Camping
Devil's Lake State Park
Devil's Lake State Park has three regular campgrounds with a total of 423 sites that each accommodate a family of one to six individuals. There are also nine group campsites that can accommodate a total of 240 campers. All campsites are reservable.
Reservations
Camping reservations are required and can be made for the same day of your arrival or up to 11 months in advance of your planned date of occupancy. Campers must make a reservation before setting up on any site.
Reserve a campsite online or by calling 1-888-947-2757.
Devil's Lake campgrounds
Each campsite has a picnic table, gravel or paved area for parking, room for at least one family tent and a metal fire ring. Campsites are not within sight of the lake. Quartzite campground is open year-round. The Northern Lights and Ice Age campgrounds typically close in October and reopen around April.
Quartzite campground
Quartzite campground (sites 1-100) is mostly open and grassy, with medium/large trees scattered throughout the grounds. Many campsites have a nearby tree for some limited shade or are on the perimeter near (but not in) the surrounding woods. There are both electric (75 sites) and non-electric campsites. Many of the largest recreational vehicles end up in Quartzite campground because the sites are more open and spacious. The campground has a dump/fill station. A playground is near the middle of the campground. One campsite is available for people with disabilities.
Access is from the entrance road near the Nature Center or directly from County Road DL. The campground is about 0.33 miles from the lakeshore, separated by a wooded hill, the park entrance road and the main day-use picnic area. This campground was established in 1969. It had previously been a 9-hole golf course.
Northern Lights campground
Northern Lights campground (sites 104-246) has a variety of campsites and vegetation, with both electric (71 sites) and non-electric sites and open/grassy sites and wooded sites. This is the only campground where you will find wooded electric campsites. The campground has a dump/fill station. The campground is about 0.50 miles from the lakeshore. There is a playground near site 140. Two sites are available for people with disabilities.
This campground is the oldest campground at Devil's Lake State Park, opened in 1939. Three of the four shower/restroom buildings were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
Northern Lights campground map
Ice Age campground
Ice Age campground has only non-electric campsites. It has two sections, both north of County Road DL. Lower Ice Age (sites 301-390) is partly wooded and partly open and grassy. There is a concession-operated campground store in the lower campground. Upper Ice Age (sites 401-535) is completely wooded. There are three sites available for people with disabilities. The Ice Age campground is about one mile from the lake.
Most campers in this campground use tents or pop-up campers, although recreational vehicles also are allowed. There are two running water restrooms and shower buildings and seven pit toilet buildings.
Group campground
Nine group campsites can accommodate a total of 240 campers. Three of the sites, accommodating 20 campers each, are rustic and have not been cleared of trees or shrubs.
Amenities
Firewood
Natural wood from the forest may be gathered for use in your campfire as long as it is both dead and on the ground. Bundles of firewood are for sale in the camp store from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and the north shore Chateau during normal business hours.
Don't move firewood! Due to the potential of carrying harmful tree pests and diseases, Wisconsin has restrictions for moving firewood. View Firewood facts, rules and advice.
Concessions
Concession stores at the north and south ends of the lake and in the Ice Age campground are open all summer and some spring and fall weekends. The stores sell food and groceries, basic camp items, ice, firewood, souvenirs, shirts and hats. Proceeds from nonprofit stores' sales go to the park and are used to enhance customer services.
Dump stations
Dump and fill stations are free for use by registered campers. Unregistered camping vehicles may use the dump station for a fee of $10 and purchase of an hourly park pass. Dump stations are closed in the offseason to prevent freeze damage, usually from mid-October through mid-April. Other dump stations are in Baraboo.
Water, restrooms and showers
Running water for drinking and other uses at campsites is available at dozens of taps scattered throughout the family and group camp areas. Some water taps include drinking fountains. There are seven running water restroom/shower buildings for use by registered campers in the family campgrounds. Each building has sinks, mirrors, electrical outlets, toilets and individual shower stalls. There is no additional charge for use of showers. There are also non-private showers for swimmers in the Red Oak shelter/concession building. Running water buildings are closed and locked and water taps are turned off from about Oct. 15 to April 15, depending on temperatures. There are no laundry facilities in the park. Laundromats are available in Baraboo.
Trash
Wisconsin State Parks have a carry-in, carry-out policy on trash. You should plan to bag all your trash and carry it home to dispose of. Campsites, buildings and day-use picnic areas do not have trash cans. However, there are some dumpsters in the campgrounds and picnic areas for your use if necessary. Bins are also available for recyclable items of glass, plastic, aluminum and tin.
Telephones
There are no payphones in the park. There are two emergency phones that call 9-1-1 only, located outside the north shore Visitor Center and outside the south shore entrance station. Cellphone service can be poor or nonexistent in many locations of the park. Do not depend solely on your cell phone for meeting with other members of your group.