Spectacular scenery and cool autumn and winter temperatures make the Baraboo Area a hiker’s paradise. Let’s take a look at the hot spots for hikers as the climate chills:

Devil’s Lake

Just outside Baraboo, 500-foot quartzite bluffs tower over tranquil Devil’s Lake. The jaw-dropping views afforded those who make the 1- to 2-mile trek atop the bluffs help make Devil’s Lake State Park the most-visited state park in Wisconsin.

Scale the bluffs to see Balanced Rock or Devil’s Doorway and enjoy a panorama of fall foliage each October. (Peak color typically hits Baraboo in the second or third week of that month.) The hiking website alltrails.com lists four Devil’s Lake trails – West Bluff, East Bluff, Balanced Rock and Devil’s Doorway – among the top six in Wisconsin.

But there’s more to see off those beaten paths, especially in winter. Hikers and snowshoers can burn calories on cold winter days by traversing Roznos Meadow, which is part of Devil’s Lake State Park and the Ice Age Trail. (More on that in a moment.)

Just down that trail and Sauk County Highway DL, you’ll find Parfrey’s Glen Natural Area. It’s home to a mossy sandstone gorge with a creek that leads to a waterfall.

Ice Age Trail

As long as we’re on the Ice Age Trail, why not keep exploring it? This 1,200-mile foot path traces the edge of the last glaciers that retreated from Wisconsin. It links several communities and affords a vantage point for the spots where our present meets our ancient past. In some spots, it offers off-road hiking, but in others it leads walkers right down main streets. That’s the whole idea: Connecting people and communities.

The Ice Age Trail is open for hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing and (in some areas) cross-country skiing. It runs from St. Croix Falls, near the Minnesota border to Door County on Lake Michigan. It includes not only the aforementioned Devil’s Lake, but Gibraltar Rock (read more below). Learn more about this trail at iceagetrail.org

From the soaring Baraboo Bluffs to the lowland prairies of the Driftless Region, hikers don’t leave the Baraboo Area disappointed. And they learn firsthand why they should never take offense when the locals invite them to take a hike.

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The Baraboo Hills glow with vibrant colors each October. Attractions such as Devil’s Lake State Park and Ski Hi Fruit Farm offer panoramic views of the autumn canopy.

Devil’s Lake is Wisconsin’s most-visited state park. But the crowds lessen in fall, affording an opportunity to hike the bluffs to Balanced Rock or Devil’s Doorway in peace. You can also enjoy the views from the water aboard a canoe or kayak!

Ski Hi is popular not only for its apples, ciders and pies, but for its ample activities. Enjoy a wagon ride through the orchard. Grab a basket and pick your own apples. Stroll through the petting zoo. Or grab a bottle of Ski Hi Rye, find an open picnic table and take in the view in silence.

That’s not the only spot to quench your thirst in the bluffs. Just down the road from the orchard and the state park, Tumbled Rock Brewery & Kitchen offers craft beer, outdoor dining and live music. It’s a favorite among locals and visitors alike.

Another hop, skip and a jump down the road you’ll find Balanced Rock Winery, which pairs its distinctive flavors with breathtaking views. Buy a bottle and a shareable cheese plate as you watch autumn set the landscape afire.

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On Saturday, Sept. 19, the grounds of Circus World will come alive with the sounds of polka music and the sweet smell of German fare and bratwurst when the Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce hosts its 5th annual Oktoberfest. We’re inviting you to don your lederhosen or dirndl and join the festivities for an afternoon and evening celebrating this venerable Bavarian tradition.
The Circus World grounds will open at 3 p.m. Fest Masters Tom and Lisa Stout will kick off the event by tapping the golden keg at 3:30 p.m., followed with a performance by the always-entertaining BaraBrew WisconSing Beer Choir. Local polka band Griffy Jim and the Polka Dots will take center stage in the hippodrome from 4-6 p.m. And from 7-9 p.m., headline act The Mike Schneider Band will do its thing to keep the dance floor full. Schneider’s band has been nominated for 24 polka wards, winning Band of the Year from the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame in 2009. Mike was inducted into that Hall of Fame in 1997 at age 18.
Admission buttons cost $10 in advance and may be purchased at the Chamber office, 600 Chestnut St. Same-day admission is $12. Children are welcome to attend but must be accompanied by an adult.
This event is very labor intensive, so if you’re feeling the spirit, we can put you to work. We have shifts available on Friday, Sept. 18 (set-up), Saturday, Sept. 19 (various shifts throughout the event), and Monday, Sept. 21 (teardown). If you’re interested, you can sign up here.

