Door County Parks and Awaken Cherries Nature Preserves Your Senses GUIDE TO SPRING in Door County Places to visit as you begin your search Spring is here and you should be too! After all, for Door County blossoms where else can you enjoy 300 miles of spectacular freshwater shoreline, 5 state parks, 11 historic Crossroads at Big Creek, Sturgeon Bay lighthouses, mile after mile of scenic roadways – plus crossroadsatbigcreek.com outstanding dining, shopping, arts, entertainment and exploration? Door County Land Trust Preserves, County-Wide doorcountylandtrust.org While you are here, learn about the county’s unique maritime history, visit the many studios Door County Parks, County-Wide and galleries, explore the miles of hiking trails or map.co.door.wi.us/parks discover hidden treasures at outdoor fairs and markets. Enjoy county-wide celebrations, held every The Garden Door, Sturgeon Bay weekend with entertainment for all. Door County has a history of cherry growing that dates dcmga.org/the-garden-door back to the 1800s. Soil and weather conditions – warm days and cool nights – influenced by Lake Michigan and Nature Conservancy Preserves, County-Wide Green Bay have created an ideal situation for growing nature.org these delicious fruits.

Today with around 2,500 acres of cherry orchards and Newport State Park, Ellison Bay another 500 acres of apple orchards, Door County is filled dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/newport with blossoms in the spring and is delightfully decorated with the delicious fruits in the late summer and fall. Peninsula State Park, Fish Creek dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/peninsula Door County is the 4th largest cherry producing region in the nation. The top three producing regions are Michigan, Potawatomi State Park, Sturgeon Bay New York, and Utah. dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/potawatomi

All but 100 acres of Wisconsin’s red cherry crop is grown The Ridges Sanctuary, Baileys Harbor in Door County. ridgessanctuary.org

While the Montmorency (tart) cherry makes up most of Rock Island State Park, Washington Island the 2,500 acres of cherry orchards throughout the coun- dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/rockisland DoorCounty.com | 800.527.3529 | [email protected] ty, the sweet cherry crop consists of only 50 acres, just 1015 Green Bay Road • PO Box 406 enough to supply local roadside markets. Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 Whitefish Dunes State Park, Sturgeon Bay DoorCounty.com/experience/everything-cherry dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/whitefish

