Peninsula State Park (WI) - Eagle Trail
Why visit Peninsula State Park?
“Considered Wisconsin's most complete park, Peninsula State Park offers over 460 campsites, three
group camps, a summer theater, an 18-hole golf course, sand beach, bike trails, a lighthouse, and eight
miles of Door County shoreline. The rollicking waves that skip towards Peninsula's sky high bluffs are
part of the Niagara Escarpment.” https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/peninsula
Aptly-named Peninsula State Park is one of three state parks on Wisconsin’s Door County Peninsula.
The peninsula, which is approximately 80 miles long and 25 miles wide, is also home to a few state
natural areas and its own county parks. Peninsula State Park is on the western side of the peninsula,
which features views of Green Bay. The eastern side of the peninsula abuts Lake Michigan. The park is
approximately 2.5 - 3 hours by car from Milwaukee.
Peninsula is one of Wisconsin’s oldest and largest state parks. In addition to the amenities mentioned
above, the park hosts 20 miles of hiking trails. I drove up to Peninsula, on a blustery Friday afternoon in
December, to tackle the park’s most difficult trail -- the 2-mile Eagle Trail. I encountered perhaps a half
dozen other hikers over the course of the afternoon. That would not likely be the case during the
Memorial Day - Labor Day season. Despite the winds and cool temperatures, it was a treat to admire
the beauty this trail offered with extremely limited interruption.
I parked in the Eagle Panorama parking lot to begin my hike. As you can see in the video, the trail
provides views of Green Bay as well as limestone caves and outcroppings. Don’t get too caught up in
the views while you’re in motion, as there are plenty of exposed rocks and roots on the trail. Plan
accordingly when choosing footwear; considering whether to employ a walking stick or trekking poles;
or deciding whether to take your younger children along on this hike.
Is there a fee for hiking at Peninsula State Park?
The park does require a vehicle admission fee. The daily fee is currently $8 for vehicles with Wisconsin
license plates and $11 for vehicles with out-of-state plates. Annual Wisconsin State Parks vehicle
admission stickers can be purchased for $28 or $38, respectively. If you are interested in camping, we
recommend checking the website in advance for information on campsite amenities, rental fees,
availability, and reservations. https://wisconsin.goingtocamp.com/
Comments
Post a Comment