Activities

Put on your Coat and Go For a Hike!

Take a deep breath in and smell the fresh wintery pine air. You’re surrounded by forests. As you make your way along the rocky path, you hear a bluejay singing his morning song. You walk a little further and see beautiful sandstone cliffs lining the path ahead of you. You feel a connection with nature. A scene like this isn’t too far away when visiting Wisconsin Dells. We are very fortunate to have some of the most visited State Parks in Wisconsin surrounding the Wisconsin Dells area, each one offering a different view of the alluring nature that Wisconsin creates.

Located just 5 minutes from Downtown Wisconsin Dells, Rocky Arbor State Park is known for their beautiful sandstone bluffs and pine trees that cover the 244 acre park. This is a beautiful site to see during the wintertime because the white snow gently settling on the pine trees create a majestic scene right out of a fairytale. While winding through the parks trails or roads, it’s common to see deer grazing, hear birds chirping, and feel like you’ve escaped reality. The sandstone bluffs in the park along with the sandstone bluffs covering the surrounding area are what originally attracted visitors to Wisconsin Dells. During the winter season, the main gate to Rocky Arbor State Park is closed, but visitors may park at the entrance and walk in to enjoy the beauty.

Mirror Lake State Park is located just 3 miles from Wisconsin Dells and is your destination for cross country skiing. In fact, Mirror Lake State Park is groomed with over 17 miles of cross country ski trails! Winter hiking and snowshoeing are both permitted at Mirror Lake State Park; however, when their is snow on the ground, cross country skiing is the parks main activity. A highlighted map of the cross country skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing trails are available on the parks website. Looking for ice fishing hotspots? Mirror Lake is home to many walleye, bluegill, bass, northern pike and a variety of pan fish for the avid ice fisherman.

Devil’s Lake State Park is Wisconsin’s largest state park and is only a short 15 mile drive from Wisconsin Dells. The beautiful Baraboo Bluffs surround the park and are filled with over 29 miles of hiking trails. Ice fishing, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing are also available at Devil’s Lake State Park during the winter months. For details and events, visit the Devil’s Lake State Park website.

Just a friendly reminder that a Wisconsin State Parks 2018 sticker is required for your vehicle at all 3 of these parks. A sticker may be purchased online, at the Mirror Lake State Park Visitors Center, or at the Devil’s Lake State Park Visitors Center. We hope you get outdoors and enjoy some time at these state parks during your visit to Wisconsin Dells. 

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