The Chilling Legend of Wisconsin’s Devils Lake Monster

Devils Lake is one of the most popular lakes to visit in the entire state of Wisconsin, but legends say a giant monster may be hiding in the murky water.

Lakes Vs. Oceans

Labor Day weekend is just around the corner, and for many people living in Illinois it's the perfect excuse to head to Wisconsin for some family fun at the lake.

I have been going to one Wisconsin lake (often on Labor Day weekend) every summer since I was born. I think we can all agree that ocean water is far prettier than most lake water, but at the end of the day, I'm a lake girl for a few important reasons:

1. I hate how your skin feels after swimming in salt water.
2. Oceans have sharks and jellyfish.
3. Lakes are easy to get to living in Illinois.

Illinois may have many great lakes to enjoy during the summer, but when we really want to get "away", many of us head to Wisconsin.

Most Popular Lake in Wisconsin?

Devils Lake in Wisconsin welcomes a million visitors every year who love to fish, swim, and boat in its waters, but how many of those visitors know that a giant monster may be lurking in the lake beneath them?

Sure, the pics of the "Devils Lake Monster" in that video look like a giant log photographed in varying depths of water, but the legend behind the "monster" is pretty fascinating.

Legend of the "Devils Lake Monster"

According to devilslakewisconsin.com, legends about the Devils Lake Monster go all the way back to when Native Americans lived on the land.

The most popular version of the legend says:

an early missionary to the area heard a story from a local chief who was recounting a long drought in the area. His people came to the lake because it was drying up, and as it did, it became easy to collect fish from the lake.

The story goes on to say that the lake dried up so badly that it split into two bodies of water separated by an island in the middle. Here's where things get interesting:

One morning, the people woke up to see a strange, apparently amphibious creature thrashing around in an effort to free itself from the dry land. (Some accounts suggest it was some form of Kraken or octopus-type monster.) They were so afraid of the creature that none would go near it and in time, it eventually worked its way back into the water.

No one has reported seeing the Devils Lake Monster for many years now, but the legend still gets shared between residents and visitors all the time. You might want to watch your toes the next time you jump into Devils Lake...just in case.