Devil's Doorway is the most recognized rock feature in Wisconsin. This feature is reached via a short moderate-level footpath that loops off the East Bluff Trail on the South Face. The trail is short, but reaching the Devil's Doorway Trail requires hiking up the East Bluff from one of the difficult trails or taking a long hike on the easier Uplands Trail.
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| Devil's Doorway Trail at Devil's Lake State Park |
Views from the South Face of the East Bluff at Devil's Lake are superb. And, There's the famous Devil's Doorway rock formation to boot. It's quite the payoff for the difficult climbs required to reach Devil's Doorway Trail.
If you are afraid of heights, this trail will be extra treacherous for you. A series of broken, slippery, and missing stone stairs leads partially down the South Face with sheer cliff drop-offs surrounding the trail. Being on this trail requires a degree of focus, which can be hard to do when you're trying to get the perfect selfie of you, your friends, and the Devil's Doorway in the shot. But, the heights are irresistible to many who enjoy sitting on ledges with their feet hanging free below them.
The Devil's Doorway Trail is not officially a part of the Ice Age National Trail, but if you're hiking the IAT, or if you've found your way to the South Face via any other trail you owe it to yourself and your hiking mates to take the 10th a mile diversion down to the rock feature.
The Potholes trail descends the South Face directly adjacent to the Devil's Doorway Trail, and if you are looking for a scenic way down from the bluff to the South Shore there is no better route than the impressive Potholes Trail.
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| Devil's Doorway Trail at Devil's Lake State Park |
Devil's Lake State Park - Potholes Trail
COUNTY: Sauk
COMMUNITIES: Baraboo, Merrimac
TOTAL MILES: .1-Miles linear
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
POINTS OF INTEREST: East Bluff, South Face, Devil's Doorway
CAMPING: Devil's Lake State Park Camping
Directions and Trail Map
Click Map Image to load the full interactive map.
Address for your GPS: S6513 WI-113, Merrimac, WI 53561
| Coordinates: N43.409566, W089.724014 |
| From Milwaukee | 2 Hours |
| From Madison | 45 minutes |
| From Green Bay | 2.5 Hours |
| From Wausau | 2 Hours |
| From Minneapolis | 3.5 Hours |
| From Chicago | 3 Hours |
Photos
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| Devil's Doorway Trail at Devil's Lake State Park |
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| Devil's Doorway Trail at Devil's Lake State Park |
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| Devil's Doorway Trail at Devil's Lake State Park |
Links
Devil's Lake State ParkOther Trails at Devil's Lake State Park
East Bluff Trail
West Bluff Trail
Tumbled Rocks Trail
Balanced Rock Trail
Potholes Trail
CCC Trail
Group Camp and Grottos Trail
Roznos Meadow Trail
Steinke Basin Trail
Upland Trail
East Bluff Woods Trail
Johnson Moraine Trail
Ice Age Trail Devil's Lake Segment
Ice Age Trail Sauk Point Segment
Ice Age Trail Merrimac Segment
Parfrey's Glen Trail