Beginning the East Bluff Trail

Pausing at Devil's Lake Following our 1.7 mile hike up, across, and down the West Bluff Trail, we crossed the relatively flat south shore of Devil's Lake. The glaciers left a moraine at this spot, dumping a mound of till that helped form the lake by closing off the area between the two bluffs. Decending the West Bluff The hike down the West Bluff was a bit challenging, but made easier by the stone stairs arranged by the park. Some of these areas created bottlenecks where tired hikers slowed down to avoid tripping, while young kids ran past with no thought of danger. View of the West Bluff Once again, the views of the lake below were fantastic, and the town of Baraboo could be seen on the horizon. It was a strange sensation to watch birds glide below us, as they soared on updrafts created by the twin bluffs. We hiked around three miles, and came upon many interesting rock formations, views, and features, but have yet to see the popular formations that attracted us to the park. Those were on the path ahead.

Devil's Lake Overlook

Quartzite Bluffs Our first visit to Devil's Lake State Park, near Baraboo, Wisconsin began with a hike up the West Bluff trail. This trail was well maintained, and interestingly enough, paved with asphalt. Not flat like a road, but following the contours of the natural trail, probably to keep the path from erosion. Being one to prefer natural trails, I was first a bit surprised, but then realized the surface did not take a way from the hiking experience. First Overlook The trail climbed through dense woods, around erratic boulders, winding its way up 500 feet above the lake below. We were surprised by the first overlook we encountered, a sweeping view of the lake and bluffs in the distance. In many parks previously, we were disappointed by the overgrown trees and lack of sweeping vistas from bluff trails- this was different. Every place we wanted a view, we found one, and more. The rocks of Devil's Lake State Park, are among the oldest outcrops in North America, believed to be 1.6 Billion years old. Originally formed beneath a sea as sandstone, the rocks were then subject to great pressure and heat, the porous sandstone eventually turned to hard metamorphic rock where it was pushed upward by great forces. The seas retreated but filled the area millennia later, only to receive a battering by the Wisconsin glacier during the last ice age. The western bluff was not covered by the ice, but the eastern bluff was. Ice, water, and wind eroded the softer rocks away from the harder quartzite and granite into what we see today. On the Edge On our 6 hour hike, we encountered numerous overlooks and rock formations, all interesting in their own ways.

Overcast

Overcast An overcast morning along the shore of Lake Michigan, give the beach the appearance of a cold and stormy day, yet little wind and warm temperatures made this hike pleasant. A bank of warm gray fog crawled along the horizon, blocking the view of the Chicago skyline, and giving it a dirty look. The clouds appear to be moving fast in this image, but this was captured at a relatively fast shutter speed; the clouds simply looked as if they were moving quickly. That's one of the interesting things about hiking familiar places, you notice when things are different, and you experience the countless moods of the environment.

Kettle Pond

Kettle Pond One of only two such features in the United States, the kettle ponds of Waterfall Glen were created by the retreating glaciers. Large chunks of ice were trapped and pushed into the ground forming a depression in the earth. These depressions filled with water forming ponds. Some kettle ponds dry up during droughts, and replenish in spring after the snow melts, or after wet periods. For this reason, they are devoid of fish, providing a great habitat for amphibians feeding on insects. Just a few yards from the walking path, most visitors to this area probably glance at the pond as they run past, not realizing the significance of this kettle moraine topography. We spent well over an hour exploring the pond from many different angles, encountering some interesting creatures in the process.