Door County may have a quiet season, but it definitely does not have an off season when it comes to the natural beauty of the Peninsula. Winter in Door County is one of our favorite times to visit. The waters are still beautiful. They are just frozen. Or broken into shards of ice. The forests are covered in blankets of snow, that crunch under your feet. The air is still and crisp. The night sky is aglow with the brightest stars. So bundle up, grab your camera, and let’s take a tour…
CAVE POINT COUNTY PARK
We could fill this whole post with pictures from Cave Point County Park in the winter. As you can see, it’s more about the ice than the snow. When the winds blow, (and they do!), and the waves crash against the rocky formations, the spray of water is intense and coats everything around. Icicles dangle from the rock formations, branches bend under the weight, and the scene becomes an icy fortress. But not only is it breathtaking, it’s also a little scary. The trails and rock ledges are slippery when covered in ice. This would be a good time to bring your Yaktrax or ice spikes if you have them.
In the winter, especially, the scene is always different. No two days are the same, as the snow comes and goes, and the ice forms and melts. So if you’ve been there before, visit again!
Ridges Sanctuary
Heading North of Cave Point County Park, you’ll find many more places to take in the beauty of winter in Door County. Almost every winter, we try to stop at The Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor at least once. The boardwalk winds through the park, under a canopy of trees. It’s blissfully quiet, other than the crunch of snow beneath our boots. The trail continues once the boardwalk ends, leading you to take in the vistas of “one of the Midwest’s most biologically diverse ecosystems.” The trails are well marked and open from dawn til dusk. It’s a unique landscape of ridges (high points) and swales (low areas). The swales all have names and you can find them easily on this map.
The boardwalk can be slippery with ice and snow, so walk with care!
Ellison Bluff County Park
Just look at that view! We would say the view is worth the drive, but the drive into the park is beautiful in its own right. (The fall colors made their way into a previous post.) Ellison Bluff County Park is one of those places that offers such a spectacular perspective of the bay. You are literally standing on the edge of the bluff. We always bring Door County first-timers here to see the view. Bring your hiking boots along. The trails are easy, well marked, and lovely.
Ice Shoves along the Western Shore
From Ellison Bay to Egg Harbor, the highlight of some of our winter vacations has been the ice shoves. While you get the giant icicle formations on the Eastern shore of the peninsula, the Western shore often presents giant chunks of blue ice that crash up on the shoreline. We literally have dozens, maybe hundreds of pictures of these natural, impressive, formations. We’ve read about some that get to be ten feet high. The ones we have seen, maybe haven’t been as high, but are still breathtaking. And like the icy beauty of Cave Point County Park, the ice shoves are like an art exhibit that is always changing. Higher winds equals stronger shoves. It’s that icy blue, color, though. How does that happen??
Pretty. Right? And at the end of the day, when you’ve had your fill of fresh air and the icy landscape, throw a few logs on the fire at your Northern Door Vacations rental. It’s all part of the charm of a Door County Winter getaway! Embrace the quiet season. You won’t be sorry!