Member Appreciation party set for Oct. 29
Ready for a little tailgate party? Indoors? Here’s your chance. The Chamber will be hosting its annual Member Appreciation Night on Thursday, Oct. 29, at Zeman’s Old Highway House, beginning at 5:15 p.m. in the lower level.
Because the Green Bay Packers host the Carolina Panthers that night, we thought we’d turn it into a tailgate event. Shannon and her crew at Zeman’s will be offering up tailgate fare and a cash bar will be available.
We’ll be giving away some door prizes, including the grand prize of two tickets to any Packers game in the 2027 season. Watch for registration information in future newsletters.

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On Friday, Sept. 18, Downtown Baraboo will come alive under the lights of the Baraboo Young Professionals’ annual Night Market. Dozens of vendors will line the courthouse square from 5-9 p.m. as the Swing Crew performs live music. Grab dinner from food vendors and patronize the Young Professionals’ beer tent as you enjoy a special evening in the heart of this community.

Don’t just spend the evening – spend the weekend in Baraboo! A farmers market delivers fresh produce to the courthouse square every Saturday morning. While you’re there, check out the historic business district’s distinctive specialty shops.

Come 3 p.m., Baraboo Oktoberfest takes over the town. The Tour de Prost bicycle ride starts at 3, circling the square as it heads to Circus World. Fest Masters Tom and Lisa Stout will lead the ride and, upon arriving at Circus World, will tap the golden keg as they kick off the festivities.

Baraboo’s beer choir will sing at 3:30 p.m. under the hippodrome, serving as the opening act for the first of two polka bands. Big Griffy Jim and the Polka Dots will take the stage at 4.

Meanwhile, Chamber volunteers will grill brats, serve wines and pour three – count ‘em, THREE – locally brewed Oktoberfest beers. Food trucks will sell pretzels and schnitzel.

Once the Polka Dots finish their rousing finale, the Fest Masters will preside over the costume and stein-holding contests.

It all leads up to Oktoberfest’s headliner, the Mike Schneider Band. This troupe has been entertaining audiences throughout the Midwest since 1996. Its Hall-of-Fame sound has developed a devoted following, and will keep the crowd dancing from 7-9 p.m.

Revelers planning to spend the weekend have plenty of lodging options. There’s the Fairfield Inn & Suites, a new Baraboo hotel that is the lead sponsor of Oktoberfest. Fireside Cabins has rejuvenated an old lodge in West Baraboo to create a rustic retreat. Those who appreciate circus history will love Ringling House Bed & Breakfast, located in the former home of one of the Ringling Brothers.

For information and updates, visit oktoberfestbaraboo.com

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By Julie Ruffolo

Let’s start with the oldest rock – the bedrock. The start of the Baraboo Hills was created about 1.5 billion years ago when sand and other sediments accumulated along a prehistoric beach. Over millions of years, that sand was pressed into sandstone and further compressed and heated until the sand transformed into one of the oldest types of rocks visible in the Midwest – Baraboo Quartzite.

Then tectonic forces folded and uplifted these rocks, creating a mountain range that is even older than the Appalachian Mountains.  Distinct fault lines that have been recently mapped by University of Wisconsin scientists help explain the way these mountains were created during this period of movement and compression. The Baraboo Hills today only rise about 500 feet above the surrounding area, that is because they are remnants from bigger mountains that have eroded over millennia.

So today, we get to enjoy the colorful purple, pink and red quartzite cliffs throughout the Baraboo Hills area created over a billion years ago. The Baraboo Hills stretch about 25 miles east to west and vary between 5-10 miles wide north to south with the city of Baraboo roughly in the center.

In less than a minute, you can watch a University of WI Geological and Natural History Survey YouTube video that shows how the Baraboo Hills formed:

Then a Tropical Sea

Time travel a few hundred million years later and Wisconsin lay beneath a warm, shallow tropical sea. Roughly 500 million years ago, the Baraboo Hills became islands rising above these ancient seas, as thick layers of sandstone, shale and limestone were deposited. Waves crashed against the quartzite mountains and sediments accumulated around the edges which preserved an amazing record of environmental change and ancient marine life.

