Devils Lake is a small city in northern North Dakota, but the name really belongs to the water beside it. The lake is the largest natural lake in the state, with a ragged shoreline, big skies and a reputation for excellent walleye, pike and perch fishing.
The town is a practical base for the lake region: supplies, an Amtrak stop, motels, guides and enough places to eat between days outside. In summer, visitors come for boating, birding, scenic drives and state-park camping. In winter, the same lake turns into an ice-fishing destination, with snowmobiling and cross-country skiing nearby.
It is not polished resort country. That is part of the charm. Devils Lake feels like the northern plains meeting a vast, shifting inland sea.