Newport State Park Is The Single Best State Park In Wisconsin And It’s Just Waiting To Be Explored
There’s a park near the tip of northern Door County that has it all – a fascinating history, wild woodland trails, lakeside campsites, deserted beaches, and a hidden lake. Newport State Park is separated from Door County’s biggest and most popular tourist attractions, and that’s a big part of its charm. This is a place where you can get away from it all and experience the beautiful, wild side of Door County. Here’s a bit of what you can experience at Newport State Park and why it’s our pick for the best state park in Wisconsin:
Newport State Park covers nearly 2,400 acres and it protects 11 miles of shoreline. It’s Wisconsin's only wilderness-designated state park; and in 2017, the International Dark-Sky Association named Newport a Dark Sky Park. It’s the place to go for stargazing in Wisconsin.
There are literally miles of sand beach in the park, including a large beach at Newport Bay and another big beach at Europe Bay, that is also accessible via a town park.
The park has an inland lake called Europe Lake – it’s a warm, pleasant place for swimming. There are campsites near the lake, as well as other sites with views of Lake Michigan. Miles of trails connect the sites, including the lush Fern Trail.
Newport State Park is open from 6 a.m. – 11 p.m., all year-round. It’s located near the tip of the Door County Peninsula off Highway 42. Traveling north from Ellison Bay, visitors should turn east off of the highway. Interested in exploring some more wonderful Wisconsin state parks? Check out these lesser-known spots.
Address: Newport State Park, 475 County Rd NP, Ellison Bay, WI 54210, USA
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