Many of Wisconsin’s fossils including trilobites, brachiopods, cephalopods and corals date from this time when the Badger State was covered with this tropical sea.

Ice Changes Much of the State

The most recent chapters in Wisconsin’s geologic history revolves around glaciers. Beginning about 2.5 million years ago, during the Ice Age, enormous sheets of ice covered much of the North American continent repeatedly – growing and retreating over and over which dramatically changed the landscape of the state.  These glaciers carved lakes, flattened hills, deposited soil and created the flatter plains of most of the state.

Except the Driftless Area

The word “drift” means the landscape formations left by a glacier as it moves. Much of these drift names are incorporated into places in Wisconsin – kettles, moraines, eskers, drumlins. But the southwestern part of the state was not covered by glaciers and thus became a unique area because the ice did not flatten everything. 

Sauk County is at the eastern end of the Driftless Area.  Glaciers did impact the area, but not by covering and flattening the land, but rather as they melted. During the last ice age, about 18,000 to 14,000 years ago, a lake formed when the Green Bay Lobe of the Laurentide ice sheet (see diagram) grew right up to the eastern edge of the Baraboo Hills, essentially blocking the flow or damming the melting ice. This created an enormous freshwater lake that lasted thousands of years and spanned from about Wisconsin Rapids to Devil’s Lake. This lake created the sandy soil of the areas north of the Baraboo Hills. 

Once the Green Bay lobe of the glacier melted, the dam was breached and the lake drained in weeks, cutting canyons as the water found its way south and west toward the Mississippi River. The Baraboo Area along with the rest of southwest Wisconsin and parts of northern Illinois, eastern Iowa and southeast Minnesota includes deep river valleys, steep wooded ridges, narrow sandstone gorges, spring-fed trout streams, dramatic rock outcroppings, thin rocky soils and an amazing biological diversity.

Sauk County is unique

Few counties in Wisconsin combine so many remarkable geologic features –

• The ancient Baraboo Hills, one of North America’s oldest exposed mountain ranges

• Sandstone bluffs and cliffs

• Exposed Baraboo quartzite dating back 1.5 billion years

• The Baraboo and Wisconsin Rivers carving dramatic valleys through resistant rock

• Glaciated terrain immediately next to landscapes untouched by the last ice sheets

Few places illustrate Wisconsin’s geologic history so clearly!

A geologic theme park – Devil’s Lake

Likely the most dramatic and illustrative of the spectacular geology of the Baraboo Area is Devil’s Lake and the surrounding hiking area in the state park. The lake was formed between two towering quartzite ridges. Glaciers stopped their westward expansion at the Baraboo Hills and glacial deposits, and sediment blocked the valley and formed Devil’s Lake. It’s an amazing landscape and does not look like it belongs in Wisconsin! Find 500-foot quartzite cliffs, massive slopes of broken boulders and ancient rocks over 1.5 billion years old as well as a beautiful clear lake. There are countless sweeping views and recreational opportunities along with the incredible geologic formations.

Wisconsin’s first State Natural Area – Parfrey’s Glen

Glen is a Scottish word for narrow, rocky ravine – which describes this natural area accurately.  A small stream has carved a narrow sandstone gorge, and the hiking trail follows the water through various landscapes. Look for exposed rock layers, waterfalls, plunge pools and shaded cliff faces. There is active stream erosion still going on today, so it’s a changing landscape subtly throughout the year with occasional flooding events that dramatically alter the gorge. There are unique exposed rock walls that show sandstone embedded with rounded quartzite pebbles, evidence of an ancient sea where these layers were added to the sediment at the bottom of the water as well as the shoreline.

An outdoor classroom – Ableman’s Gorge

Nowhere else in the Midwest is structural geology more evident. Carved by the Baraboo River that neatly bisects much of the Baraboo Hills, Ableman’s Gorge cuts through the resistant Baraboo Quartzite, exposing some of the best examples of Precambrian rock in Wisconsin. The nearby railroad tracks and quarry expose even more of the geologic cross-sections for study. The 200-foot-high bluffs follow the river for about a mile, and the rock formations are world renowned. Ableman’s Gorge forms the Upper Narrows of the Baraboo Hills with the corresponding Lower Narrows further downstream of the Baraboo River just before its confluence with the Wisconsin River, east of the city of Baraboo on Highway 33.

