On Skyline Road 1 mile east of Middle Road, on the left when traveling east.
The year is 1938. You've just climbed to the top of Peninsula's ski jump. Your skis are fashioned of maple and your bindings made with straps from an old horse harness and the inner tubes of a tire. You lean forward and gravity takes over at 50 mph . . . — — Map (db m229964) HM
On Shore Road 1.5 miles north of Water Street South (Wisconsin Route 42).
In memory of
Albert E. Doolittle
A man of unusual talent whose foresight, determination, and untiring devotion made the development of this park possible.
Peninsula State Parks' roads, hiking trails, campgrounds, lookouts, Eagle Tower . . . — — Map (db m235980) HM
On Main Street (State Highway 42) east of Spruce Street, on the right when traveling east.
The Alexander Noble House was built in 1875 on land purchased from Asa Thorp, the founder of the Village of Fish Creek. This Greek Revival Style-influenced residence is the Village's oldest existing dwelling still in its original location. Born in . . . — — Map (db m105232) HM
On Highland Road 1.5 miles north of Water Street (Wisconsin Highway 42).
Gently rub a needled branch of the balsam fir and enjoy the spicy smell of the northwoods. Flat, one-inch needles grow singly on the branches. In fall, cones cling upright like a spiky candelabra. Red squirrels help create colonies of balsam firs by . . . — — Map (db m253944) HM
Near Skyline Road 2 miles north of Wisconsin Highway 42.
What lies on the forest floor? Strong winds blew down trees. The white barked birch trees toppled after living about sixty years. That is an average life span for birches.
Birch trees are pioneers. They are among the first to grow in an area . . . — — Map (db m307372) HM
On Shore Road 1.3 miles north of Wisconsin Highway 42, on the right.
In memory and recognition of Chris Holicek for her dedication and contributions to Peninsula State Park. Serving as the president of Friends of Peninsula State Park from 2009-2025, Chris passionately spearheaded many improvements and advocated for . . . — — Map (db m307449) HM
Ah-choo! Menominee Indians made a tea of the hemlock's inner bark to treat colds. Today, hikers enjoy the dark evergreen for its beauty. Examine its short, flat needles. Do you see two white stripes underneath?
Hemlock is an indicator species, . . . — — Map (db m238468) HM
Near Shore Road 3.6 miles north of Main Street (Wisconsin Highway 42), on the left when traveling north.
Sailing vessels used two channels when navigating this part of Green Bay. The first was the western passage on the far side of Chambers Island. The second lies before you: the treacherous passage between the shore and the Strawberry Islands.
. . . — — Map (db m75285) HM
Near Highland Road near Water Street (Wisconsin Highway 42), on the left when traveling north.
A tree fell years ago, creating the hummock in front of you. Over time, the huge trunk rotted and turned into rich soil. Today the cradle mound is a good place to start life. How many tree seedlings are growing on this forest nursery?
As . . . — — Map (db m253938) HM
1960, after years of neglect, the
United States Coast Guard and
Peninsula State Park granted the
Door County Historical Society
permission to restore the Eagle Bluff
Light Station and provide access for
visitors. Following an . . . — — Map (db m232811) HM
Nearby, red pines stand in perfect rows. Planted about 1924, they comprise one of over two dozen tree plantations at Peninsula. Do you see cut stumps? Foresters thinned the plantation in 1978 to create sunny gaps for emerging hardwoods.
Paired . . . — — Map (db m238469) HM
Near Shore Road 2.5 miles north of State Highway 42, on the right when traveling north.
The home of Ole Larsen, first farmer in Door County, stood here. In 1850 he came to Eagle Island where he supplied the Buffalo Steamer with wood on its weekly run to Green Bay. Three years later the timber was consumed and he moved his log house to . . . — — Map (db m306939) HM
On Skyline Road 0.5 miles north of Middle Road, on the left when traveling east.
Adventure, Little Strawberry, Jack and Pirate with Chambers Island on the horizon.
