There are many county parks along both Green Bay and Lake Michigan. Unlike the local state parks, which we also went to, the county parks were free.
Cave Point Park shows the action of millions of years of compaction and chemical interactions turning the area's ancient coral reefs into dolomite. With its waves and alternating freezing and thawing of the winters, Lake Michigan has eroded into the bedrock, forming the caves.
Ellison Bluff County Park is Door County's largest county park. The limestone cliffs topped by mature trees along with panoramic views of Green Bay made for a great visit. The trees were starting to show their fall color. I bet this area gets more and more beautiful as fall progresses.
We have visited Peninsula State Park before, but their wooden observation tower with its long ramp is so impressive we went again. The views did not disappoint.
George Pinny County Park was a favorite of fishermen and one of our favorites. The area was a quarry back in the 1890s. On one of the windier days, we saw a sailboat really feeling the wind. The lighthouse in the distance, Sherwood Point, is not open to the public except during a yearly lighthouse tour.
Here are a few shots from Brown County - Bay Shore Park.
Wequiock Falls County Park is a small roadside park containing the Wequiock Falls, not very impressive with the current lack of rain. There is also a statue of Jean Nicolet, an explorer who came to this area in 1634. Nicolet met the Winnebago Indians who provided a feast of beaver.
We spent significant time near Sister Bay, Bailey's Harbor, and Ephraim. Here is a small map that shows the northern part of the peninsula and shows many of the places I have mentioned.
Door County is known for its cherries and generally for the many orchards in the area. We missed the cherry harvest, but we enjoyed the results of that harvest! You've probably noticed the apple pictures. We saw so many apple trees.
Ephraim is another of those beautiful little communities among the bays of Green Bay. We stopped one day and had an ice cream at Wilson's. The ice cream was great and the views were lovely. Another history lesson found was the arrival of Morvians to the area in 1853, establishing the first permanent settlement in Door County.
Anderson Dock in Ephraim is another bit of history. The tradition among those who passed through the area was to write their names and the year on the side of the buildings at the dock. This building, which now houses an art gallery, is not the original building on the bay, but it continues the tradition. It is now a popular spot to commemorate proposals, weddings, and births. I signed the building a few years ago and for the life of me can't find it now.
There is also a dragonfly problem in the area.
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