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Category: Parks

Door County is the only county in Wisconsin with five state parks, plus one state trail. No visit to the peninsula is complete without exploring these pristine open spaces that are home to historic landmarks, rare flora and fauna, hiking trails, and much more.

Peninsula State Park

The crown jewel of the Wisconsin State Park system, Peninsula State Park offers more than 3,700 acres for exploration.

Bike or hike on the Sunset Bike Trail, or challenge yourself on more than 12 miles of off-road biking trails weaving through the woods. Rent kayaks and peddle boats at Nicolet Beach Concessions at famous Nicolet Bay beach, where you can also get snacks, burgers, supplies, and ice cream.

The park is also home to the beautiful Peninsula State Park Golf Course, award-winning Northern Sky Theatre and historic Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. The 75-foot Eagle Tower was closed in May 2015 for structural concerns, but is expected to reopen in 2018. More>>

Potawatomi State Park

Home of the eastern trailhead of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, 75-foot observation tower and views of Green Bay from the escarpment, overlook of the park’s old ski hill, several picnic areas and playgrounds, more than 2 miles of shoreline, canoe, kayak, paddleboat and bicycle rentals, boat launch and fish cleaning station, nature center and park store. More>>

Newport State Park

Newport State Park is Wisconsin’s only formally designated wilderness park, with miles of sand beach, secluded hike-in camping on the lakeshore, quiet hiking and biking trails, and great skiing in winter. More>>

Rock Island State Park

If you want a quiet beach, Rock Island is your place. The sand beach on the north side of the island was recently lauded in Minnesota Monthly magazine as one of the last “remains of old Door County.” More>>

Whitefish Dunes State Park

It was the rare botanicals, unique beauty and the largest and most significant dunescape on Lake Michigan’s western shore that led noted landscape architect Jens Jensen to recommend Whitefish Dunes as a state park site in 1937. More>>

Ahnapee State Trail

We are quick to praise Door County’s five state parks as the crown jewels of the county, but we often forget about the Ahnapee State Trail. The county-operated trail runs 48 miles between Sturgeon Bay and Algoma and its history as a railroad predates the founding of the parks system. More>>

  • Peninsula State Park Superintendent Bruns Resigns

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    Kelli Bruns, Peninsula State Park Superintendent since September of 2011, has resigned. Bruns is taking a position with the Minnesota Division of Parks and Trails at Fort Snelling in the Twin Cities area. She expects to leave after the holidays. Erin Brown, superintendent of Potawatomi State Park in Sturgeon Bay, will step in to offer […]

  • Big Fish, Turkey Trot, Nature Hikes & More Weekend Plans

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    Welcome the colder, quieter days of November with a hike through some of the county’s most beautiful areas. Rather spend your time indoors? Catch some live musical theater, a hometown story screening, or a vibrant display of art in Sturgeon Bay. Friday, November 4 Outdoors at Ida Bay Join a naturalist for a gentle hike […]

  • Cairns: Environmental Art or Vandalism?

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    Editor’s note: Prompted by an Oct. 12 agenda item for a meeting of the Door County Airport and Parks Committee, contributors Paul Burton and Megan Lundahl share their perspectives on environmental art. The agenda item in question was the issue of building cairns at Cave Point County Park. Lundahl, a Door County supervisor, initially requested […]

  • Commentary: Gaylord, Aldo and John

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    Wisconsin has long been known for its quality exports, from beverages to bathroom tissues, from mozzarella to motorcycles. But it’s been said that the best things in life aren’t things. The Badger State’s most valuable commodities aren’t things at all. They are the lesser known exports that have to do with knowledge and wisdom, particularly […]

  • Enter Challenge to Win a 2017 State Park Sticker

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    Picture yourself surrounded by fall colors in any of 12 Wisconsin State Park System properties. Then literally picture yourself at designated locations in those properties, post the images on Twitter or Instagram or upload to the Department of Tourism’s TravelWisconsin.com website. Photos will be verified for location and then will be entered in a drawing […]

  • Registration Opens for Door County Half Marathon Oct. 1

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    Registration for the 10th running of the Door County Half Marathon opens Oct. 1. Runners won’t want to miss out on the special running of a race that has been hailed as one of the best in America. “It’s amazing that we’re already talking about the 10th year,” said cofounder David Eliot. “To see it […]

  • Star Counting Party and ‘Emissary’ Screening at Newport State Park

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    How sharp are your eyes? On Sept. 30 at Newport State Park in Ellison Bay, help is needed for counting stars. Also on the same night is a screening of The Emissary movie. The Emissary features spectacular footage filmed in Newport State Park. Meet the movie creators before the star counting party. The movie starts […]

  • Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. Len Villano.

