Welcome!

Welcome to my list of the top backpacking spots in the United States. This list is a combination of trips that I have taken, trips I would like to take, and trips that friends have taken and told me about. I am excited to share these with you, and would love your feedback if you have any suggestions for the list.

The pictures used have either been taken by me personally, or taken from the National Park Service website unless otherwise noted.

Happy Camping!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Devils Lake State Park, WI


This is a site that I'm really familiar with because it is located only about an hour from my home. Devils Lake State park is an attraction for many outdoor enthusiasts from Wisconsin and surrounding states. The park is in a central location within the state, providing convenient access to those interested in checking it out. I have been to this park a handful of times and really enjoy the beauty, especially in the fall. There are great hiking trails, but not quite as much for the avid backpacker. There are not too many places where backpackers can set up tents and camp alongside trails, we'll have to stick to the designated campsites on this one.


The bluffs around the lake are a challenge to hike and attract many climbers annually who enjoy scaling the great rock faces along the lake. This blog is done by the park ranger and is an interesting way to keep up to date on the activities of the park.

The park has many hiking and biking trails as designated by this map. I have taken the Sauk Point Trail and used it as a training for one of my trips to the Grand Canyon. One tip about this trail: Make sure the weather is nice and there has not been alot of recent rain or snow. We took the hike after a snow melt and it was very muddy with a few mudslides posing problems for us while hiking. I believe the trail is about 16 miles when you start at Parfrey's Glen, hike up to the lake and around it, and then back down the trail to the Glen. This was a fun hike that could be nice for a weekend get away.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

What do you mean: "stick to the designated campsites"? Are there designated sites along the trail to camp if you are backpacking, or is it a campground? will there be a lot of people tramping through your campsite? . . . Josianne

Unknown said...

There is no backcountry camping at devils lake that I know of. Its campsite only as it is a state park. You CANT camp along the trails.