Peninsula State Park

Peninsula State Park is the crown jewel of Wisconsin’s Door County and one of the most beloved and visited state parks in the Midwest, an 3,800-acre expanse of shoreline, bluffs, forests and beaches wrapped around a peninsula jutting into the waters of Green Bay. With its blend of dramatic limestone cliffs, sweeping water views, recreation and history, the park is the scenic heart of the Door Peninsula.

Set along the Niagara Escarpment, the park offers miles of Green Bay shoreline, the historic Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, the iconic Eagle Tower with its sweeping views, a championship golf course, sandy and pebble beaches, a network of hiking and biking trails, and campgrounds among the most popular in the state. Visitors hike the bluff-top trails, bike the scenic roads, paddle the bay, tour the lighthouse and watch sunsets over the water. With its natural beauty, history and recreation, Peninsula State Park is a quintessential Door County destination.

Peninsula State Park offers abundant recreation — hiking and biking the bluff-top and shoreline trails, climbing the iconic Eagle Tower for sweeping views, touring the historic Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, swimming and beachgoing, paddling and boating on Green Bay, fishing, playing the championship golf course, camping in popular campgrounds, and watching sunsets over the water. Winter brings cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The park’s blend of bluffs, shoreline, forests, history and recreation makes it the premier and most complete state park destination in Door County.

Summer is the busy, beloved peak for beaches, biking, paddling and camping, while fall brings spectacular color across the peninsula and crisp trail weather — one of the most beautiful times to visit. Spring offers wildflowers and mild days, and winter quiet trails for skiing and snowshoeing. The park and its campgrounds are extremely popular in summer and fall, so reserve early and arrive ahead of crowds. Sunsets over Green Bay are a highlight year-round at this scenic Door County park.

Peninsula State Park, established in 1909 as one of Wisconsin’s first state parks, preserves a peninsula rich in history — from Native American habitation (an Ojibwe presence is marked in the park) to European settlement, fishing and the building of the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse in 1868 to guide ships through the waters of Green Bay. The lighthouse, now restored and toured, and the park’s long popularity make it a cherished landmark. Generations of visitors have made Peninsula State Park a defining part of the Door County experience.

Peninsula State Park sits on the Niagara Escarpment, the great ridge of Silurian dolomite-limestone that forms the spine of the Door Peninsula and arcs across the Great Lakes to Niagara Falls. The park’s bluffs of hard dolomite rise above the waters of Green Bay, shaped by ancient seas, glaciers and the lake. The layered limestone cliffs, the cobble and sand beaches, and the elevated bluff-top vantage points reflect the escarpment’s geology, giving the park its dramatic shoreline and sweeping views over the bay.

The forests, bluffs and shoreline of Peninsula State Park host white-tailed deer (often seen along the roads), foxes, and a rich community of birds, including bald eagles, waterfowl and migratory songbirds along the Green Bay flyway, while the waters support fish. The Door Peninsula is an important migratory corridor. The varied habitats of forest, bluff, beach and bay make the park an excellent place for wildlife watching and birding, with deer and soaring eagles among the memorable sights.

Peninsula State Park protects a rich Door Peninsula ecosystem of northern forest, dolomite bluffs along the Niagara Escarpment, Green Bay shoreline and beaches. The varied habitats support diverse plant and animal life, including species characteristic of the escarpment’s thin-soiled cliffs and the peninsula’s forests, and the park lies along an important migratory-bird route. Protecting the forests, the shoreline and the escarpment habitats sustains both the ecology and the scenic beauty of one of Door County’s most significant natural areas.

Peninsula State Park, with its Green Bay shoreline, limestone bluffs, historic Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and iconic Eagle Tower, holds a cherished and defining place in Door County and in Wisconsin’s park heritage. As one of the state’s first and most beloved parks, a fixture of Door County vacations for over a century, it blends natural beauty, history and recreation into a quintessential peninsula experience, treasured by generations of campers, hikers, cyclists and sunset-watchers.

Peninsula State Park is in Door County, Wisconsin, between the villages of Fish Creek and Ephraim, off State Route 42, on the Green Bay side of the Door Peninsula. A Wisconsin state park vehicle admission sticker is required. The park offers campgrounds, beaches, the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, Eagle Tower, a golf course, and trailheads. It is extremely popular, and campsites and the park can fill in summer and fall, so reserve and arrive early. Check the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for admission, reservations and conditions before visiting.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources protects the forests, bluffs, shoreline and historic sites of Peninsula State Park, managing the heavily visited park to balance recreation with preservation of its escarpment habitats and Green Bay shore. Visitors help by staying on trails to protect the fragile bluff and shoreline vegetation, respecting wildlife and the historic lighthouse, packing out everything, protecting the bay’s water quality, and following park rules. Protecting the Niagara Escarpment habitats and the shoreline sustains both the ecology and the beauty of this beloved Door County park.

Peninsula State Park’s bluff trails and overlooks have steep, dangerous drop-offs — stay on trails, keep back from cliff edges, and supervise children closely. On the water, wear a life jacket and watch Green Bay’s weather and cold water. Bikes share roads and trails with vehicles and pedestrians; stay alert. Wear sturdy footwear, carry water, and be mindful of ticks and poison ivy in summer. Climb the Eagle Tower and tour the lighthouse following posted guidance, and respect the bluff edges and the bay.

A Wisconsin state park vehicle admission sticker is required. Stay on designated trails and back from cliff edges. Bikes are allowed on designated trails and roads; a trail pass may be required. Camp only in designated campgrounds with reservations. Swim at designated beaches. Pets must be leashed and are restricted on some beaches. Drones generally require authorization. Collecting is prohibited. Pack out all trash. Check the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for current rules, reservations and conditions before visiting.

The Door County villages of Fish Creek, Ephraim, Egg Harbor and Sister Bay, with their shops, galleries, fish boils and harbors, surround the park, and the rest of the peninsula — Cave Point, Whitefish Dunes, Newport State Park, Washington Island and the Lake Michigan shore — lies within reach. The waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan wrap the peninsula. Peninsula State Park is the scenic heart of a Door County getaway in northeastern Wisconsin, rich in nature, recreation and charm.

Climb the iconic Eagle Tower for sweeping views over Green Bay, tour the historic Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, and bike or hike the bluff-top and shoreline trails — then catch a sunset over the water. Reserve campsites early, as the park is among the most popular in Wisconsin, and buy a park sticker. Visit in fall for spectacular color or summer for the beaches and bay, keep back from the bluff edges, and explore the charming Door County villages nearby.