Devil’s Lake Oak Forest is an 88-acre southern dry-mesic forest in Devil’s Lake State Park wedged between East Bluff SNA on its north side and South Bluff/Devil’s Nose SNA on its south side. Parking is available at the south shore day use/beach area. From there, take the Ice Age trail to the Grottos trail which forms the northern boundary of the SNA. On the map below, Devil’s Lake Oak Forest is the elbow-shaped area near the southeast corner of the lake.
This site has the feel of your fairly typical Wisconsin forest. The history here is very interesting. An overstory of red oak sits above an understory of maple, all of which are found in an old channel of the Wisconsin River that carved the land between the East and South Bluffs and was subsequently partially filled with glacial till and boulders that dot the forest floor. This is a fairly easy and straightforward site to explore and I would recommend either a spring visit to see the ephemeral layer or a fall trip to see the entire park in its fall colors.
More of my photos (and full-res) from East Bluff can be viewed here.
Additional Information
| SNA # | 27 |
| County | Sauk |
| Natural Communities / Geology |
Southern Dry-Mesic Forest |
| Size (Acres) | 88 |
| Parking | Parking areas (paved) |
| Trails | Yes, along periphery |
| Easy to Find | Yes |
| Best Seen By | Foot |
| Marked Boundaries | No |
| Ownership | Wisconsin DNR |
| Located Within | Devil’s Lake State Park (state park sticker required) |
| Dates Visited | 8.22.09 |
|
|
|---|
State Natural Areas of Wisconsin 