Clear stream flowing through Griegol Gulch

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July holiday. As is our tradition we had family over to watch the Baraboo fireworks from our home where we are lucky enough to avoid the traffic. On Sunday we went out to find and explore another one of those secret natural wonders of Sauk County. This one is located within Devil’s Lake State Park and only named on Topo Maps. The place? Griegol Gulch.

Looking down into the gulch from the hills above

You can actually pull up the location of Griegol Gulch on Google maps by searching, “Griegol Gulch, Sauk, Wisconsin 53913”.  What looks like a road marked, “Devil’s Lake State Park” on the map however is seriously misleading. There is a small parking area located at the head of what may have once been a driveway or trail. Now it is simply high grass and brush between two cornfields. A  DNR marker and gate are almost completely hidden in overgrown brush and weeds. It’s obvious that few people ever push the nettles, wild parsnip and thorny raspberry branches aside to make the trek.

Gate marking path into Grigol Gulch. (Note the Wild Parsnip in the lower left corner)

The slightly visible path leads you between two cornfields for some distance before opening up at, you guessed it, another cornfield. This is where it gets tricky. The path stops, corn is everywhere and you simply have no idea where to go next. Well, here is one shot at directing you to the gulch. At this point you should be facing east on the south-west corner of a field. The trail picks up again on the north-east corner of the filed in front of you. Diagonal to your current position. So the best choice is to turn north and walk around the edge of the field until your reach the north-east corner. If you take a few steps into the woods here you should see the trail that leads down into the gulch. After a short walk into the woods the trail will split off. To the right it will come to a dead end, and a big dangerous drop. Go left and follow the trail down until you reach the stream. You have arrived!

Red line marks one way down into the valley.

It’s hard to imagine what Griegol Gulch may have looked like a few years back, before the floods. What you see today is a spot trying to recover from what must have been an amazing flood lead by a huge wave. With a quick glance, One can imagine the wave tearing away at the valley wall as it was forced by the landscape to round a tight corner.  On the inside where the power was less, tons of sand and stone  were deposited in a 3 foot high heap. Nature is just now trying to cover the damage.  Old trees are down everywhere and the banks of the now tiny stream are covered by stone wash and wild flowers. Even with the obvious devastation of the recent floods the valley is quite beautiful.

If you go…

Park in the parking area completely off the road. You need a valid Wisconsin State Park Sticker, and all state park rules and regulations apply. Carry in, carry out. Be respectful of the local farmer’s fields. Stay on trails as best you can. Be aware of the risks. Again, Griegol Gulch should be considered wild and in no way maintained. There are some nasty plants like “Wild Parsnip” which can cause you some amazing suffering. There are high cliffs, stones to twist ankles, and possible exposure to wildlife, including rattlesnakes. Keep in mind too that you are on your own out there. Let someone know where you are going and when to expect you back. In the Baraboo bluffs, especially in deep forested gorges and valleys your cell phone, even GPS may not work. Taking the risks into account and being adequately prepared, it can be a wonderful experience to go out and explore some hidden little gems few have seen and where even on a holiday weekend, chances are you’ll have the world to yourself.