Driving down Hwy 21just happened to spot this amazing Ship Rock wayside. The wayside said closed,…read morebut pulled in. No bathroom services or garbage containers. But over abundance of graffiti unfortunately. Climbed the rocky paths and if I had hiking shoes would have been more adventurous. But still very cool place.

Ship Rock Wayside is a small, but well maintained loop of relatively new concrete which circles the…read morerock formation. In all my visits over the years, including this one, there wasn't anyone else there at all. This formation isn't as large or well-visited as the larger Roche-A-Cri park and formation, and where it's situated out of the way on Highway 21, it's not exactly something one is likely to "stumble" upon. The park is small, and dominated by the rocks. There is a "path" of sorts that leads up the rock structure, but this is a rough climbing route, so scale the rock at your own risk. All the same, it's a striking formation with a certain duality to it- the colorful shades of weathered rock on top, and the even more colorful layers of spray paint the locals have applied over the years. If you want to see something out of the way, or have ever wanted to climb a big rock, Ship Rock is out there waiting for you.

I agree with Jeremy N. Make sure to call and check about mosquito and tick season…read more We brought a deet-free, "natural" mosquito repellant that did squat against the heaviest mosquito swarm I've ever experienced. This was also the trip where I was introduced to ticks lol. Even with long sleeves, pants, socks over pants, a jacket, and hat in the hot weather, we still got multiple mosquito bites on our face, hands, and through our clothes. Found about a dozen ticks on us underneath our clothes. Had fun though hiking, setting up our tent and campsite, kayaking for the first time, cooking meals, ears of corn, making smores, experiencing a rainstorm at night. Ty Dad for giving us the tarp to place underneath our tent, otherwise we would've been soaked lol. Also, we saw the cutest porcupine! The porcupine waddled and tried to climb a tree, but changed its mind. Friendly employees. Would like to return during non mosquito/tick season.

We had an absolute blast staying here and can't wait to return sometime again in the summer. The…read morephoto was taken right by our campsite. So beautiful waking up to this in the morning. We saw SO much wildlife in the 30 hours we stayed there. Fish of all types, deer, wild turkey, toads, owls, eagles, and even a porcupine! The stars were beautfiul and the park in well maintained. Porta potties we're throughout the park and close to our sight, they were clean too. There's a little shop nearby with everything you would need from fresh bait/fishing supplies to grocery items like raw meat and butter. They also had snacks, sodas, beers and we saw a few to go orders of pizza leave too. Such a beautiful lake and amazing representation of Wisconsin wildlife. There's boat launches and kayaks launches in the park. It is also bear country so inform yourself on rules before staying!

Awesome experience being surrounded by the beauty of the upper dells! Only wish there was more to…read morehike and that is accessible by cars and not just via a boat ride.

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

One of Wisconsins smaller state parks, but still a gem. Usually not very crowded, plenty of…read moreparking, wonderful trails and clean. In the winter the main entrance is closed, however there is a back entrance for those looking forward to cross country skiing. An often overlooked gem.

We were pleasantly surprised by this relatively small state park. We were traveling through the…read morearea geocaching and stopped and had a very nice visit. The rock formation was very cool. We had no idea this existed. The views from the top on this beautiful sunny day were great and worth the 303 steps to the top. We hiked on a couple of the other trails to see some of the other rock outcrops. The trails were very nice. We drove through the campground and it appeared to have good sites. There are a few picnic areas but not a lot of other amenities. It appears that the main entrance to this park closes sometime in late October but there is a winter entrance for cross country skiing on the south side of the park. Worth a detour to check out.

Wisconsin's Largest Natural Bridge/Arch…read more this natural arch is located in the "Driftless Area of Southwestern Wisconsin" meaning....this natural bridge was not glaciated during the last Ice Age & is still standing strong today! Quick Facts * archeologists found charred wood in fire pits underneath this natural bridge that dates as far back as 12,000 years * this is a 530 acre state park with lots of beauty...but stay on the trails!! ‼ * the trail to the natural bridge is quick & easy! Bring your family * there are no trash cans...keep your trash on you!! * this spot is located very close to the House on the Rock * add this spot to your list of Things To Do in Wisconsin!