Spring Events Season of Blossoms Chart Blossoms & Festivals April May June July August April 20 - 23 Brown Trout Fishing Tournament, Forget-Me-Nots Baileys Harbor April 8th - June 4th, 2017 Hepatica Daffodils May 6 Door County Half Marathon & Nicolet Bay 5k, Marsh Marigold (Cowslip) Each year our lodging properties offer special packages Dwarf Lake Iris Peninsula State Park designed around Door County’s magnificent blossoms. Large-Flowered Trillium May 6 Shipyard Tours, Sturgeon Bay Packages include one or two-nights lodging, a meal for two, Clintonia a spring-related amenity or activity and a $25 Door County Canada Mayflower May 13 Blossom Run, Egg Harbor Starflower gift certificate that you will receive at check-in. Jack-in-the-Pulpit May 18 - 21 Girlfriends Great EGGscape, Egg Harbor Wild Columbine Canada Anemone Start planning your trip today! We have a special section Yellow Lady’s Slipper Orchid May 19 - 21 Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament, of our website dedicated to this spring promotion where Starry Solomon’s Plume Sturgeon Bay you will find: Coralroot Fringed Polygala (Gaywings) May 20 Scottie Dog Rally, Baileys Harbor • Spring Events and Festivals Wild Strawberry • Lodging Packages Wood Lily May 20 Village-Wide Rummage Sale, Sister Bay Butter-and-Eggs (Toadflax) • Downloadable Guide to Spring Brochure Apple Blossoms May 20 - 21 Blessing of the Fleet, Baileys Harbor • Timeline of What’s Blooming When Cherry Blossoms Indian Paintbrush May 20 - 21 Spring Art Crawl, Ellison Bay DoorCounty.com/seasonal-promotions/season-of-blossoms Silverweed Showy Lady’s Slipper May 25 - 28 Door County Festival of Nature, Twinflower Baileys Harbor Pitcher Plant Death Camus Lily Thimbleberry May 27 - 28 Sturgeon Bay Fine Art Fair, Sturgeon Bay Swamp Buttercup Virtually hike or bike the St. John’s Wort May 27 - 28 Maifest, Jacksonport trails of our 5 State Parks! Blue-Flag Wild Iris May 28 Maifest Run, Jacksonport Black-eyed Susan Discover the stunning views Harebell (Bluebell) May 29 Migratory Bird Day Celebration, Egg Harbor Goldenrods of Sunset Trail in Peninsula Lobelia June 2 - 3 Sturgeon Bay City-Wide Garage Sale, State Park or Europe Bay Trail in Aster Sturgeon Bay Newport State Park.Map out your Lavender Grass of Parnassus June 3 - 4 Free Fishing Weekend, Statewide hiking or biking adventures now so you can hit the Fringed Gentian ground running when you arrive in Door County! This chart highlights the blooming seasons of our most popular species. Because blooms are weather dependent, the dates given here are only June 4 National Trails Day, Whitefish Dunes State Park approximate. Door County’s natural environment is both beautiful and fragile. Some of the same geographic and geologic attributes that give the DoorCounty.com/experience/scenic-attractions/parks county its beauty are also responsible for its thin soils. In order to protect our delicate plant and animal life for the enjoyment of future generations, please do not pick the blossoms. DoorCounty.com/experience/events DoorCounty.com/discover/blossoms-report Starflower: Bright, white stars cling to mossy hillocks, Showy Lady’s Slipper : Magnificent. Sunny forest edges. As you explore the county, dozens of varieties of blossoms can Rock Island often surrounded by mini pools. On outskirts of Door State Park ROCK be found. Whether you are taking an afternoon hike in one of our ISLAND County Land Trust’s Kellner Fen, east of Sturgeon Bay, Homeowners protect them from mowing on east side W Ridges Rd.; also, the ‘other’ side of Ridges Sanctuary parks, biking along our pastoral back roads or simply strolling WASHINGTON access on Lake Forest Park Dr. and on Mountain Maple W ISLAND along south side Cty. Rd. Q about in one of our local communities, be sure to keep your eyes W Trail, Ridges Sanctuary peeled-who knows what beautiful blooms you may encounter! DETROIT PLUM ISLAND ISLAND Jack-in-the-Pulpit: Flower changes to bright crimson Gills Rock PILOT ISLAND Twin Flower: Darling, shy, pink couplets with oval petaled berries in late summer. Giant specimens exist in the leaves on Winter Wren Trail near the turnoff for Mountain Ellison Bay garden adjacent to the north side of the Upper Range Maple Trail, Ridges Sanctuary 42 NP Newport Light at Ridges Sanctuary State Park Rowleys Bay Sister Bay ZZ Pitcher Plant: Dr. Seuss-type blossoms thickly dot the Door CHAMBERS Ephraim ISLAND Peninsula Q County Land Trust’s Kellner Fen, access from Lake Forest State Park Columbine: Nodding red and yellow blossoms peek out of 57 Park Rd., east of Sturgeon Bay. Underneath, veined lime green Fish Creek the forest from the encircling drive through Potawatomi to neon cherry “pitchers” sit on watery substrate ready to Green Bay 42 F State Park near Sturgeon Bay A CANA ISLAND trap insects; also, at south end of main observation bridge, Mountain Maple Trail, in Sandy Swale, Ridges Sanctuary EE E Baileys Harbor Egg Harbor Kangaroo Lake G Canada Anemone: A white blossom of the Buttercup family T Death Camus Lily: Yes, it can make animals who it eat found in sandy soils and moist meadows. Try Toft Point V Lake Michigan unwell. Range Light Boardwalk, Ridges Sanctuary; 0 1 2 4 Jacksonport State Natural Area about 3/4 of the way back along Ridges 57 Ridges Rd. bordering the Sanctuary miles Carlsville I Road—stay left at the fork