Don’t miss Van Hise Rock, across Highway 136 from Ableman’s Gorge. The rock is named in honor of Charles Van Hise, a UW professor and chair of the Department of Mineralogy and Geology who studied the area extensively. This monolith illustrates the features of folding in the Earth’s crust that explains mountain building that occurred about 1.6 billion years ago.The rock is a National Historic Landmark and is still used in geological education and research.

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The rolling, tree-topped hills of the Driftless Region make Baraboo an ideal spot to take in fall colors. Devil’s Lake State Park offers recreational opportunities of all kinds, from hiking to kayaking to rock climbing. Your reward for scaling the bluffs is an unparalleled view of the Baraboo Hills’ colorful tree canopy.

As long as you’re in the neighborhood, why not visit Ski Hi Fruit Farm? This charming apple orchard atop the hills offers a “you-pick” option and a petting zoo. Stop by the farm store for candy apples, fritters and pies.

Just down the road from Ski Hi and Devil’s Lake you’ll find Tumbled Rock Brewery, which serves craft beers and live music alongside lunches and dinners.

If you appreciate craft beer, you’ll also want to visit Al. Ringling Brewing. Located just a block of Baraboo’s quaint downtown square, this German-style beer hall was inspired by a long-lost Ringling family beer recipe. Try the Oktoberfest! Speaking of Oktoberfest, Baraboo Oktoberfest returns to Circus World on Sept. 19, featuring polka bands, bratwurst and local craft beer.

Local wineries pair their distinctive flavors with breathtaking scenery. Baraboo Bluff Winery rests west of the city, delivering a panoramic view of the hills as they explode with color. Balanced Rock Winery is perched near Devil’s Lake, serving its homegrown whites and reds as visitors gaze at crimson and gold.

Lovers of the outdoors will enjoy not only Devil’s Lake, but the Baraboo Riverwalk. This 3-mile paved path along the bubbling Baraboo River is a favorite among walkers, cyclists and anglers. If motor sports are more your speed, check out Sauk County’s extensive network of ATV/UTV trails: 1,500 miles’ worth!

Start your awesome autumn in Baraboo by visiting baraboo.com.

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Cyclists are invited to register for a $10 ticket that will not only get them into the ride, but into the Oktoberfest grounds at Circus World. Participants can enjoy a pre-ride beverage at Baraboo Tours at 2:30 p.m. before riding around downtown Baraboo and escorting the Fest Masters to the Oktoberfest grounds around 3:30. Decorate your bike for a chance to win prizes!

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The Mike Schneider Band has been nominated for 24 polka wards, winning Band of the Year from the Wisconsin Polka Hall of Fame in 2009. Mike was inducted to that Hall of Fame in 1997 at age 18!
“The sound of live polka music and the smell of brats make for great marketing,” Althoff said.
Oktoberfest beers from local craft breweries – Tumbled Rock Brewery, Al. Ringling Brewing and Pals Brewing – will be available for purchase. Baraboo Bluff and Balanced Rock wineries will serve their flavors.
The 5th annual Baraboo Oktoberfest is presented by Fairfield Inn & Suites.
Admission buttons cost $10 in advance at the Chamber’s Visitor Center in 600 W. Chestnut St. in West Baraboo. They’ll cost $12 on Sept. 19.
For more information, visit oktoberfestbaraboo.com.
To volunteer at Oktoberfest, click here.

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The new year is still five months away, but it’s time to begin work on the 2027 Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce annual visitor guide. This publication is our primary source of print advertising and about 15,000 copies are distributed statewide through interstate highway rest areas, Welcome Wisconsin Centers, and chambers of commerce throughout Wisconsin.
In addition, about 5,000 copies of the guide are distributed locally through the Visitor Center and high-traffic tourism locations.
The guide highlights the multitude of tourism attractions that the Baraboo Area has to offer, including Devil’s Lake State Park, Circus World, the Al. Ringling Theatre, the International Crane Foundation, the Aldo Leopold Foundation, Mid-Continent Railway Museum and Ho-Chunk Gaming-Wisconsin Dells.
The guide also features a list of the many great events that take place in the area, including the Big Top Parade, our annual Oktoberfest celebration, Downtown Baraboo’s Fairs on the Square and Art June. A comprehensive list of all active Chamber members is also a feature in the guide.
Our publisher this year again will be ASJ Publishing. Beginning in mid-August, owner Amy Johnson and her team will be reaching out to members to inquire about advertising opportunities in the guide. In her first year as our publisher, Amy did a great job with the 2026 guide and we are looking to grow the page count through increased advertising support and more editorial content. If you would like a copy of this year’s guide, stop in at the Visitor Center between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can access a digital copy of the guide here.
If you have any questions about the guide, please contact me at 608-356-8333 or director@baraboochamber.com.

