LINCOLN CITY — Everyone has heard of Devils Lake, the 630-acre waterway beloved by boaters, water skiers and fishermen.

But what the devil is Spring Lake?

The answer is hidden by a wall of spruce and fir along a busy Devils Lake turnpike., N.E. 14th Street, in the Indian Shores Neighborhood about 200 yards west of Regatta Park.

A pristine natural lake bordered by a one-mile trail, 25-acre Spring Lake Park offers a cool sanctuary of tall trees, colorful wildflowers, marine birds and raptors whose screams suddenly shatter the peace. A well-kept trail offers meandering secondary paths aplenty, including an unmarked route north in the direction of Uptown Lincoln City and an ADA stretch that begins on NE Port Ave. It’s a bit of a maze — perfect for exploring and discovering something new on every visit.

Down one offshoot sits what appears to be a living room couch which is instead a cement replica inviting hikers to relax and enjoy the view. The late Lincoln City Realtor Fred Goss (1939-96) is lovingly recalled at the memorial bench.

According to a city parks master plan, the open space was acquired in 1996 and expanded in 2000. Located a hundred yards north of eye-catching Devils Lake with its powerboats and fireworks, Spring Lake is quiet as the deep woods. The glass-like body of water is clear as the creek water that feeds it, casting reflections of sky and trees across its surface. At the north end of the lake is a creaky wooden footbridge and a wetland dominated by skunk cabbage and ferns that grow as tall as some hikers.

Birdwatchers will find Canada Geese and Great Blue Heron at ease in the shallows of Spring Lake. If fungi is your thing, edible oyster mushrooms are among the many species found in the cool depths of the park.

More about Spring Lake, other parks and the master plan can be found at the city’s web site, lincolncity.org.