    Northern Door Storytellers Guild Holds Twilight Tours, Tunes & Tales at Eagle Bluff Lighthouse

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    As night descends over the Door Peninsula, the lamp shines at Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. As its beam brightens the night sky, the voices of past keepers whisper in the dark, echoing their stories. For two weekend evenings, the Door County Historical Society invites guests to delight in the tales of the keepers through story, song, […]

  • Night Photography Tips, Little Eddie Big Cup & More Weekend Plans

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    Just like that, September makes way for October. Take in the sights and sounds of autumn’s glory with a twilight tour of Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, stock up on handcrafted wearable art, or head to Potawatomi State Park to learn more about the plants lining the peninsula’s forest floors. Friday, September 30 Night Photography Know-How Join […]

  • Q&A With Rachel Stollenwerk, Campaign Director for Eagle Tower Fund

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    The Pulse caught up with Rachel Stollenwerk, the woman in charge of the campaign to rebuild Eagle Tower. This 27-year-old Fish Creek business owner and board member with the Friends of Peninsula State Park brings project management experience to one of the biggest projects ever brought to the crown jewel of Wisconsin’s state parks. Responses […]

  • Eagle Tower Deconstruction and Future Plans

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    Deconstruction of Eagle Tower began on Monday, Sept. 19, and lasted until Friday, Sept. 23. Although the tower was completely taken down by Tuesday morning, the site remained closed as the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) removed the wood pieces and cleared the site. The deconstruction crew took the 84-year-old tower down in three stages, […]

  • Before Deconstruction, Eagle Tower Used During Plane Crash Search

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    Barely 12 hours before deconstruction of Eagle Tower began, authorities climbed to the top with infrared cameras in their search for a plane crash that occurred in Peninsula State Park on the night of Sept. 18. “We did use the tower last night,” said Paul Holtan, Public Affairs Manager for Wisconsin State Parks, in an […]

  • Mandolin Orange, Harvest and Ale Fests, & More Weekend Plans

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    Cooler weather and shorter days have done little to slow the onslaught of entertaining events on the Door Peninsula! Take in a variety of thought-provoking and downright fun music, get crafty with Mother Nature’s bountiful mushrooms, or hop on your bike for a scenic ride through the county. Friday, September 16 Chasing Ice Join Crossroads […]

  • “The 39 Steps,” Door County Century & More Weekend Plans

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    This weekend, take some time to celebrate the upcoming fall season. Get lost in a corn maze, squish some grapes, or bike across the county.   Friday, Sept. 9 Art/Speaks Come to write and to share work. This writing lab is for those interested in writing in response to art. 11:30 am – 1 pm. […]

  • Celebrate Newport Wilderness Day Sept. 4

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    Sept. 4 is Newport Wilderness Day at Newport State Park. This event was started in 1992 as a way for the members of Newport Wilderness Society, the park’s friends group, to showcase their beautiful wilderness park. Volunteers lead hikes on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, covering many areas of interest. This year’s programs include: […]

  • America’s Best Idea: National Parks Turn 100

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    Ken Burns called it “America’s Best Idea.” Our National Park Service is now 100 years old. For a century it has been providing protection and access to some of America’s finest geological and ecological treasures. These are more than just places to camp and hike. They have a gravitational attraction. Each visit is a voyage […]

  • Crossroads Features Muir Exhibit, Glacier Lecture

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    At Crossroads at Big Creek, one of their main objectives is to get people in touch with nature and to share the concepts of ecology – relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings. A helpful librarian (and a review on NPR’s Science Friday program) steered the Crossroads’ naturalist to the book […]

  • Fort Frances, Mushroom Hike & More Weekend Plans

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    This weekend, take some time to enjoy art of all types. You’ll be blown away once you encounter the culinary creations, contemporary wearable art and thought-provoking theater available to you this final August weekend. Friday, Aug. 26 Fall Harvest Celebration Get some good gear at the rummage sale, silent auctions and raffles while supporting a […]

  • Belgian Kermiss, Kite Festival & More Weekend Plans

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    Summer is quickly coming to a close. Be sure to take advantage of the beautiful August weather. Survey the land on Plum Island, watch some Shakespeare in Potawatomi State Park or spelunk through the Horseshoe Bay Cave. Friday, Aug. 19 Honey Dewdrops Take a picnic dinner and a bottle of wine to enjoy before Woodwalk […]

  • Door County Spirit: Camp Meenahga’s 100th Anniversary

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    Door County is a boomerang. I have heard this sentence repeated too many times to count in my 14 years here. People arrive, they stay, they get flung all over the world, but always-always they return. Why? Because there’s something indefinable about the county’s land and water, its inhabitants, and the culture that gets stuck […]