Quick answer: Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo is one of the best romantic picnic spots in the Midwest, largely because cell service disappears once you’re inside the park. Hike the East Bluff Trail to Balanced Rock first, about 1.8 miles round trip, then picnic with a wool blanket, stemless glasses, a charcuterie board, and a bottle of Prairie Fume from Wollersheim Winery. Bring a Wisconsin State Park vehicle sticker, arrive before 9am on summer weekends, and make a deal to put your phones away for the whole picnic.
The Picnic That Made Us Put Our Phones Away Devil’s Lake State Park, Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s Devil’s Lake State Park is one of the most romantic picnic destinations in the Midwest, not because it tries to be, but because it takes your phone signal and your to-do list and replaces them with bluffs, lake views, and the person sitting next to you.
John hates olives.
I know this because every single time I pack a charcuterie board, the good cheese, the cured meats, the little container of olives I’ve been looking forward to since Tuesday, he makes the same face. And every single time, I eat every last olive myself without a single regret.
This is what eight years looks like. And honestly? It’s perfect.
Why Devil’s Lake
We’ve picnicked in a lot of beautiful places across the Midwest. But Devil’s Lake State Park outside of Baraboo, Wisconsin has something most places don’t.
Almost no cell service.
I don’t say that as a warning. I say it as the highest possible recommendation. Because what happens when two people who love each other but live busy, distracted, constantly-connected lives suddenly can’t check anything, answer anything, or scroll anything?
They actually talk.
They look at each other. They look at the bluffs. They open the Prairie Fume.
They remember why they do this.
The Hike First
We always hike before we eat. It’s not a rule we made, it’s just what happens when you pull into Devil’s Lake and see those quartzite bluffs rising 500 feet above the water and your legs just start moving.
The hike up to Balanced Rock on the east bluff is our trail. It’s challenging enough to feel like an accomplishment and short enough that you’re not destroyed by the time you get there. The views from the top will stop you mid-sentence. The lake below, the forest stretching out in every direction, the quiet that only exists at altitude, it resets something in you.
We stand there every time and just breathe for a minute.
That’s the thing nobody tells you about hiking with your partner. The trail does the work. You don’t have to manufacture connection, the landscape creates it for you. Side by side, slightly out of breath, nowhere else to be.
The Picnic
By the time we find our spot, usually somewhere with a view, away from the main picnic areas, on our wool trail blanket that has seen better days and also the best days, we’re ready.
Our basket is old fashioned and slightly ridiculous and we love it.
Here’s what’s usually in it:
The board: A hard cheese, something creamy, good crackers, cured meat, fresh fruit, and olives that John won’t touch and I will absolutely finish.
The wine: Prairie Fume by Wollersheim Winery. A Wisconsin white that’s crisp and slightly sweet and tastes exactly like a perfect outdoor afternoon should taste. If you haven’t had it, find it before your next picnic. You can thank us later.
The glasses: Stemless stainless steel. We learned the hard way that real glassware and rocky bluffs don’t mix.
The blanket: Wool. Water resistant on the bottom. Worn in on top. It goes everywhere with us.
We eat slowly. We talk about everything and nothing. John steals my crackers even though he has his own. I steal the last pour of wine even though he had less. The lake is below us and the sky is above us and there is genuinely nowhere else either of us needs to be.
This is what we came for.
What Devil’s Lake Does to People
There’s a reason this is Wisconsin’s most visited state park. The glacial bluffs, the clear lake, the trails that range from easy beach walks to challenging ridge climbs, it has something for every version of yourself.
But what it does for couples specifically is something I didn’t expect the first time we came here.
It slows you down.
Not in a boring way. In a way that feels like exhaling after holding your breath for too long. The scale of the bluffs makes your problems feel appropriately small. The absence of cell service removes the escape hatch you didn’t realize you’d been reaching for. And suddenly you’re just two people on a blanket with good wine and a view that makes you grateful to be alive.
We leave Devil’s Lake every single time feeling closer than when we arrived.
That’s not nothing. That’s everything.
Your Connection Moment
Before you open the wine, make a deal: phones in the basket, face down, for the whole picnic.
Not forever. Just for one hour.
Ask each other: “What’s something you’ve been wanting to tell me but haven’t found the right moment for?”
Then listen. Really listen. The bluffs will hold the silence if you need it.
Plan Your Picnic
Devil’s Lake State Park: S5975 Park Rd, Baraboo, WI 53913
The east bluff trail to Balanced Rock is our recommendation, moderate difficulty, extraordinary payoff. Arrive early on summer weekends, the park fills up fast.
The wine: Prairie Fume by Wollersheim Winery, Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. Available at most Wisconsin grocery stores and at the winery itself, worth the detour.
The basket: Find a classic wicker picnic basket at any antique market in Wisconsin. Ours cost twelve dollars and has been on every adventure with us.
Wisconsin State Park vehicle sticker required. Annual pass pays for itself in two visits.
Pack the olives. Eat them yourself. No regrets.
Quick Facts: Romantic Picnic at Devil’s Lake
- Location: Devil’s Lake State Park, Baraboo, WI 53913
- Best trail for couples: East Bluff Trail to Balanced Rock, moderate, 1.8 miles round trip
- Cell service: Minimal to none, bring a downloaded map
- Park fee: Wisconsin State Park vehicle sticker required
- Best season: Late spring through fall, peak color in October
- Wine recommendation: Prairie Fume by Wollersheim Winery, Prairie du Sac, WI
- Crowd tip: Arrive before 9am on summer weekends, it’s Wisconsin’s most visited state park for a reason
- Insider detail: The west bluff trail is more crowded, the east bluff gives you more solitude
If you’re planning a full weekend, pair this with our Wisconsin waterfall hikes guide, Copper Falls is three hours north and worth every mile.
Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo, Wisconsin is the state’s most visited state park, featuring 500-foot quartzite bluffs, a glacial lake, and trails ranging from easy beach walks to challenging ridge hikes. Cell service is limited throughout much of the park, making it one of the best places in the Midwest to genuinely disconnect.
Devil’s Lake State Park is located 45 minutes from Madison, 90 minutes from Milwaukee, and 4 hours from Chicago, making it one of the most accessible natural escapes in the upper Midwest.
FAQ
What makes Devil’s Lake State Park a good spot for a romantic picnic?
Minimal cell service, quartzite bluffs rising 500 feet above the water, and a lake view most places in the Midwest can’t match. The lack of signal removes the distractions that usually pull couples apart even when they’re sitting next to each other.
What’s the best hike at Devil’s Lake before a picnic?
The East Bluff Trail to Balanced Rock, about 1.8 miles round trip. It’s moderate difficulty, challenging enough to feel like an accomplishment, short enough that you’re not exhausted by the time you find a spot to eat.
What should you pack for a picnic at Devil’s Lake?
A charcuterie board, a bottle of Prairie Fume from Wollersheim Winery, stemless stainless steel glasses, and a wool blanket with a water resistant bottom. Real glassware and rocky bluffs don’t mix.
Do you need a park pass for Devil’s Lake State Park?
Yes, a Wisconsin State Park vehicle sticker is required. An annual pass pays for itself in about two visits if you plan on returning.
When is the best time to visit Devil’s Lake State Park?
Late spring through fall, with peak color in October. Arrive before 9am on summer weekends, it’s Wisconsin’s most visited state park and it fills up fast.
Is there cell service at Devil’s Lake State Park?
Minimal to none through much of the park. Bring a downloaded map. For a couple trying to actually disconnect for an afternoon, that’s part of the appeal, not a downside.
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