y enough to feel a little more adventurous without being too easy. I really enjoyed it and on a day with less wind it would be even better.

Tumbled Rocks Trail photo gallery

Have you been to Devil’s Lake State Park? Did you hike the Tumbled Rocks Trail? What is your favorite hike there?