Devil's Doorway is a rock formation in
Devil's Lake State Park. The signature feature of the park, it is a popular spot for climbing and photographs. The
quartzite
Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tecton ...
rocks that make up Devil's Doorway form a doorway-shaped
natural rock arch
Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the laws, elements and phenomena of the physical world, including life. Although humans are part ...
.
Description
Devil's Doorway is a main attraction in
Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin.
The park is and
Devil's Lake is .
The formation, more than high, is named for its resemblance to a doorway or a stone arch, with two separate columns of rock connected by other rocks at the top. Devil's Lake is visible from the vantage point at the formation.
The rocks that form Devil's Doorway are
quartzite
Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock that was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tecton ...
, consisting of tightly packed grains of sand.
The geological formations in the area are estimated at 1.6 billion years old. Devil's Doorway was created by many years of water both freezing and expanding in cracks in the rocks.
History
Devil's Doorway is located at the southeast corner of Devil's Lake in Devil's Lake State Park.
It is found on The East Bluff Trail.
Between 1909 and 1910 The State Park Board acquired for the park and by 1911 the board had secured a total of .
When the park was established in 1911, there was much graffiti painted on the rocks of the formation.
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
The ''Wisconsin State Journal'' is a daily newspaper published in Madison, Wisconsin by Lee Enterprises. The newspaper, the second largest in Wisconsin, is primarily distributed in a 19 county region in south-central Wisconsin. As of Septembe ...
'' stated that graffiti is reported three or four times every year and volunteers quickly remove it.
''The Milwaukee Journal'' referred to the rock formation as one of "Wisconsin's natural wonders" and a "Wisconsin treasure".
''World Atlas'' has said the formation is the signature feature of Devil's Lake State Park.
The most photographed rock formation in the park, it stays in position because of the weight of the quartzite— per cubic foot.
Visitors often climb on the Doorway and take photographs;
as safety gear is not always used, some visitors have been seriously injured or killed after falling.
Gallery
File:Devil's Doorway with graffiti (circa 1911).png, Devil's Doorway with graffiti (circa 1911)
File:1914 postcard of Devil's Doorway.jpg, Colorized postcard of Devil's Doorway (1914)
File:Doorway and Lake beyond, by Bennett, H. H. (Henry Hamilton), 1843-1908.jpg, Devil's Doorway (1870)
File:Devil'sDoorway.JPG, Hikers climbing on Devil's Doorway
File:Gfp-wisconsin-devils-lake-state-park-foggy-devils-doorway.jpg, Devils Doorway
References
External links
* {{commons category-inline, Devil's Doorway
Protected areas of Wisconsin
Rock formations of Wisconsin
Tourist attractions in Wisconsin
Climbing areas of the United States
Protected areas of Sauk County, Wisconsin