This is the most bizarre State Park I've been to in Wisconsin, and I've been to many. I don't know…read morewhy it has State Park status, it's more of a State Natural Area, because there is no park office, no bathrooms of any kind, no picnic tables, no one enforcing or collecting the fee you're supposed to pay -- there's just a parking lot you drive into, for free as far as I can tell. The posted map says it has toilets and a picnic area, but they are not there. Anyway, once you park and take the mowed trail, it's a pretty short hike to the bridge, which is very, very beautiful. There are a couple of more trails you can continue to walk on, but they seemed to disappear into nothingness after a while, so we turned back. So definitely stop in for 30 minutes to see the natural beauty, but there's no reason to stay beyond that.

Amazing pristine visitor center with lots to learn from interactive exhibits! School groups come to…read morethis park. While we were here there was a group of first graders scooping bugs out of the water with nets. They were so excited! Leashed dogs are allowed, so we walked our pups on a couple of the trails and saw flocks of many birds enjoying the wetland. Teaming with life! We were just driving by on a camping trip and stopped. So so glad we did. This place is a gem and a destination you shouldn't miss!

Hidden gem... saw a great horned owl in broad daylight. We were there in December so there wasn't a…read morelot of waterfowl, but I imagine with open water it's even more amazing.

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.

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.

This was my first time camping* in a county park, and it was enjoyable but definitely different…read morethan my previous experiences at state parks. For my stay at Petenwell, I use camping broadly as I had the opportunity to stay in a large and amenity-filled camper. Hook-ups for water and electricity at the site allowed for a fridge and freezer, a flush toilet and shower, and air conditioning. Not a bad set-up! For $250 a month you can leave your camper there and come and go as you please. As far as the park itself, it's well maintained, has a nice office where you can be ice and firewood and play pool and video games, has direct access to the lake, a sandy beach, and a kind, neighborly atmosphere. People roam the grounds on bikes and walk their dogs, and many have set up decorations and benches and made themselves a home away from home for the summer. What I wasn't expecting was how close together the campsites are - my past camping experiences have had sites divided by trees and some privacy; here you are pretty stacked. There is an open field for people to pitch tents, and our camper area was also a bit of a free for all. We lucked out, though, and our hosts were able to set up in a shady spot along with some other friends to create a large space between the campers with a fire pit and picnic tables that discourages others from setting up in the space. Despite the close quarters, the camp is surprisingly quiet. The most disruption came from all of the chirping birds at 4 in the morning - a much more welcome sound than screaming kids or drunk revelers. Bring some ear plugs and you'll be good to go!

Great county park. Well maintained , nice amenities, boat launch, bath house, sandy beach, kid…read morestuff , snacks . Once you visit you will understand why I give it 5 stars !

Busy, busy, busy during the sunset months, but sometimes, I can squeeze in a solo dip in if I go…read moreextremely early. The water is so refreshing, and I'm beyond pleased now, I've been in many Minnesota lakes myself, but the sunset is still more special on Sunset's shore than all of the NM shores combined. If you go before 9am or after 6pm, you'll perchance get my jg with a place to park your car and lay out that towell

Best beach in the state of Wisconsin!!! The lake is set in a small valley that adds to the charm…read more The water is clear and calm even on windy days and the sand is really great. Many people talk of how clear the water is (a lot of water by beaches in Wisconsin is muddy). Old pines provide shade on a small section of the beach and up on the grass too. A lot of tables and charcoal barbecues scattered about. Cell phones don't work here...bonus right! I've been to beaches in the Caribbean, Thailand and South America but this is my favorate North Woods syle beach. Sunset lake truly looks like something out of a movie or better!