Door County Loop

Door County is a thin peninsula with Green Bay on one side and Lake Michigan on the other. WIS 42 and 57 loop around it, with Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek, Ephraim, Sister Bay and Gills Rock on the way up, and Whitefish Dunes and Cave Point on the Lake Michigan side. The ferry to Washington Island is optional. It suits couples, fish boils and a weekend.

The stops

1. Start

   Sturgeon Bay, WI

2. Town

   Sturgeon Bay

   Start, with a maritime museum and canal bridges.

3. Park

   Peninsula State Park

   Bluffs, a lighthouse and an observation tower.

4. Town

   Fish Creek

   Busiest village, with shops and a fish boil.

5. Town

   Ephraim

   Quiet village on the bay with a pier.

6. Food

   Sister Bay

   Famous for goats on the roof at Al Johnson's.

7. Ferry · Overnight

   Gills Rock

   Tip of the peninsula; ferry to Washington Island leaves from nearby Northport.

8. Town

   Washington Island

   Optional ferry trip for biking and a farm cafe.

9. Viewpoint

   Cave Point County Park

   Sea caves and cliffs on the lake side (approx coordinates).

10. Beach

    Whitefish Dunes State Park

    Big stabilised dunes, a sandy beach and a trail to Cave Point.

11. Back to the start

    Sturgeon Bay, WI

Where to stay

• Night 1

  Fish Creek / Ephraim

  Peninsula State Park campground · Fish Creek inns

• Night 2

  Sister Bay

  Newport State Park rustic camping · Sister Bay lodges

When to go

Jun–Oct; the cherry harvest is mid-July; Sep–Oct for colour

On the road

Summer weekend traffic is heavy through Fish Creek. Ferry to Washington Island runs from Northport near Gills Rock.