The next addition to our state park series is Newport State Park, located all the way up in Door County, in Ellison Bay. Rock Island State Park is the furthest northeast you can go, but that’s not much further than Newport. Getting here means a significant drive for anyone staying further south than Ephraim. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t carve out some time (a full day ideally) for this park. Door County is more than just a shopping center. The real reason it got popular in the first place was because of its natural beauty. In fact I do think we need to add at least one more state park to the Door peninsula, but that’s a post for another day. For now, let’s discuss why Newport should be bumped up your list, and especially a must visit the next time you’re in Door County.
For starters, Newport is probably the most overlooked of the peninsula’s parks, which means it won’t be too busy. Peninsula State Park is annually a top 5 most visited park. Whitefish Dunes and Rock Island are fairly popular as well, due more to their unique geography than anything else, and Potawatomie State Park has the luxury of being closest to main population centers as it lies in Sturgeon Bay. And then there’s the black sheep of the family… Newport. While Rock Island is certainly farther away, it’s at least an actual destination. Newport just happens to be far north with none of the publicity. Add to that the bigger population centers on the bay side of Door County vs the lake side, and you have a recipe for people ignoring you. Now, if you visit Door County frequently, this shouldn’t be an issue… you should try and visit them all at least once. For those that don’t visit often, you’re in a bit of a conundrum as you’ll need to prioritize the parks here. Speaking from experience, Peninsula and Rock Island are visually the best. Whitefish Dunes and Potawatomie are very cool for the variety of landscapes you’ll see in the park. Newport is probably most similar to Rock Island in terms of geography, landscapes, and hiking, but what separates Rock Island and Newport is the amount of trails. Rock Island has one big trail with one extra shortcut. Newport has an abundance of trails that just cannot all be hiked in one day. And if you want true, submersive nature, Newport stands out from the others.
On my most recent trip to Newport we hiked a little over 7 miles, and I don’t even think I saw half the park. In planning which trails to take, I tried to see as much of the park as I could, and when I started adding up distances I realized just how big this park actually is. At just under 1,000 acres, it’s the 17th largest (this does include a few State Recreation Areas too… it bumps up to being in the top 15 if you focus ONLY on the state parks) in the state, and second largest in Door County (Peninsula being slightly bigger). Barring multiple visits, camping here for a few days, or being an actual Ironman, you will not be able to see the whole park in one visit. I think that’s a good thing though. It gives you a reason to come back (I definitely will be), and let’s you choose what you’d like to see. As for Newport, you can focus on the coast, or inland in dense forests, or try for a mix.
From a purely hiking perspective, this was a fairly easy hike. Now again, I was only able to see about 7 total miles of the park, but most of those 7 were fairly easy, with the trails taking the form of old logging roads. A few trails here and their had moderate difficulty, but I’d argue the entire park is probably more easy than moderate. The difficulties at Newport are in the form of rocky trails or trails covered with exposed tree roots, rather than steep hiking. The lake side of the peninsula tends to be flatter than the bay side due to the glaciers (read more about that here or here if you’re curious), which leads to Newport not being too steep really at all. During my visit, which took us both through parts of the interior and along the coast, the total elevation change was only 180 feet, and some of that can be attributed to me getting lost (more on that later).
From a nature lovers perspective, it doesn’t get much better than Newport. Perhaps my three favorite things about this park, and perhaps the biggest reasons why you’ll want to visit, are the nature itself, the isolation, and unique ecosystems found nowhere else in Wisconsin. Newport State Park is the only state park that is a Wilderness Designated Park. A highlight of a wilderness area is the lack of roads and trails. There is only one small road in the park, and that’s the road to get in. And while there are plenty of trails, the majority of the park is just wilderness. Wilderness areas are some of my favorite, as they let you actually involve yourself in nature. No matter what state park you’re in, there’s almost always a feeling of other people, signs of civilization, etc. There was a large section of Newport where I didn’t really feel like I was around anyone. It was like I was truly part of the forest. And aside from a few sections of the national and state forests way up north, that was one of the few times I truly got that feeling. If you haven’t had that feeling of isolation, or insignificance, you need to experience it at least once… how small we truly are in the grand scheme of nature. It’s a powerful and humbling feeling, and I truly believe you’ll appreciate our state and its nature more. Newport does that, and I think you’ll enjoy it. It’s also a dark sky designated park, and the only one in Wisconsin as designated by the International Dark-Sky Association. Which means if you go camping here, you’re basically guaranteed to see the night sky how our ancestors saw it before electricity. I’ve seen the Milky Way a few times in my life and it’s truly a jaw dropping experience. Lastly, large sections of the interior are classified boreal forests. Boreal forests are much more typical in Canada than in Wisconsin. Due to the unique climate, geology, and geography of the area, the ecosystems you’re hiking in here are very unique for the state.
So if you’re ok with a far drive, I think Newport is worth a visit. Small to nonexistent crowds, relatively easy trails, and wilderness all around. One word of advice though, is to stick to the trails. This is one of the densest forests I’ve been in and getting lost and losing the trail is very easy if you decide to adventure on your own. But I have a feeling that won’t be an issue for most of you!
TL;DR
– Hiking Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Nothing steep, but some rocky and root-y trails
– Scenic Rating: 7/10. Very similar to Rock Island, but with some more dense forests on the interior
– Location: 3/10. Aside from Rock Island and Big Bay State Parks, this is probably the most isolated park in our system, and as I mentioned, it’s at the very tip of Door County, so unless you’re already planning on spending some time in the peninsula, this will have to be a planned trip
– Extra Opportunities: 8/10. On your return trip down south, might as well stop and do something in Door County!
– Worth it? YES. Quieter side of the Door peninsula, dense forests unlike anywhere in WI, and very cool shoreline geology
– Rankings:
1) Wyalusing
2) Rock Island
3) Newport
4) Lakeshore
Life is Too Short to Take the Fast Way 