Devil's Doorway, East Bluff
Baraboo Hills, Wisconsin · 1,398 ft
Typical peak
Oct 3 – Oct 11
low confidence in typical timing.
Best light
Best at sunset
A freestanding quartzite arch stands on the bluff edge with the lake 400 feet below and oak-maple talus slopes filling the frame behind it. Shooting through the arch gives you a hard dark foreground against the color on the opposite bluff.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Crowds
high
Busy through peak. Be parked before sunrise or expect to walk in.
Getting there
Park at the Devil's Lake south shore lot off WI-113 and climb the Balanced Rock or East Bluff Trail about 0.5 mile and 400 vertical feet to the formation.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- red oak
- paper birch
Color progression
Typical peak Oct 7Typical color progression for Devil's Doorway, East Bluff. No change from Aug 30 to Sep 16. First color from Sep 16 to Sep 25. Approaching peak from Sep 25 to Oct 3. Peak from Oct 3 to Oct 11. Past peak from Oct 11 to Oct 21. Bare from Oct 21 to Nov 4.
Devil's Doorway, East Bluff is typically at bare on Nov 1, 2026.
This season so far
First frost
Oct 17
1 night at or below 32°F since Aug 1.
Last 14 days
66°F / 46°F
Average daily high and low.
Modeled weather for these coordinates from the Open-Meteo historical archive, Aug 1 – Oct 31; not a station record. Reported peak is the median date of approved peak-color reports.
Plan the light
Devil's Doorway, East Bluff on October 7, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:34 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 97° | 7:03 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 38 min of low, warm light | 7:41 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:46 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 38 min before sunset | 5:52 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 263° | 6:30 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:58 PM |
Times in America/Chicago · day length 11h 27m · computed from NOAA solar equations.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
Aim within 45° of the sun for translucent leaves. Turn your back to it for flat, accurate color.
Shooting conditions
Glassy water, wind blur, and what the cloud will do to your light.
Recent reports
What people actually saw here. Been recently? Add yours.
Nearby locations
Within 100 miles in a straight line; road distances can be longer.