Two spots open for 2027 board election
Two positions on the Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors will be on the ballot for the upcoming 2027 election. Those positions are:

• Tourism – This position is being vacated by Shelley Mordini of Baraboo Tours. Shelley has served two consecutive terms and is not eligible for re-election. Per our bylaws, this spot must be filled by a person employed by a business in the Tourism classification.
• Financial Services – This position is currently held by Tiffany Sloan of Baraboo State Bank. Tiffany has served one three-year term and is eligible for re-election. Any representative of a Chamber member in the Financial Services classification is eligible to run for this position.
  The 11-member Board of Directors is the governing body of the chamber and works with the Executive Director to set priorities for the organization. Per our bylaws, the board is comprised of directors representing Agribusiness, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Professional, Retail, and Tourism; the City of Baraboo hotel industry; the Village of West Baraboo hotel industry; the Ho-Chunk Nation; and two At-Large directors.
  A director’s duties include participation in the monthly board meetings and service on at least one of our four standing committees. Directors also are encouraged to take part in Chamber events such as the annual dinner, golf outing, Oktoberfest, the Big Top Parade and our monthly Business After 5 networking events.
  Information about how to nominate someone for either of these positions will be included in an upcoming edition of the Chamber Review.

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The Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Big Top Parade on June 13 was another rousing success. Blessed with perfect weather conditions, the parade came off without a hitch (actually, there were a lot of hitches, but they were all attached to the dozens of horses pulling circus wagons).
Like last year, an estimated 25,000 parade lovers lined the streets of downtown Baraboo to celebrate the city’s rich circus tradition that began in 1884 when the five Ringling Brothers launched their dream. The parade was 75 units strong, featuring beautifully restored circus wagons, horse teams, marching bands, clowns, community floats and more.
Hundreds of hours of planning by the Chamber’s Big Top Parade Committee, Circus World, the City of Baraboo police, fire/EMS and public works departments, Sauk County, and area law enforcement made it all possible. A special thank you to Circus World Executive Director Scott O’Donnell and his team, and parade committee co-chairs Nanci Jenks and Doug Hill.
The parade was made possible by the financial support of more than 30 area businesses that deserve mention: Presenting sponsor Baraboo State Bank, 99.7 MAX-FM, Magnum Media, Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells, Terrytown Plumbing, Pizza Ranch, Fairfield Inn & Suites Baraboo, Cell.Plus – U.S. Cellular, Topham Family Foundation, Don Larson GMC Supercenter, Bank of Wisconsin Dells, WCCU Credit Union, Teel Plastics, Andersen Windows & Doors, SSM Health/St. Clare Hospital, Wegner CPAs, International Crane Foundation, Dental Associates, Supreme Awards, MBE CPAs, Bachrodt Baraboo Motors, DEZ Tactical Arms, TRICOR Insurance, Seneca Foods, Prevail Bank, Wisconsin River Title, Community First Bank, Synergy Metalworks, Hill’s Wiring and Geri Pettersen Berkshire Hathaway.
And to the dozens of volunteers who assisted, we could not have done it without you. Thank you.

The time has come for me to bid farewell

In October, I will celebrate my 5th anniversary as Executive Director of the Chamber. It’s been an extremely gratifying – and quick – five years. While I thoroughly enjoy this job, I have come to realization that it’s time to transition into retirement by the end of the year, a decision I announced to our Board of Directors at their June 22 meeting.
I will work with the board to facilitate the search for a new Executive Director and provide for a smooth transition. After more than six decades in the workforce (hey, I started young!), I am looking forward to spending more time with my wife Cathy and enjoying life. Thank you all for your support over the past half decade. Onward.

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