About the Park
Peninsula State Park is located on Wisconsin’s iconic Door Peninsula in Door County. This state park is considered Wisconsin’s most ‘complete park’ because it has something for any occasion. The park boasts 20+ miles of hiking and biking trails, over 450 campsites, a natural sand beach, a nature center, a golf course, a theater and even a picturesque lighthouse atop a bluff. Even for the pickiest of travelers, this is a ‘please-all’ destination.
Camping at the Park
Tennison Bay Campground
Tennison Bay Campground is the largest of the campgrounds at the park with 188 sites. Depending on which site you pick, you might find yourself a little closer than you want to be to your neighbors. When we visited in May, the vegetation was still so thin that we could straight into all the sites surrounding us, and there was no noise barrier so we could hear our neighbor snoring. We were at site 498 when we had this experience, but some of the sites that bordered Shore Road or the woods seemed more private, so I would recommend looking at the photos attached to the spot on the Wisconsin DNR’s website.
This campground also has firewood located just a short walk down Bluff Road from the campground. It also has easy access to main of the trailheads which was a big plus.
Note: please make sure you are following the firewood rules to protect the trees.
North Nicolet Bay
The North Nicolet Bay Campground sites are the jackpot spots in my opinion. While we didn’t get to camp at any of these, we hiked past them and checked some of them out since they were unoccupied (not open yet for the season). Many of the sites at this campground border the bay, so if you can land one of these, you’ll be camping like a king.
These spots have the best views and direct access to the water. They are private, for the most part, despite being right on a trail — which many would consider a perk. They are also located just north of the park’s only sand beach, so it’s an easy walk over to swim, get some supplies from the store or even rent a kayak to head out on the water.
My personal favorite site in the entire park is in this campground, so if you’re really interested, shoot me an email and I’ll let you in on the secret.
South Nicolet Bay
The South Nicolet Bay Campground is located directly south of the Nicolet Beach swimming area. The parking lot basically morphs into the driveway that winds between the sites. If you’re looking to spend most of your time at the beach, these are the perfect spot for you. These sites are also really close to some of the best hiking trails in the park, as well as Eagle Tower. But keep in mind, this is the busiest area of the park, so if you aren’t fond of people, maybe consider a different campground.
Welcker’s
On the north side of the peninsula is Welcker’s Campground. We didn’t get a great look at this campground, but we checked out the northwest circle of sites and felt they were very close together and not very private. This northern point of the park however is beautiful and just a short walk away from the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. It’s also right across the road from Welcker’s Point and located right along the Sunset Bike Trail.
Weborg
The Weborg Campground looks like a perfect spot to be alone in the park. The sites seem secluded but the campground is far away from most of the park’s many attractions. However, if you’re looking forward to a weekend of peaceful dock fishing, this might be the spot for you. It’s also close to the park entrance, so you could walk into town fairly easily.
Group Sites
There are also a couple group campsites available on the bay near Nicolet Beach just off the Minnehaha Trail.
Things to Do
Beach Days
Nicolet Beach is one of the most popular beaches in Door County. This beach offers far more than just swimming. People can visit by boat and anchor in the bay to hang out for the day; visitors can host a picnic on the beach or even paddle their canoe or kayak out to Horseshoe Island.
Northern Sky Theater
Enjoy a musical comedy under the open sky just a short walk away from the Tennison Bay campground. We didn’t have the opportunity to see a play while we were there, but musical comedies are presented from mid-June to late August in the amphitheater.
Nature Center
If you’re interested in the critters that call Peninsula State Park home, check out the nature center to see some educational taxidermy of common species found in the park! They also have some neat historical artifacts on display that might have been used by scientists of a different time.
Golf Course
For those that just can’t take a weekend off, there’s a par-71 golf course located within the park that’s open from April to October.
Winter Sports
The park has designated winter trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and a childhood favorite: sledding. But those aren’t the only winter activities available. For the diehards, there’s also ice fishing allowed at the park.