What if the 1909 Wisconsin Legislature had not identified this land as most worthy of preservation? This spectacular view, like others . . . — — Map (db m229961) HM
On Shore Road 4.5 miles north of Main Street (Wisconsin Highway 42), on the left when traveling north.
Northern white cedar trees cling to the rocky rim of 38-acre Horseshoe Island. A tangle of birch and balsam fir, with pale blossoms of climbing fumitory, grow on the island, too. Long ago, people lived on Horseshoe Island.
Indian people, . . . — — Map (db m74416) HM
In September when other forest trees begin to drop leaves, witch hazel magically springs to life. Bright yellow flowers bloom along bare branches and seed pods develop. When mature, the pods burst open and throw two shiny black seeds several feet. . . . — — Map (db m238467) HM
On Shore Road west of Eagle Terrace, on the left when traveling west.
Welcome to Peninsula State Park, a diverse and dramatic place. Two features dominate this landscape: rock and water.
At Peninsula, rocky bluffs ascend over 150 feet. They are part of the Niagara Escarpment, a 650-mile geologic formation. This . . . — — Map (db m79261) HM
People have been coming here for generations to live, fish, play, and gaze out over the water. Explore history as you enjoy and take care of this remarkable place.
Spotter's Guide
We name the places that we care about.
Over time, names can . . . — — Map (db m232563) HM
On Main Street (Route 42), on the right when traveling north.
Peninsula State Park protects the largest contiguous tract of Niagara Escarpment in Wisconsin.
This limestone ridge was formed by the deposit of ocean animals, plants, and mud on the floor of an ancient sea. Today, rare plants flourish in the . . . — — Map (db m230277) HM
Near Highland Road 1.5 miles north of Water Street (Wisconsin Highway 42), on the left when traveling north.
The red oak is a relative newcomer. It expanded its range from the south following the retreat of the great ice sheet 13,000 years ago.
This majestic tree began life about 1890. Like other red oaks, it bears inch-long, flat-topped acorns. Wild . . . — — Map (db m253936) HM
On Highland Road 1.5 miles north of Water Street (Wisconsin Highway 42).
Meadows along Sentinel Trail hint of past lives. Many Scandinavian settlers farmed and logged the land that became Peninsula State Park in 1909. An 1899 map shows this spot belonging to the Neilsons. Can you imagine a log house and barn?
As you . . . — — Map (db m253921) HM
Near Shore Road 0.3 miles north of Mengelberg Lane, on the left when traveling north.
What was summer like in Door County in the early 1900s? If you were a local girl, you might clean rooms at a family hotel or help with farm chores. Perhaps you would tend to younger siblings. If old enough, you might even work at Camp Meenahga.
. . . — — Map (db m79006) HM
On Eagle Terrace Road 0.3 miles east of Shore Road, on the left when traveling south.
More than one million people visit Peninsula State Park every year but most days Eagle Terrace is quiet. Congratulate yourself for discovering a place less traveled!
Eagle Terrace links events that span centuries. Was this jagged promontory a . . . — — Map (db m75111) HM
Near Highland Road 1.5 miles north of Water Street (Wisconsin Route 43), on the left when traveling north.
Thousands of hikers wore away the little soil that once covered this part of Sentinel Trail, revealing dolostone. Dolostone is a type of limestone formed 420 million years ago when shallow, saltwater seas covered Wisconsin.
Dolostone cracks . . . — — Map (db m253807) HM
Once this land flourished under the waves of a warm, shallow sea. Then it lay frozen under the weight of thick, glacial ice. After millions of years, it emerged as a gem to be treasured.
1 Bathed with Warm Waves Around 420 million years ago, . . . — — Map (db m232588) HM
Near Shore Road 1.3 miles north of Water Street South (Wisconsin Route 42), on the right when traveling north.
