The Binocular Site
Devil's Lake State Park, Wisconsin
Devil’s Lake State Park is a unique attraction in Baraboo, Wisconsin, attracting over one million visits per year.
Cliffs and hiking trails, along with sandy beaches, and hundreds of campsites, mountain bike trails, ski trails, and great climbs, make this a popular tourist spot for all.
Wintering raptors are an amazing sight here, including Red-shouldered Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, and Red-tailed Hawks. Beautiful examples of the strength and power of birds, the hawks have much better sight than humans, and are also considered to have a very high IQ as compared to other birds. Turkey vultures are also quite common here, and gather in late September and early October before moving south for the winter.
Amazing views draw many visitors, with cliffs rising 500 feet high, and hiking trails spanning miles. The impressive, eye-catching geology of Baraboo Hills surrounding the lake itself offer uniquely challenging rock climbing opportunities. While some are composed of quartzite and granite, making them excellent climbing, others consist of limestone and sandstone which is too crumbly for rock-climbing.
The Devil’s Doorway is a great draw for rock- climbing enthusiasts, with a 20 meter vertical face up to the “door” itself. See the Devil's Lake State Park website for more information.
The state bird of Wisconsin is the American Robin and you can find a birding checklist for Wisconsin here.
Photo credit to Taekwonweirdo, used with permission under the creative commons license.
If you've visited Devil’s Lake State Park, please take the time to share your experience and any tips or insight you have about this Wisconsin birding location below.
Check out more birdwatching spots.
Average User Rating - None
Add Your Own Review