Whitefish Dunes 42 WD State Park Green Bay HH B P Driving Distance Potawatomi in Door County miles mins. Yellow Lady’s Slipper: Crinkly booties with brown curly Thimbleberry: Large white blossoms peeking out of soft, State Park T BB Sturgeon Bay to Egg Harbor 19 25 lateral petals, in moist soil but also sun-loving, found fuzzy, hypoallergenic leaves. Glidden Dr.; N. Cave Point SB PD Sturgeon Bay Sturgeon Bay to Sister Bay 39 45 CC TT along forest edges. Little Lake Road, Washington Island; Sturgeon Bay to Gills Rock 45 55 Dr. to Whitefish Dunes State Park; Ridges Rd. to Point C 57 Cty. Rd. Q towards Cana Island; Ridges Rd. MM 42 Sturgeon Bay to Northport 48 60 Dr. to the point of Toft Point Sturgeon Bay to Jacksonport 15 20 N Sturgeon Bay to Baileys Harbor 22 28 K 42 Trail County Park Egg Harbor to Jacksonport 12 15 H N C DK H U Baileys Harbor to Ellison Bay 18 20 Brussels OO Baileys Harbor to Fish Creek 12 15 Starry Solomon’s Plume: Deer are partial to both slippers 57 Ahnapee State Swamp Buttercup: Classic buttercup sprouting from mossy D S Peninsula Park to Jacksonport 16 20 and plumes. Blossoms turn to maroon berries in late O Fish Creek to Egg Harbor 6 10 hillocks and swales (wet areas between ridges). Ridges Y XC J Brussels to Sturgeon Bay 13 15 summer; nice patch found at end of trail to the Beach, X Forestville Sanctuary, Mountain Maple Trail Sturgeon Bay to Carlsville 8 15 Ridges Sanctuary Ephraim to Rowleys Bay 9 10 Northport to Washington Island 30 minute Ferry Ride

Striped Coralroot: Shady, rich soil. Uses fungi, not St. John’s Wort: Flat yellow blossoms topped by a See how many blossoms you can find during chlorophyll, to survive. Easy to overlook. Ridges profusion of stamens. Found among shrubs and ridges Sanctuary, past the first two bridges, Winter Wren Trail, open to the sky, Ridges Sanctuary your next visit to Door County. south side

Gaywings (Fringed Polygala): Hot pink mini airplane Forget-Me-Nots: Baby blue to hues of purple-pink, Blue Flag Wild Iris: A big sister to the Dwarf Lake Iris, this delicate blossoms carpet Peninsula State Park. Also propellers grace rich, yet sandy soils. Visible surrounding Door County Land Trust’s Kellner Fen off of Lake Forest flower waves hello along Jackson Harbor Rd., Washington nodding in the breeze along Lake Forest Park Dr. east of Island Sturgeon Bay Park Rd. east of Sturgeon Bay and Ridges Sanctuary

Hepatica: Moist upland woods, appearing in white, pink or purple clusters with three-lobed leaves. Nestled at Logan Wild Strawberry: Miniature version of the farmed berry on Black-Eyed Susan: Familiar bright yellow daisy-shaped Creek, south of Jacksonport, east on Loritz Rd. off of Hwy. Canal Rd. towards the Canal Station Light east of Sturgeon petals encircle a fuzzy brown center. Sunny, open fields. 57, from the kiosk take the trail east Bay, take Utah St. off of Hwy. 57 Ridges Sanctuary; Ridges Rd.

Daffodils: Delicious Daffys, harbingers of spring, pop up Harebell (Bluebell of Scotland): Fragile looking (but Wood Lily: Profuse, gracious, large, bright orange lilies all over Door County, along back roads and tended plots. looks are deceiving) light purple bell-shaped blossoms dot the sandy, open areas of Ridges Sanctuary and There are nice clumps to view in the middle of Cty. Rd. TT, on slender stalks, all over Ridges Sanctuary including Ridges Rd. east from Hwy. 42/57 in Sturgeon Bay, near a magnificent the garden between Hwy. 57 and the garage next to the private garden Upper Range Light

