A Long Walk at Devils Lake

Wisconsin's third state park came into being in 1911, quickly rose as the most popular and holds the spot to this day.

Located near the popular tourist area of Baraboo and Wisconsin Dells - its breathtaking beauty and array of natural and man-made attractions attract more than one million visitors every year.

This time of year, the confluence of colorful leaves and strong desire for a final swallow of the outdoors lures thousands.

Many years have passed since I climbed to the top of the bluffs overlooking the lake and mile after mile of Wisconsin farmland. The natural stone steps were set in place initially by the Civilian Conservation Corps, a job creation agency born during the Great Depression.  The steps make it easier, but not easy, to reach the top.

Jumbles of rock in places make it easier to pass to the side than climb as intended some 80 years ago.  I think the corps of workers who transformed the park would be happy to see the park today and the throngs of folks who enjoy their handiwork.

I started along the lake shore gazing at the bluff.  One trail hugged the base of the mini-mountain near the water.  Fifty yards away I noticed a steady stream of folks turn to climb a long natural ramp.

The rock staircase ascends quite rapidly and offers just a few glimpses of the lake below.  Sunlight streams through the canopy and soaring birds are below the line of vision.

The higher the climb, the more outcrops of rock beckon hikers to take a look or grab a seat to quietly take in the grandeur.

Along the path and where the rocks give way to gravity - there are no guardrails to offer simulated safety.  It's clear this is a dangerous place if steps are taken to near the edge.

People have died or been seriously injured in falls from the rocks. Most victims of carelessness, drugs, alcohol, or colossal misjudgment.  You can see a long way without teetering to judge how far the drop is to jutting rocks below.

After the climb to the top, I stopped to enjoy the view and the peace which comes from a perch on top of the world looking down on creation.

It's a perspective on the size and scope of a great big world and our relative size in comparison.

In the photo to the left stands a man, probably six feet tall, looking south across the water.  If you didn't search, you may have missed him completely.

It's a beautiful world we live in.  Sometimes we get so caught up in our own lives we fail to see how small we, and our problems, really are.