We rented kayaks on Mira Lake. It was one of the most beautiful kayaking trips we've taken. We did…read moreit an early fall, and it was absolutely perfect. The scenery is beautiful. The water was calm. And there weren't a lot of other people kayaking at the time. Highly recommend if you're in the Dells area.

Wonderful State Park! Memorable experience! Would certainly plan to return!…read more Our big annual camping trip with the family recently took us to Mirror Lake, a spot that was new to all of us. It's an easy distance from where we live in Milwaukee, as it's in close proximity to the Wisconsin Dells. That said, even though we were deep in the woods camping, there was plenty of civilization close by should we have needed to restock on anything. Since we had quite a big group, we booked a double-site and boy did we luck out. I think we had the largest double that was available. It fit two large RV/campers and five tents, leaving ample room for tons of chairs around the fire pit and the big picnic tables provided. Oh and they are *electric campsites* which can be hard to find! No water hook up though. Not too far down from our site was the big shower houses/bathrooms. And let me just say, these are NICE! Like very nice. And very clean. Probably the best campsite bathrooms I've ever seen. I feel as though the building was very new / freshly redone. Other pros: plenty of lake activities (we rented both kayaks and pontoon boats), great walking paths (freshly laid wood chips and clear signage), lakeside beaches, and various playgrounds for the kiddos. Oh and fun planned experiences by the park - it was "Smokey Bear's birthday" when we were there and they had a firetruck on-site, water games, bday treats, prizes, and a meet and greet with the bear himself. A hit with our kids. Even if you're not camping, this state park would be wonderful for a day trip!

Absolutely breathtaking hike. It is a relatively easy hike to take. There are many beautiful spots…read moreto take pictures if you are into photography, or just wade into the water. If you are in Baraboo and at Devils Lake, this is not to be missed.

It's a great place to go hiking and to take a dip in the natural reserve water nestled between to…read morerock cliffs where you can use the rope to swing into the warm flowing river water. It is a very cool place to check out and really was a great start to the trip. Also do not jump off the rocks into the water because there are rangers who watch that area and it is not allowed to jump off the cliffs.

I'm always an ever a fan of an expanse of green in any city or town…read more Lately, it feels like every time we travel, we seek out a park in which to picnic. Turns out, I'm a bit of a Yogi Bear at heart (Hey Boo Boo...let's go get us a pic-a-nic basket). Only, unlike that thievin' bear, I bring my own bountiful basket. So, while cruising around the Dells, I thought--why not have a picnic in a park. Enter Bowman Park. It's a great park to enjoy a picnic. They have a few picnic tables scattered here and there as well as plenty of shade--so, perfect for picnicking! Beyond that, there's a large field near their bandshell/pavilion that is plenty big for sports (and indeed, while we were there, there was a group of guys playing a casual game of football). The field is sort of sunken, so that if there were a concert going on that brought a good sized crowd, you could get a spot on the berm above and still have a great view of the band. The don't allow pets of any sort (leashed or unleashed) in the park, which was a bummer as we had our dog (it wasn't hot, so she was able to hang in the car with the windows down, but she would have much rather rolled around on the lawn). Other than that? A great little park, conveniently located to many walkable restaurants and shops. Get to it!

stunning such a nice informational ride out there beautiful walk. Would recommend for all agesread more

This was a pretty cool and quick 20 minute walk to breeze through. Pretty and peaceful. Completely…read morepaved easy path.

Definitely wear solid shoes with good traction if you plan to climb the rocky trail to the top. Oh…read moreboy. I only made it half way, it's quite challenging! Very steep in parts. If you don't want to climb up to catch the views, there is still beauty all around and you can walk by the lake or around the flatter trails. $16 was the daily fee for my car, as I have Illinois plates. I'm guessing it's cheaper for folks who live in Wisconsin. I will have to return in the spring to see the colors! But this state park was gorgeous, even on a chilly March day!