Scenic Trails (Hiking & Biking)
With over 20+ miles of hiking and biking trails, you’ll be hard-pressed to find yourself with nothing to do. We hiked 11 miles while visiting the park in May, and still had so many routes we wished we could have taken.
We did a massive loop around the park, starting at the Tennison Bay Campground. We hopped on the Nicolet Bay Trail and followed that until it met Trail Trampers Delight. Then we followed that trail until we turned onto the Sunset Bike Trail and eventually came across Nicolet Beach. We passed through the South Nicolet Bay Campground and hopped on the Minnehaha Trail and then onto Eagle Trail. We hopped on Sentinel Trail after a brief stop at Eagle Tower, then took a connector path to briefly get back on Nicolet Bay Trail before turning on Skyline Trail. After a wrong turn, we ended up taking Shore Road to get back on the Sunset Bike Trail and eventually popped out by Tennison Bay.
Obviously, that was a way more complicated route than it needed to be, but if I were to recommend any trail, it’d be Eagle Trail. Eagle Trail was a perfect mix of flat terrain and steep rocky slopes. Parts of this trail pass over small creeks while others wind through caves. It was by far the most diverse and scenic trail we hiked on our weekend getaway to Peninsula State Park.
Most Picturesque Spots
Eagle Tower
Eagle Tower has become one of the most popular attractions in Door County thanks to its amazing panoramic views of Lake Michigan and neighboring islands. This viewpoint has a fully-accessible 850-foot canopy walk that gradually winds its way up to the 60-foot tall observation deck. Obtaining this view wasn’t always so easy though. The 1914 original tower had you climb 100 stairs for these views, and this new accessible tower wasn’t built until 2021, however, visitors can still climb up the 100 stairs if their hearts desire.
Eagle Bluff Lighthouse
The Eagle Bluff Lighthouse sits on the north side of the park on a tall bluff overlooking the lake. You can access it via the Sunset Bike Trail or by car on Shore Road. This lighthouse is picturesque with a red roof and stone walls. In the summer months, visitors can even go inside on scheduled tours and see a mostly-historically-accurate lighthouse of its time. I say “mostly” because the Door County Historical Society is currently trying to raise money for a project that would restore historical accuracy that was lost on previous aesthetic renovations. We chatted with a member of the society as he restored an old window on the tower, and he told us all about the project and their desire to bring back its former glory.
Eagle Terrace
We made our way to Eagle Terrace at the end of our Eagle Trail hike. It was a wonderful break point to stop and enjoy a snack while taking in a view of the lake and Ephraim. The Terrace is multi-level with accessibility from the parking lot but then requires stairs to reach the lower levels. This would be a perfect spot for a photo op or a small picnic lunch.
Info, Supplies and Rentals
Nicolet Bay Camp Store
During the summer months when the store is open, this would be your one-stop shop for camping food, additional gear and clothing if you packed a little too light. This store is located right at Nicolet Beach which is super convenient because it’s also where you can rent kayaks, canoes and bikes!
Service Center
When you enter the park, you’ll notice a building on the left — This is where you can pay your daily pass, get your Wisconsin State Parks annual pass sticker or just pick up a brochure with information about the park. The park brochure has a detailed map that we found incredibly helpful when planning our hiking route. You can also find some cute souvenirs in the store including annual pins, apparel, postcards, patches and more.
Overall Thoughts
I would absolutely recommend Peninsula State Park to anyone visiting Door County, or Wisconsin in general — which if you’re visiting Wisconsin, Door County is a must. This park has so much to see and do, you can’t possibly fit it all into one weekend, so it’s definitely a re-visitable location. One of my favorite activities is kayaking over to Horseshoe Island or hiking Eagle Trail. There’s so much opportunity for adventure, and plenty of activities nearby if you need a taste of civilization again. Looking forward to our next visit already.
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