Jackson Harbor on Washington Island

Door County

This is the northern tip of Washington Island, just about as far north as you can go in Door County. This is Jackson Harbor, a scenic area located on the eastern side of Washington Island, Wisconsin. It is known for its picturesque views, proximity to natural areas, and maritime history. The area was once a busy commercial fishing port, and remnants of this past, such as old docks and net sheds, shown in this photo. 

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Scenic Eagle Bluff Light

Door County

The Eagle Bluff Light, also known as Eagle Bluff lighthouse, or simply Eagle Bluff, is a lighthouse located near Ephraim in Peninsula State Park in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. Construction was authorized in 1866, but the lighthouse was not actually built until 1868 at a cost of $12,000!

This was one of the most scenic sites in Door County with the lighthouse situated on a beautiful green lawn overlooking Green Bay. They have since put several building on the lwan blocking and disrupting the view. In addition, you have to pay to get into the park.

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Light keeper’s Kitchen

Door County

The Cana Island Lighthouse keeper’s house contains a kitchen that was converted from a woodshed and includes a wood-fired stove and a hand-operated water pump. The original kitchen was converted into a dining room, while the room to the right remained the living room. Upstairs, the assistant keepers had their own kitchen, living room, and other rooms.  

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Cave Point

Door County

Cave Point offers a spectacular view of Lake Michigan and the eastern shore of the Door Peninsula, including sunrise and evening moon rises.  A half-mile hiking trail stretches through the forest of birch, maple and beech trees and links up with several miles of trails in the adjacent Whitefish Dunes State Park, which borders the park on three sides. 

A rocky beach extends eastward at lake level. The area is popular for kayak tours, allowing paddlers to explore sea caves up close as well as the scenic lake front shoreline.  Due to the rocky shoreline, kayaks must be launched at an adjacent site to the park and caution should be heeded as weather conditions can change rapidly and the rocky conditions of the area can be dangerous even with a small amount of wave action. 

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Cana Island Lighthouse: A Historic Landmark in Wisconsin

Door County

The Cana Island lighthouse is located just north of Baileys Harbor in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. Along with the Baileys Harbor Range Lights, the lighthouse was built to replace the Baileys Harbor Lighthouse in 1869 and was first lit in 1870.

The lighthouse is built on an island that reaches out to Lake Michigan marking the way between Bailey’s Harbor and Death’s Door.

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Baileys Harbor Range Light

Door County

This is one my favorite lighthouses in Door County. It’s not your typical light, it is known as a Range Light. Range lights come in pairs and are used to guide ships into harbors or narrow channels. When a ship lines up the back light with the front light, they are in the channel. Below is a photo of the front light. These lights are on Baileys Harbor in Door County, on the Lake Michigan side. The back light is on a highway and can easily be mistaken for an old school house. 

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Pierhead Light

Door County

The Sturgeon Bay Canal North Pierhead Light is a lighthouse located on Sturgeon Bay in Door County, Wisconsin. Painted red, the light is situated on the north pier of the southern entrance to the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal. There are two lighthouses at this location, the other being the Sturgeon Bay Canal Lighthouse. 

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Death’s Door

Door County

Washington Island, Wisconsin’s,  adjacent waterway is known as “Death’s Door” because its strong currents, submerged rocks, and treacherous waters have caused numerous shipwrecks and claimed many lives over the centuries. The name is a translation of the French term “Porte des Morts,” meaning “door of the dead,” reflecting the waterway’s deadly reputation for sailors. A Native American legend also attributes the name to a catastrophic battle in which warriors were drowned in the strait, reinforcing the waterway’s ominous reputation. 

This storage shed is located on the northern tip of Washington Island on Jackson Harbor with a sign indicating you are at Death’s Door.

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Cormorants at Porte des Morts

Door County

“Cormorants at Death’s Door” refers to the abundance of Double-crested Cormorants between Door County and Washington Island, a location named for the dangerous waters around Pilot Island, Wisconsin, and for which the “Death’s Door Tour” is named. The phrase describes the presence of these birds in a place that is both geographically significant and ecologically important, as Pilot Island is a key nesting site for a species that once faced population crashes but has since recovered and is now abundant. 

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Exploring MacDonald’s Bayside Tavern: A Fish Creek Tradition

Door Couunty

For 50 years, MacDonald’s Bayside Tavern has been a downtown Fish Creek cornerstone, carrying on a legacy that began over a century ago. Generations of locals and visitors have gathered here—swapping stories, clinking glasses, and making memories.

More than a business, Bayside is a tradition, woven into the fabric of the community. With its timeworn hardwood bar, vintage decor, and restored facade, the tavern preserves Fish Creek’s charm while remaining a welcoming hub for all. 

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