Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Otherwise known as the “quiet side,” this area shows less commercial development than
the rest of the peninsula. The lakeshore side of the Door is a wonderland of pristine heath,
healedcutoverforest,rockyseacaves,someofLakeMichigan'sfinestbeaches, biomepre-
serves, picture-postcard lighthouses, and two of Wisconsin's best state parks.
The quick way into the area is WIS 57, branching off WIS 42 north of Sturgeon Bay.
Farther off the beaten path, get right above the water along the coast starting southeast of
Sturgeon Bay at the Sturgeon Bay canal North Pierhead Lighthouse. From there, an estab-
lished State Rustic Road hugs the coastline all the way to Whitefish Dunes State Park, by-
passing Portage and Whitefish Points and the Lilly Bay curve. Don't worry about getting
lost once you find Highway T; there are no other roads.
Some say
Whitefish Dunes State Park
(920/823-2400), approximately eight miles north-
eastofSturgeonBay,isthemostpleasantparkinthestatesystem.Thebeachisindisputably
so—miles and miles of mocha-colored dunes sculpted into ridges by the prevailing winds.
Archaeologists surmise that the littoral site's proximity to inland lakes and creeks
(nearby
Clark Lake
is over 800 fish-rich acres) was the primary reason for settlement.
Eight temporary or permanent encampments or semi-permanent villages have been excav-
ated, dating as far back as 100 BC. The North Bay natives were the earliest, occupying the
shores from Green Bay north to Rock Island seasonally until A.D. 300. European settlers
arrived in 1840, when a commercial fishing operation on Whitefish Bay was begun by the
Clark brothers (wholent their name to the nearby lake), working side byside with the Win-
nebago. Today, everybody comes for the big ol' dunes.
FLORA AND FAUNA
Stay off the dunes to protect the fragile plant (and micro-critter) life. Many of the grasses
holding together the mounds are peculiar to this park, and once they're gone, the dunes are
donefor(just take alookat the lifeless gashes created bymotorcyclists before the parkwas
established). This is also the home ofthe only-in-Door-County Lake Huronlocust. Also re-
memberthatthecoolerprevailingwindsmeanaboutamonth'sdelayinflowerbloomwhen
compared to the bay side of the county. Rare and/or threatened plant species include dune
goldenrod, dune thistle, dwarf lake iris, and sand reedgrass.
