Weather forecasts today were calling for 100% guaranteed rain all day with accumulation around 1″ so naturally I thought it would be perfect to explore Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Turns out this was a great strategy as the usual massive summertime crowds were nowhere to be found.
Hiking conditions were less than ideal today, but on the plus side water levels are flowing extremely high. Thankfully I was only hiking a short distance in search of a waterfall/rapids that my friend Bob is referring to as East Bluff Falls.
The “falls” are actually a series of small drops along Steinke Creek which is directly adjacent to the East Bluff Trail and are maybe 1/4 mile away from the parking lot.
Another view from further upstream. It was very difficult to reach good photography vantage points since all the rocks were dangerously slippery. Also heavy rain and camera equipment don’t mix well.
The largest single drop of maybe 2-3 feet is the furthest upstream where the creek bends around and moves away from the trail. Lots of dead-fallen trees block the best views but you can see it in the distance. Still a very cool sight, most of the photos online I have seen show lower water so this was a unique experience to see it flowing so rapidly!
Video
Here’s a short video of the falls/rapids in action. Enjoy!
Hiking
The hike itself is very easy on the trails, but nearest to the water can be dangerous if you don’t watch your step. Everything today was slicker than ice due to the rain (even dropped my pocket knife in the creek and couldn’t find it). Possibly more fun on drier days.