Wanted to go hiking to see balanced rock and devils door. Had never been in the area before, but…read morewatched a few videos before going to try to get an idea of what id need to do when I got there. Got to the park around 5 and all the concessions were closed. Couldn't find anyone to speak to but there was a machine to buy a parking pass and found the map so I could figure out the trails. Made my way up to balanced rock but it was getting late and started to lose sunlight so didnt make it to devils door. Wouldn't say it's a easy hike but my girl never did anything like it and she did it just fine. Rocks slippery but I feel it was worth the views. Beautiful park and would definitely go back.

Highly recommend, it is a quick 10 - 15 minute walk that is mostly shaded. You can find a little…read moremore about the local history and take some photos. There are a couple of picnic benches about 1-2 mins from the Ho-Chuck people sign if you want to have picnic near the Wisconsin River.

This was a great place to walk. It was short but scenic. The views of the Wisconsin River were…read morespectacular from the path. If you're in Wisconsin Dells, it's worth taking a stroll down this path.

Cute park for kids, port-a- potty, little old and rickety but still fun for little kids, not for…read morebig kids- for age 10 max

This is one of 5 "Dream Parks" in Dane County. They all were community built. The playground is…read moretruly huge and has tons for kids from 18 months and up to explore. Bring a picnic, there are plenty of places to sit.

Ableman's Gorge State Natural Area is a lot of fun to explore. I did a small amount of research…read morebefore going the first time, and I wasn't really prepared for the hike I found myself on. A few tips for anyone going here who hasn't been... 1 - there is a parking location around the bend that takes you to some muddy trailheads (this is where we started, and this is where GPS took us). We quickly found ourselves off-trail and climbing some very challenging terrain. If a heart-pounding, out of breath hike isn't for you - avoid this entrance. 2 - there is a free spring located on the closer side of the bend. If you park near here and look across the street you will see another trailhead leading into the gorge. This is a much more maintained and level trail. I didn't get to hike this one, but as we were getting water from the spring, I saw parent's taking children this way so it can't be too challenging. 3 - Van Hise rock is located between these two entrance's on the opposite of the street. Don't miss it. It's very cool. 4 - The water at the spring is DELICIOUS. Definitely definitely try it. We all filled our water bottles but witnessed several others brining gallon and 5-gallon jugs to fill up. This is a popular spot. *this is not part of the gorge, it is privately owned* I can't wait to go back and the parts I wasn't able to the first time!

Located just north of Rock Springs between Baraboo and Reedsburg, this natural phenomenon has been…read morea destination for geologists and students for more than a century. It's located in the middle of an area known as Ableman's Gorge, one of only two openings in the Baraboo Range. The Baraboo Range is a monadnock (a residual hill that consists of hard rock in an otherwise eroded area) located in Columbia and Sauk Counties, Wisconsin. This range of mountains is subterranean with only the peaks appearing above ground. The range consists of highly eroded Precambrian metamorphic rock, about 25 miles (40 km) long and varies from 5 to 10 miles (16 km) in width. The Wisconsin River, previously traveling in a north to south direction, turns to the east just north of the range before making its turn to the west towards the Upper Mississippi River. The eastern end of the range was glaciated during the Wisconsinian glaciation, while the western half was not, and consequently, marks the eastern boundary of Wisconsin's Driftless Area. There are only two openings in the Baraboo Range, in the east, where the Baraboo River exits the basin and in Ableman's Gorge, where the Baraboo River enters the basin. It is at this point where Van Hise Rock was pushed around, and upward, by geological forces. I can't even pretend to really understand it all (I'm not a geologist nor do I play one on TV) but I can see that what is usually a horizontal layering of rock is vertical in the Van Hise monolith. The result is that professionals and students from all over the world visit this monolith to see, and research, this unique example of earth forces over the millennia. And it's right here, on Wisconsin Highway 135, where anyone can stop and admire this geological marvel. PS - If you're a geologist and think I've mis-reported anything here, please send me a message and we'll see what we can do to fix it. :)