Whitefish Dunes State Park

Whitefish Dunes State Park sits on the shores of Lake Michigan about halfway up the Door Peninsula—the strip of land that sticks out like a thumb in Wisconsin’s mitten. While segway or e-bike tours are a great way to explore the park from solid ground, the best thing to do here is kayaking. Cave Point kayaking tours are technically in the adjacent county park, but no one’s counting when the seacliff walls are this steep and the views this grand.

• There are restrooms at the nature center, plus vault toilets at First Beach Access and Third Beach Access.

• The main parking lot is at the nature center; if it’s full, there's a small lot at the trailhead for Red Pine Loop.

• It’s about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) to Pet Beach from the nature center, where you can let your dogs off the leash.

• A Wisconsin State Park Pass or day-use ticket is required for entry; you can buy one at the entrance.

Since Whitefish Dunes State Park sits on a peninsula, there’s really only one way to get there: north from Sturgeon Bay on Highway 42. You’ll eventually run into Clark Lake Road, which takes you to Whitefish Dunes Lane and the park entrance. The main parking lot can’t be missed—it has the nature center, park headquarters, and various facilities.

Whitefish Dunes State Park is open year-round, though it’s most popular from June through August. For smaller crowds and still-mild temps, plan your visit from April–May or September–November. If you enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and fat-biking, there’s a network of trails for these activities from roughly December–March, depending on the year’s snowfall.

One of the most popular spots “in” Whitefish Dunes State Park is technically its own county park: Cave Point County Park. Here, easily accessible sea cliffs pop out of Lake Michigan—you can hike along them, paddle underneath them, or even jump off them. There’s plenty of parking, though this spot isn’t a secret to Wisconsinites, so come early.