Navigating the Door Peninsula is challenging! Hidden shoals, tiny islands, strong winds, dense fog, and perilous currents contributed to scores of shipwrecks and stranded ships, especially in the mid to late 1800s. Can you spot the nearby hazards? . . . — — Map (db m236010) HM
On Shore Road 0.8 miles north of Main Street (Wisconsin Highway 42), on the right when traveling north.
Peninsula's eight-mile shoreline is ever changing. Some years, a soggy cobblestone coast cradles sparse populations of unusual flowers. When water is high, crayfish thrive in crevices of the rocky coast, providing food for abundant smallmouth . . . — — Map (db m75181) HM
Near Shore Road 0.2 miles north of Skyline Road, on the left when traveling north.
"One by one," Assemblyman Tom Reynolds told the Wisconsin Legislature, "all the places of scenic beauty and historical interest are passing away. Before it is too late, it is well to pause and consider whether it is not befitting that some of . . . — — Map (db m79015) HM
The Thorp Family was very influential in the early growth of Door County. Asa Thorp, a New York cooper by trade, permanently settled in Fish Creek in the mid 1850s. Asa established an early pier, a warehouse, and a sawmill to supply residents and . . . — — Map (db m95719) HM
The Thorp Family was very influential in the early growth of Door County. Asa Thorp, a New York Cooper by trade, permanently settled in Fish Creek in the mid 1859s. Asa established an early pier, a warehouse, and a sawmill to supply residents and . . . — — Map (db m258737) HM
Near Shore Road 1.3 miles Wisconsin Route 42 when traveling west.
Strong wood makes ironwood a first choice for ax and shovel handles. Lumberjacks and farmers favored this tree for pike poles and wagon axles, too. Note the tree's doubly toothed leaves and somewhat shaggy bark. Several ironwoods, able to live under . . . — — Map (db m238466) HM
On Main Street (Wisconsin Route 42), on the right.
One hundred years ago, the Fish Creek dock was a bustling portal to a summer vacationland.
Arriving tourists, decked out in elegant clothes, waved cheerfully as steamers delivered them from the summer heat of Chicago and Milwaukee. Many . . . — — Map (db m230274) HM
Near Highland Road 1.5 miles north of Water Street ( Highway 42), on the left when traveling north.
In spring, balsam poplar's long sticky buds emit a sweet, slightly medicinal smell. Menominee Indians boiled the buds in animal fat to create an ointment that relieved congestion. Settlers used the ointment, too, and called it Balm of Gilead. . . . — — Map (db m253932) HM
Near Highland Road near Water Street ( Highway 42), on the left when traveling north.
This tree began life at least seventy years ago when the land looked different. Settlers cut down the original forest for farmland and lumber. This aspen grew in the open, sunny area. Its early years were tough. A storm or perhaps a hungry deer . . . — — Map (db m253941) HM
On Shore Road 1.3 miles north of Water Street ( Route 42), on the left.
Trees stand watch along Sentinel Trail. Beech and hemlock, maple and basswood rise along the rocky edge of Eagle Bluff. These trees are sentries - guardians - of the northern forest. They are hardy members of a unique community.
The community . . . — — Map (db m253803) HM
Before a tower ever stood here, people came to this spot for a commanding view of Green Bay. The first humans to look over this cliff arrived shortly after the glaciers retreated. Imagine what those early people thought when they walked up to this . . . — — Map (db m307373) HM
On Shore Road 2 miles north of Main Street ( Highway 42), on the left when traveling north.
When spring burst forth, voyageurs paddled from Montreal, Canada to trade at outposts on the Great Lakes. After the long, white northern winter, they welcomed the green of spring found upon reaching Green Bay. Voyagers identified places by natural . . . — — Map (db m75179) HM
Near Highland Road 1.5 miles north of Water Street ( Route 42), on the right when traveling north.
The Scotch pine is easy to identify. Look for bright orange bark and needles in bundles of two.
The Scotch pine is the most widely distributed pine in the world. It grows naturally from Scotland to Siberia but not in Wisconsin! Decades ago, . . . — — Map (db m253805) HM
