Devil's Doorway (Wisconsin)
 Devil's Doorway c. (1898) | |
| Continent | North America |
|---|---|
| Region | East North Central states |
| Coordinates | 43°24′50″N 89°43′12″W / 43.413889°N 89.72°W |
| Largest lake | Devil's Lake (Wisconsin) |
Devil's Doorway is a rock formation which is found in Devil's Lake State Park (Wisconsin). It is the signature feature of Devil's Lake State Park and a popular spot for climbing and photographs. The rocks are quartzite; they form a doorway-shaped natural rock arch.
Description
[edit]Devil's Doorway is a main attraction in Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin.[1] The park is 9,217 acres (3,730 ha) and Devil's Lake is 360 acres (150 ha).[2][3] The formation got it's name because it looks much like a doorway or a stone arch, with two separate columns of rock and other rocks atop the formation. The formation is more than 30 ft (9.1 m) high. From the vantage point at the formation, Devil's lake is visible.[4]
Devil's Doorway is made up of quartzite, which is grains of sand tightly packed together.[5][6] The geological formation in the area are estimated at 1.6 billion years old. The geological formations of Devil’s Doorway was created by many years of water both freezing and expanding. Cracks in the rocks allowed the water to help create the formation.[2]
History
[edit]Devil's Doorway is located at the southeast corner of Devil's Lake in Devil's Lake State Park.[7] It is found on The East Bluff Trail.[8] Between 1909 and 1910 The State Park Board acquired 740 acres (300 ha) for the park and by 1911 the board had secured a total of 1,100 acres (450 ha).[9] When the park was established in 1911, there was much graffiti painted on the rocks of the formation.[10] A postcard from 1901 showed that someone had painted the initials “F.H.R.” and “T.R.R." on the face of the rocks. A 2016 article in the Wisconsin State Journal stated that graffiti is reported three or four times every year and volunteers quickly remove it.[11]
The Devil's Doorway is just one of the many rock formations which is in Devil's Lake State Park. The Milwaukee Journal referred to the rock formation as one of "Wisconsin's natural wonders" and a "Wisconsin treasure".[12] World Atlas has said the formation is the signature feature of Devil's Lake State Park.[13] Visitors often climb on the rocks that make up the formation and take photographs.[14][1] It is the most photographed rock formation in the park. The formation stays in position because of the weight of quartzite which is 165 lb (75 kg) per square foot.[15] People occasionally climb the formation without safety gear and some visitors have been seriously injured or killed after falling in the area.[4][16]
Gallery
[edit]-
Devil's Doorway with graffiti (circa 1911) -
Colorized postcard of Devil's Doorway (1914) -
Devil's Doorway (1870) -
Hikers climbing on Devil's Doorway -
Devils Doorway
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References
[edit]- ^ a b Lewis, Chelsey (26 June 2013). "Hiking the East Bluff at Devil's Lake". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ a b Smith, Jeniece. "Devil's Lake State Park Highlights | Travel Wisconsin". TravelWisconsin. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Lewis, Chelsey (15 February 2018). "7 natural wonders in Wisconsin". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ a b Lewis, Chelsey. "Your guide to Devil's Lake State Park, from the best hiking trails to camping information". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Marquardt, Joy (19 October 2016). "Park Profile: Devil's Lake State Park". Wausau Daily Herald. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Schultz, Gwen (2004). Wisconsin's Foundations: A Review of the State's Geology and Its Influence on Geography and Human Activity. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press. p. 69. ISBN 978-0-299-19874-9.
- ^ Adams, Barry (29 May 2021). "Devil's Lake State Park offers stunning views, lesson in geologic history". Wiscnews. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ "Geology of Ice Age National Scientific Reserve of Wisconsin (Chapter 7)". www.nps.gov. National Park Service. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ "A Brief Human History of Devil's Lake State Park, Baraboo, WI". Devils Lake Climbing Guides. Devils Lake Climbing Guides. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Baraboo. San Francisco, California: Arcadia Publishing Sauk County Historical Society. 22 September 2004. ISBN 978-1-4396-1501-0. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Hesselberg, George (4 July 2016). "Graffiti is not new problem at Devil's Lake State Park, but it may be on the rise". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Dawson, Drew (9 January 2024). "'The raccoons are fearless': We found the worst bad reviews of Wisconsin's state parks and natural wonders". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Dearsley, Bryan (7 June 2024). "The Best State Parks to Visit in Wisconsin". WorldAtlas. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ "A heavenly time at Devil's Lake". Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
- ^ Spoolman, Scott (12 April 2018). Wisconsin State Parks: Extraordinary Stories of Geology and Natural History. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Historical Society. p. Ch 4. ISBN 978-0-87020-850-8. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
- ^ Johnson, Mike (29 March 2018). "Illinois woman dies in fall at Devil's Lake State Park". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
