From park improvements to programs and everything in-between, see some of our contributions to Wisconsin’s busiest state park!

Accomplishments 

How Friends Dollars Support Devil’s Lake

Over the years, Friends members and volunteers have contributed to many valuable efforts, including events, staffing, facilities repairs, and capital improvement projects. Some of the more regular contributions include monies toward:

  • Hosting special events, such as Halloween Pumpkin Carving, Torchlit Hikes, and Music in the Park

  • Planting and mulching trees

  • Maintaining trails

  • Staffing supplemental help in the Nature Center and Visitor Center

  • Supporting nature center programming

  • Campground and picnic area enhancements

  • Accessibility upgrades and improvements

Funding Accomplishments

Where do Friends dollars go? The list below highlights some of the specific purchases and efforts from the Friends. Donations, fundraisers, and grants allow the Friends to support the park and enhance visitor services.

The projects listed below are a sample of how we support the park. These costs do not include assistance marketing and promoting Devil’s Lake State Park or the Friends. See our financial statements here.

2025 | $34,400

  • Park events and programming hosted by Friends and Park’s Nature Center

  • 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Chateau

  • Burial mound rehabilitation and restoration

  • Accessibility upgrades at campsites and day use areas

  • “Panoramic” interpretive display

  • Upgrades to emergency access / Ice Age Trail to East Bluff Trail

  • Nature Center supplies and equipment

  • Monthly stewardship workdays

    • Tree mulching

    • Beach clean-up

    • Campground clean-up

    • Bench repair and painting

    • Litter control

  • Two Adopt-A-Highway Clean-ups

  • Assistance with park operations and maintenance costs

2024 | $34,130

  • North Shore walkway improvements (cont.)

  • Park events and programming hosted by Friends and Park’s Nature Center

  • “Wingspan” display and Friends kiosk by the Chateau

  • Monthly stewardship workdays, including highway cleanups and environmental projects

  • Assistance with park operations and maintenance costs

2023 | $34,400

  • Park events and programming hosted by Friends and Park’s Nature Center

  • East and West Bluff Trail upgrades

  • Interpretive signage

  • Park purchases and maintenance assistance

2022 | $37,930

  • North Shore walkway and beach improvements

  • Park events, Nature Center programming, and volunteer workdays

  • Miscellaneous park expenses

2018 | $11,600

  • Scenic viewer repairs

  • Chamber of Commerce memberships

  • Bathroom improvements to Headquarters and Rock Elm Shelter buildings

  • Replace picnic table boards

  • Employee & Volunteer of the Year plaques

  • Maintenance tools

  • Campground host campsite improvements

2017 | $28,450

  • Employee & Volunteer of the Year plaques

  • Employee summer picnic

  • Purchase staff radios

  • Purchase additional picnic grills

  • Install bathroom privacy screens

  • Spading trees

  • Replace tables and chairs in Red Oak shelter

  • Trail upgrades to East & West Bluff Trails

2016 | $13,600

  • Employee & Volunteer of the Year plaques

  • Annual meeting for Friends, Park staff and Concession Corporation

  • Carpet cleaning

  • Tree spading

  • Internship funding

  • Purchase emergency phone

  • Purchase lake buoys

  • Replace public bathroom lights on Headquarters building

  • Improvements to campground host campsite

2015 | $10,780

  • Repair and parts for UTV, mower, and other small engine projects

  • Pesticides to protect park trees against Emerald Ash Borer pesticide

  • Snowshoes to loan to park visitors

  • iPads, sensors, and bat demo equipment for Nature Center

  • Purchase vault toilet blower motors

  • Repairs to Red Oak shelter

  • Supplies for blacktop trail paving repairs

Knowles - Nelson Stewardship Program

The Friends of Devil’s Lake State Park received funds from the state of Wisconsin’s Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Over the years this program was available, the Friends received $470,000 in funding from the state, which we have matched dollar for dollar, investing $235,000 into the park. This program expired June 30, 2026. If you’re interested in learning more about this outdoor recreation funding program, please visit Team Knowles-Nelson, a program of Gathering Waters.

  • Park Events and programming hosted by Friends and Park’s Nature Center

  • Marketing: Social media and website updates

  • Assist with park operations and maintenance costs

  • Volunteer incentives

2020 | $3,055

  • Park Events and programming hosted by Friends and Park’s Nature Center

  • Facilities & amenities upgrades for campgrounds and day use areas, including new concrete walks throughout the park, improving gravel pads in campgrounds and other areas of the park, replacing culverts, and map wall and history wall at the Visitor Center

  • Assist with park operations and maintenance costs

2021 | $55,014