County Parks Provide Boating, Beaches & Outdoor Fun
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| Murphy Park Mike Brisson |
Sprinkled throughout the Peninsula, the county parks present a mosaic of the Door County experience. Besides the obvious beauty many provide, the system has expanded to meet the growing need for safe boating, beach access and picnic accommodations.
Some the county’s prime scenic attractions lie within the park system. Cave Point Park is the biggest draw, its shoreline cliffs on Lake Michigan are a photographer’s dream. Located on Lake Michigan between Valmy and Jacksonport, the park is a popular picnic spot. A note of caution; there is a sizable drop to the water and the limestone rock can be slippery, particularly on those days when waves cast a towering spray.
Another must-see view is from Ellison Bluff Park near Ellison Bay, where the bluff-top view over the waters of Green Bay can be breathtaking.
A scenic picnic locale can be found at the Forestville Dam Park, where the dam feeds the picturesque Ahnapee ?River. Not far away is the Robert LaSalle Park, named for the famed explorer. It’s not likely that he landed at this spot during his forays into the American wilderness, but its another great picnic backdrop.
Beach access is the prime attraction at Frank E. Murphy Park near Egg Harbor, Ridges Park in Baileys Harbor and Percy Johnson Park on?Washington?Island. Lifeguards are not provided.
If you’re looking to launch your boat, the parks provide some ideal spots from Chaudoir’s Dock and Sugar Creek parks to the south, Lily Bay launch on Lake Michigan and Olde Stone Quarry at the mouth of Sturgeon Bay.
Preserving the county’s natural beauty is also part of the system’s mission and it’s best shown at Door Bluff Headlands near the tip of the peninsula.
LILY BAY PARK
E4449 County T. Lake Michigan sand beach with fair weather boat launch and parking.
1 acre.
MERIDIAN PARK
6799 State Highway 57 between Jacksonport and Baileys Harbor. Wayside halfway
between equator and North Pole. Natural trails, picnic area, parking and restroom
facilities. 92 acres.
FRANK E. MURPHY PARK
7119 Bay Shore Drive in the Town of Egg Harbor, County Hwy G. Sand Beach and dock
on Green Bay. Boat launch, playground, volleyball court, picnic area, pavilion,
parking and restroom facilities. 14 acres. Door County Triathlon – late July.
OLDE STONE QUARRY PARK
4879 Bay Shore Drive, on County B, 4-1?2 miles north of Sturgeon Bay. Boat launch,
pier fishing, pavilion, picnic area, parking and restroom facilities on 9 acres.
Redevelopment completed August 2006.
SUGAR CREEK PARK
2349 County N, facilities on Green Bay in the Town of Gardner. Boat launch, picnic
area, parking and restrooms. 40 acres.
TORNADO MEMORIAL PARK
8518 State Hwy 57, 10 miles south of Sturgeon Bay. Wayside, historical marker,
picnic area, parking and restroom facilities. 3 acres. First Door County park.
DOOR BLUFF HEADLANDS
Undeveloped natural area of woods and cliffs on Green Bay near Gills Rock. From
Ellison Bay, take Garrett Bay Road to 12900 Door Bluff Park Road. Natural trails.
No facilities. 156 acres.
ELLISON BLUFF PARK
Off Highway 42 on Porcupine Road to 12050 Ellison Bluff Road. Scenic wooded bluff
overlook on Green Bay shore near Ellison Bay. Improved and natural hiking trails,
picnic area, parking and restrooms facilities. 174 acres.
JOHN MILES PARK
812 N 14th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay. Soccer fields, picnic area, playground, parking
and restrooms facilities. Pavilion, grandstand and building rentals available for
special events. Stock car races Saturday nights May through September, County
Fair early August. 60 acres.
FORESTVILLE DAM PARK
475 Mill Road, Forestville. County Hwy J to Mill Road. A millpond with access to
Ahnapee River and Trail. Pavilion, dock, boat launch, playground, picnic area,
parking and restrooms facilities. 79 acres.
LYLE-HARTER-MATTER SANCTUARY
Adjacent to and access from Meridian Park. Varying terrain from marshes to upland
woods. No facilities. No road access. 40 acres.
PERCY JOHNSON MEMORIAL PARK
640 Lake View Road, Washington Island. Lake Michigan sand beach, picnic area,
parking and restroom facilities. 5 acres.
ROBERT LA SALLE PARK
County J to 408 County U in the Town of Clay Banks. Historical site with Lake
Michigan beach access, playground, picnic area, parking and restroom facilities.
Multi- level park. 23 acres.
AHNAPEE STATE TRAIL PARK
Twelve miles of abandon railroad grade in Door County from Sturgeon Bay to the
south county line for hiking, biking, snowmobiling and horseback riding. Access at
Forestville Dam County Park and 1820 S. Neenah Avenue in Sturgeon Bay with
restrooms and parking facilities. Trail also extends 18 miles into Kewaunee County.
For detailed Ahnapee map go online to
http://map.co.door.wi.us/parks. 144 acres.
BAILEYS HARBOR RIDGES PARK
2301 Ridges Road, Baileys Harbor adjacent to the Ridges Sanctuary. Sand beach on
Lake Michigan, picnic area, parking and restrooms. 30 acres.
CAVE POINT PARK
5360 Schauer Road in the Town of Sevastopol on the East End of County WD adjacent
to Whitefish Dunes State Park. Picturesque shoreline cliffs on Lake Michigan,
picnic areas, 1?2-mile improved hiking trail, parking and restrooms. 19 acres.
ROBERT M. CARMODY PARK
3570 County CC in the Town of Gardner, 6-lane boat launch, fishing pier, picnic
area, parking and restroom facilities. 5 acres.
CHAUDOIR’S DOCK PARK
1552 County N in the Town of Union. Protective harbor and dock on Green Bay. Boat
Launch, picnic area, parking and restrooms. 5 acres.
