Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area

"The Parfrey’s Glen Wisconsin State Natural Area is a rugged, but beautiful area to hike through. The winding stream with slippery boulders to climb over and the numerous downed trees awaits you to eventually see the rapids and small in nature waterfall. Getting to the end does not include an official trail through the deep gorge. Caution advised, however once you make it, stay for a while to experience tranquility in the presence of the beautiful formations, green ferns, moss and sounds of the stream rushing by you."

"Wonderful short hike into a scenic canyon near devil's lake state park. Starts out as a hike on a slight incline in a forest alongside a creek. Gradually, the canyon walls rise up on either side, until you are climbing over and around boulders as you cross back and forth over the creek. At the end of the trail there is a beautiful waterfall. Highly recommended. You will need a state park sticker."

"Deep in the gorge is an absolute peace for those who seek it. My time of visit was 6:30 am which allowed me to be the only person present. Being alone here maximizes the beauty and tranquility of such an incredible place. There is an automated pay station on site, and a private lot across the street that residents sectioned off at $5 per car. I had an annual state park pass and hoped that sufficed because the billboard literature was unclear on passes. Hiker be wary - though the trail that immediately begins off the parking area is paved and wide, it gradually degrades in quality, turning to crushed rock, then dirt, and finally rock, dirt and tree roots - all the while narrowing. You’ll also find yourself crossing the creek a few times, on flat constructed bridges at first and then on wet and slippery rocks. Exercise caution but be rewarded at the trail’s end!"

"What an awesome trail, our kids had such a blast hiking in the deep gorge and walking through the stream. It took us around 3 hours to finish this hike, with the kids spending most of the time having fun in the stream and waterfall. It's a good idea to do this hike in waterproof footwear, coz' the stream is just so welcoming, why walk along the stream, when you can walk in the stream in some places. After you hike closer to the waterfall, the trail is blocked by a huge boulder, which looked like a dead-end and we almost decided to return, but then just climbed this boulder out of curiosity and, lo and behold, the waterfall was right there immediately after the boulder. We felt climbing and crossing the boulder, with our kids, was the only difficult part of this hike. It’s muddy and slippery in some places, so please watch your step, and as always on any hike, carry a backpack with plenty of water and snacks."

"Great place for a relatively easy hike. The route is well maintained to a point which is clearly marked. From there you get to use your hiking skills combined with balance and route exploration to make it thru huge rocks, across the creek bed and around the bend thru the gorge to a beautifully serene waterfall. We saw squirrels, chipmunks, deer, caterpillars, grasshoppers, poison ivy and various types of fungi. We love this place and so do many others, so go early to enjoy cooler temps before the crowds arrive."