Marsh Marigold: Profuse yellow blossoms top plentiful Goldenrods: Ohio, Dune and Canada goldenrods inhabit green foliage, clumping in ditches and swales (low areas Butter-and-Eggs (Toadflax): Quirky, spiky lemon and sandy, beachside soils such as Ridges Rd. near Baileys between ridges). Found along the curvy part of Cty. Rd. yellow blossoms; found at Bues Point Boat Launch, off of Harbor Ridges County Park and adjoining shrubby beach TT, east of Hwy. 42/57 in Sturgeon Bay and among hillocks Ct. Rd. Q near Cana Island area. Ragweed, not goldenrod, makes you sneeze. at Ridges Sanctuary

Dwarf Lake Iris: Federally threatened, deep blue, tiny Apple Blossoms: A bit later than cherry trees, pinky white, iris are found only by the Great Lakes. Blossoms last soft, full apple blossoms emerge at the same time as Kalms Lobelia: Dainty three-petaled purple blossoms with up to 3 days each in patchy, sunlit areas at Ridges apple leaves bud out. Gordon Rd., west from Culver’s on white centers found in wet soil near beaches. South side Sanctuary; Jackson Harbor Ridges, Washington Island; and Hwy. 42/57, Sturgeon Bay; Shiloh Rd., south of Sturgeon of parking area at Baileys Harbor Ridges County Park; sporadically along the shoreline section of the Brachiopod Bay; Cty. Rd. HH, north of Sturgeon Bay; Cherry Lane, Toft Point at end of Point Rd., from Ridges Rd. Trail, Whitefish Dunes State Park Forestville

Trillium: Visible in many upland forest locations. In Cherry Blossoms : Pinky, soft, full cherry blossoms profusion at Logan Creek, south of Jacksonport, off Hwy. emerge before their leaves bud out on cherry trees. Hwy. Aster: From the daisy family, this scraggly-petal 57, east on Loritz Rd., from the kiosk take the trail east; 42 north of Sister Bay; Cherry Lane, Forestville; Cty. purple blossom abides along grassy roadsides. Toft a dedicated few on the path from the 2nd parking lot at Rd. HH, southwest of Sturgeon Bay; Shiloh Rd., south of Point; Ridges Rd. to Point Dr., north of Baileys Harbor; Whitefish Dunes State Park to the shelter house Sturgeon Bay; Cty. Rd. A, parallel to Baileys Harbor; north roadsides of Potawatomi State Park of Egg Harbor, Hwy. 42; south of Fish Creek, Hwy. 42

Indian Paintbrush: Veers toward neon colors, present in Clintonia: Prolific yellow blossoms freely mix with Grass of Parnassus: Delicate, striped petals adorn regenerating beach ridges and sandy soils. End of Trail sturdy stalks attached to waxy base leaves. Named for Dutchman’s Breeches at Logan Creek, south of to the Beach, Ridges Sanctuary; Jackson Harbor Ridges, Jacksonport, off Hwy. 57, east on Loritz Rd., from the a similar blossom in Greece. Range Light Boardwalk, Washington Island; near turn-around at east end of Lime Ridges Sanctuary kiosk take the trail east Kiln Rd. north of Baileys Harbor

Silverweed: Aptly named for underside of their feathery leaves, Canada Mayflower: Starry blossoms atop Lady’s Slipper- bright yellow blossoms creep everywhere along southern exposure. Fringed Gentian: Shaggy deep purple petals bend open type leaves, this ‘Wild Lily of the Valley’ is found in moist Sandy beach-side soils. Bues Point Boat Launch near Cana Island; in daytime and curl up around each other at nighttime. woodlands such as Logan Creek, south of Jacksonport, Lower Robert LaSalle County Park off of Cty. Rd. U; Land Trust Spotted in profusion over Toft Point Shoreline from off of Hwy. 57, east on Loritz Rd., from the kiosk take Ridges Rd. to Point Dr., north on gravel road to several

Photo Credits: The Ridges Sanctuary, Laurie Buske, Jon Jarosh, Capture Door County Images: Carol Toepke, Sandy Kwas, Joe Suchy, John O’Keeffe Joe Suchy, Kwas, Sandy Toepke, Carol Images: Door County Capture Jon Jarosh, Laurie Buske, Sanctuary, Ridges The Credits: Photo Preserve on S. Lake Michigan Rd.; Toft Point State Natural Area on the trail east Ridges Rd. past Hickey Fisheries to end of Point Dr. parking pull-offs