North Beach
Baraboo, Wisconsin · on Devils Lake · Devils Lake State Park-Iansr
Verified · 4 independent sources
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About North Beach
North Beach refers to the North Shore ("Northshore") swim beach at Devil's Lake State Park in Baraboo, Wisconsin, one of two official swimming beaches on Devil's Lake, a roughly 360-acre glacial lake ringed by 500-foot quartzite bluffs. As swimming holes go, this one is fully developed: a designated day-use swim area with seasonal restrooms and a nearby concession building, though the state park does not staff it with lifeguards.
The beach sits on the north end of Devil's Lake atop the North Glacial Moraine, one of two moraines a glacier deposited roughly 12,000 years ago to plug the ends of an ancient river gorge, forming the lake within a gap between 500-foot quartzite bluffs. Per Wikipedia, the park's parking lots, a concession building, and a picnic shelter all sit on this same moraine at the lake's north end. The park was founded in 1911 and many of its trails and stone/timber structures were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps between 1934 and 1941.
Swimming at North Beach
Swimming takes place directly off a maintained sand beach into the lake, at one of the park's two designated swim beaches (3,300 feet of combined shoreline). The Wisconsin DNR explicitly states lifeguards are not provided, so swimmers are on their own for safety. The North Shore beach has accessibility accommodations (a beach access mat and a loaner beach wheelchair), suggesting relatively easy, gradual entry suitable for a broad range of visitors rather than a rugged or remote swimming spot.
How to get to this swimming hole
Parking: Wikipedia describes a parking lot, concession building, and picnic shelter at the north end of the lake atop the North Glacial Moraine; the Wisconsin DNR separately publishes a dedicated "North Shore Day Use Area" map for this section of the park.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. North Shore beach is a short, flat walk directly from the adjacent main parking lot -- no trail or hike is needed to reach the swimming area. (Longer bluff trails like the East Bluff Trail exist elsewhere in the park for hikers, but they are separate from beach access.)
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
North Shore beach has a gradual sand entry, an accessible beach mat, and an adjacent children's play area with climbing gyms and slides, but Wisconsin DNR provides no lifeguards at either beach, and an independent visitor guide notes swimmer's itch is reported almost every year with occasional E. coli advisories, so supervise kids closely.
Parking
Paid
Main North Shore parking lot sits atop the North Glacial Moraine right next to the beach; a Wisconsin state park vehicle admission sticker is required (exact dollar amount not published on the DNR site). North Shore lot is reported to fill first on summer weekends/holidays, after which arriving visitors are directed to South Shore parking instead.
Restrooms
Yes
Seasonal bathhouse/restroom facilities at the North Shore beach (open 'in season' per Wisconsin DNR); a beach wheelchair and access mat are also checked out from the nearby North Shore Chateau.
Hours
Devil's Lake State Park is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. year-round; the on-site concession/rental buildings run 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily in season.
On the water
Restrictions: Only electric motors are permitted on Devil's Lake (no gas motors); life jackets are mandatory for all occupants of any watercraft. Concession rentals require a minimum age of 18, valid photo ID, and a $100 refundable deposit plus one extra hour's deposit; rentals cannot be reserved online and are first-come, first-served, weather/wind dependent.
Concession rentals are carry-out from the North Shore Chateau or South Shore Concessions Building rather than a boat launch; personal kayaks/canoes/SUPs can also be carried in by visitors, subject to the same electric-motor-only and life-jacket rules.
Rentals nearby
Single kayak, double kayak, stand-up paddleboard, and pontoon paddleboat rentals; specialized/adaptive kayaks available for people with disabilities by calling ahead
Prices: Single kayak $17/hr, double kayak $25/hr, SUP $22/hr, pontoon paddleboat $35/hr
North Shore Chateau (right at North Beach) and South Shore Concessions Building, Devil's Lake State Park, S5975 Park Rd, Baraboo, WI 53913 · 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily in season; last rental checkout 5 p.m., all boats must be returned by 5:45 p.m.
What regulars say
Visitors say the North Shore beach and picnic area get 'very crowded, especially on summer weekends & holidays,' and its parking lot tends to fill before the South Shore lot does, so regulars recommend arriving before 9 a.m. on busy days. Swimmer's itch is reported at Devil's Lake State Park almost every year, E. coli advisories occasionally occur, and the North Shore side gets the most sun of the two beaches.
Backstory
Devil's Lake State Park was founded in 1911. Devil's Lake itself formed roughly 12,000 years ago when a glacier deposited terminal moraines that plugged the north and south ends of a gap in the surrounding quartzite bluffs, creating the landlocked lake. Civilian Conservation Corps crews built many of the park's trails and structures between 1934 and 1941.
North Beach: FAQ
Does North Beach charge a fee?
A Wisconsin state park vehicle admission sticker is required to enter Devil's Lake State Park; the DNR page does not list a specific dollar amount, and holders of a National Parks passport have the vehicle admission fee waived (camping fees, where applicable, still apply).
Is North Beach kid friendly?
North Shore beach has a gradual sand entry, an accessible beach mat, and an adjacent children's play area with climbing gyms and slides, but Wisconsin DNR provides no lifeguards at either beach, and an independent visitor guide notes swimmer's itch is reported almost every year with occasional E. coli advisories, so supervise kids closely.
Do I need to hike to reach North Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for North Beach?
Main North Shore parking lot sits atop the North Glacial Moraine right next to the beach; a Wisconsin state park vehicle admission sticker is required (exact dollar amount not published on the DNR site). North Shore lot is reported to fill first on summer weekends/holidays, after which arriving visitors are directed to South Shore parking instead.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to North Beach?
Concession rentals are carry-out from the North Shore Chateau or South Shore Concessions Building rather than a boat launch; personal kayaks/canoes/SUPs can also be carried in by visitors, subject to the same electric-motor-only and life-jacket rules.
When is the best time to visit North Beach?
Concession buildings on the lake (which rent kayaks, paddleboards, and paddleboats and sit adjacent to the beaches) operate through summer months plus select spring and fall weekends, and beach restrooms are described as open only "in season," indicating the beach is primarily used for swimming in summer.
What are the rules at North Beach?
No lifeguards are provided at either swim beach, per the Wisconsin DNR. Restrooms at the beach are open only "in season." Hunting and fishing licenses apply where those activities occur in the park.
What water body is North Beach on?
North Beach is on Devils Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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