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>>
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Celebrate Native American Heritage Month
Hanging above a desk at the Door County Land Trust is a bumper sticker that reads “Great Minds Think A Hike.” In 1990, by presidential decree, November was declared Native American Heritage Month and taking a hike is a fitting way to note and appreciate an important, less visible and often forgotten chapter in Door […]
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Trailblazing Door County: Local Groups Look to Create New Trail Network
Visitors and locals admire Door County for its natural beauty. The explosion of silent sports has become the extension of that beauty. Now, outdoor enthusiasts and groups such as the Door County Silent Sports Alliance (DCSSA) are looking to take that one step further. “When you look at Duluth, Hayward, Seely, all these places […]
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Rib Fest, Sled Dogs, Packer Parties & More Weekend Plans
October is gone and with it, the Door Peninsula settles into its late fall slumber. Enjoy the start of the quiet season with plenty of delicious foodie opportunities, gallery receptions, bluegrass and country music, and the ever-so-cuddly Door County Sled Dogs. Friday, November 6 A Weekend of Fantastic Fare Whether you’re in the mood for […]
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Trail Improvement Day at Peninsula State Park
As one of the largest parks in the state of Wisconsin, Peninsula State Park also boasts one of the most intricate systems of trails for hiking, biking and skiing. As the winter approaches and area businesses close, the maintenance of these trails is especially important. “It’s very important over the winter season because we have […]
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Fall Fest, WIFEE and the HUZz BAND, The Great Pumpkin Trail & More Weekend Plans
Fall Fest, the granddaddy of all Door County festivals, hits the streets in Sister Bay this weekend bringing with it a vast offering of live music, great food, drinks, children’s games and fun. But if the thought of large crowds sends you into a tizzy, don’t fret – there are plenty of other things to […]
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Pumpkin Patch Festival 2015 Schedule
Pumpkin Patch returns to Egg Harbor this weekend, Oct. 10-11. Events include live music, carnival rides, arts and crafts vendors, face painting, pumpkin and scarecrow displays, roaming magician, kids games and activities, silent auction, food and fun! For more information, visit eggharbordoorcounty.org. Saturday, October 10 10am-2pm: Modern Day Drifters at Harbor View Park 10am-4pm: Carnival […]
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Visit Eagle Bluff Lighthouse After Dark
As night descends over the Door Peninsula, the lamp is lit at Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. And as its beam brightens the night sky, the voices of past keepers whisper in the dark, their stories echoing in the dark. For the next two weekends, the Door County Historical Society invites guests to step back in time […]
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Hikes, Yoga and Fall Fun Days at The Ridges
The Ridges offers a variety of programs designed to take advantage of the lovely sights and sounds of autumn
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To the Batcave!: First Public Tours of Horseshoe Bay Cave A Success
Millions of years of evolution took place between cave-dwelling Troglodytes and the 21st century human being, but some modern humans just can’t wait to get back into a cave. When the Door County Parks Department announced it was giving tours of county-owned Horseshoe Bay Cave on Sept. 19 in one-hour slots from 9 am […]
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Taking in Peninsula State Park In Tandem
We both loved the bike before we were out of the Nor Door Sport & Cyclery parking lot. “This is sweet,” I told him. “It’s so much easier to pedal,” he said, which was an understatement. Riding the rental, I felt like I had lost about 20 pounds. We marveled at the large selection of […]
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Fall Challenge Ride Returns Saturday, Sept. 19
When organizers welcome hundreds of cyclists to Sister Bay, they’ll be creating traditions that benefit Door County for decades.
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Sen. Lasee: Eagle Tower should be preserved for Future Generations, Plans Listening Session
Wisconsin State Senator Frank Lasee issued a press release today expressed strong support for preserving Eagle Tower, the landmark attraction in Peninsula State Park scheduled to come down this fall. Lasee touted the tower’s importance to both the history of the area and the economic impact it has in drawing visitors to Door County. “On July […]
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Restoring Glory at Bruemmer Park Zoo
When Pa Bear died at the Bruemmer Park Zoo in Kewaunee in 2011, it was the end of an era. The zoo, on an eight-acre site within the 30-acre Bruemmer County Park, got its first pair of bears in 1938, and they had a cub in 1940. Pa outlived his mate – named, of course, […]
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Door County’s Kind of Skyscrapers
The tallest natural point in Door County is not the scenic Sven’s Bluff or the ascent from Ellison Bay. It is an 860-foot mound in the town of Brussels on the county line between Door and Kewaunee. The mound is just a smaller brother to an 870-foot mound in Kewaunee. On a clear day, climbing […]
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Gabe arrived at my house with a sleek, lightweight backpack. His gear has special names that make us sound like adventurers—the pack is an Osprey Exos, with a Stoic tent and Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest sleeping pad packed inside. I carried a frameless pack that my parents bought in 1991 for a backpacking trip that was derailed […]
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Tour Horseshoe Bay Caves Sept. 19
Public tours of Horseshoe Bay Cave will be conducted on Saturday Sept. 19, 2015, between 8:30 am and 3 pm. Tours will depart on the hour, commencing at 9 am, with the last tour departing at 3 pm. Tour participants should arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Tours will last approximately 45 minutes […]
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Fish Creek Rethinking Waterfront Access Areas
A Waterfront Master Plan is in the works for Fish Creek with the goal of redeveloping public water access areas. The plan will focus on the town docks, boat launches and the public beach with a long-term design to be developed over the next year. Although separate from the planned highway resurfacing slated for the […]
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Eagle Tower Coming Down This Fall
After months of deciding what to do about the disrepair at Eagle Tower, state park officials and representatives of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have decided to take the tower down. “Nothing has been finalized yet. What we do know is that it will most likely be taken down this fall,” said Erin […]
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Marinafest, Duathlon and More Plans for Labor Day Weekend in Door County
It’s nearly Labor Day weekend in Door County and as always, a cause for celebration on the peninsula. Looking for some fun and interesting things to do? We’ve got you covered: Friday, Sept.
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On Aug. 29 at 11 am, take a hike through the wooded areas of Crossroads’ Ida Bay preserve. This is a moderate hiking difficulty. Hikers should meet at the intersection of canal road and Buffalo Ridge Trail.