![]() I was awe-struck at the sight of the lake, which covers 374 acres. From the overlook, the forest was a sea of vibrant red, orange and yellow. I stopped to take pictures every five minutes. The rocks were pinkish red with streaks of pale green. The park features the Devil’s Doorway, a rock formation with a tall gap in the middle. WORTH THE DRIVE Devil’s Lake State Park in Sauk County, Wisconsin A view of Devil’s Lake - Adria Carpenter/Little Villageĭevil’s Lake has three things I love: large bodies of water, big trees and big rocks (in that order). As we left, I saw the American Gothic Barn, a replica of Grant Woods’ famous painting covering the barn’s exterior. We found a nice vantage point to hammock and read. There are stairs, carved through the rock, which lead up to the Cliff Trail. Water rushed across, so we couldn’t walk along it. It has a rough texture somewhere between sand and silt, but the dogs didn’t seem to mind. We hiked the Cedar River Trail and Cedar Cliff trail, which began around a beach area. Palisades-Kepler State Park, Mount Vernon White moth and dark leaves, September 2021 in Palisades-Kepler State Park. We’d listened to a horror podcast earlier, and the dead forest began to creep me out as we walked back to the car. We stumbled onto a witchy stone house, a flood pole nearby. The winding stairs felt near vertical on the return trip. We climbed down and failed to cross a flooded pathway. The paved trail began high above the gorge, and the cold, windy air burned my face. My partner and I hiked around Canyon Road and the Table Rock Loop. I’d like to come back in late summer or fall, when the trees and flowers are in bloom. It looped around without us realizing, and we somehow ended back at the parking lot. Further along, we peered over the ledge to see the river, surrounded by tall, yellow grass. It was “spring,” my partner said, which meant bare trees and brown grass, but no snow. We climbed into a hollowed section of rock to hide from the wind and eat our picnic. ![]() The mile-long tail has jagged rock and overgrown roots. We hiked the Backbone trail, which loops between Backbone Lake and Maquoketa River. Zak Neumann/Little Village Maquoketa Caves State Park, Maquoketa Maquoketa Caves in the winter. Looking north at Lake Macbride from Macbride Nature Recreation Area. Still, I enjoyed the large body of water, and the shady trail leading towards it. But during our visit, it was a slight trickle, like a leaky spigot. She swore that there’s usually more water in the “waterfall,” and there’s photos online to verify her claim. We hiked to what she described as a “waterfall.” In reality, it’s a spillway that divides Lake Macbride from the Iowa River. I first went to Lake MacBride in October on a second date. Lake Macbride State Park, Johnson County A deer wanders through MacBride state park. Here’s a tentative ranking of the five state parks I’ve explored throughout the state so far, plus an honorable Wisconsin mention. ![]() Since moving to Iowa City from Athens, Georgia last August, I’ve spent my free time relaxing in Johnson County’s parks and greenspaces, and my weekends hiking state parks and trails. Follow the road around the lake (right turns) a short distance to arrive back at your car.Maquoketa Caves State Park - Adria Carpenter/Little Village Past the Bluebird Trail junction, the trail ends at the "beach," a picnic area with some cabins and interesting stone structures constructed by the CCC in the 1930's. ![]() It is a worthwhile loop for those looking to pad their trail miles a bit. About two miles into the East Lake Trail, there is a junction with the Bluebird Trail heading to the left. The East Lake Trail meanders past some staggeringly beautiful cliffs, along the lake, with moderately technical and eminently pleasurable hiking. Step carefully, footing is rugged and the trail traverses a narrow ridge with large drops on both sides.Īfter passing the Backbone Trail, you'll find on the right side of the road the trailhead sign for the East Lake Trail. On the road at the top of the hill you'll go past the Backbone Trail, an incredibly fun albeit short lollipop route atop the jagged limestone "backbone" for which the park is named. At the end of the Six Pines Trail, turn right (east) onto the road, and follow some steep switchbacks up the hill. The Six Pines Trail travels steeply downhill towards a climbing area and some picnic areas. At the campground turn right (north) and head along the paved loop for a few hundred feet, where you'll find the Six Pines Trail. The trail generally follows the lake northwest for almost 3 miles before hitting the Six Pines campground. At the shore of the lake, you'll find the West Lake trailhead. After crossing a bridge near the Backbone Lake dam, turn in towards a park office building and residence. Upon entering the park, follow signs for the boat ramp/south lake campground.
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