Door County Peninsula Kayaking Locations

Sister Bay

Ellison Bay

Let us know if you want to kayak the mink river estuary.

"Waters from the Mink River and Lake Michigan combine to form this freshwater estuary. The visitor will enjoy a habitat almost identical to that witnessed by the Potawotami Indians, who lived here more than 100 years ago. A leisurely kayak trip from Rowley's Bay to the spring-fed headwaters of the Mink River provides a great opportunity for bird watching. The diverse vegetation in the estuary features communities from white cedar swamps to wild rice marshes. Bird Watching-This is a critical migration site for birds: More than 200 species may pass through the area annually. These include the following: * Bitterns * Black-crowned Night Herons * Black Duck * Black Terns * Blue-winged Teal * Common Loons * Great Blue Herons * Herring Gulls * Marsh Hawks * Wood Duck. In late summer and fall, it's possible to see double-crested cormorants and red-breasted mergansers. And evidence exists of habitation by the bald eagle and sandhill crane. Lowland forest, dominated by white cedar, surrounds the edges of the marsh." Taken from the Nature Conservancy- Mink River Estuary

Newport State Park

Paddling Access:

Travel 2 miles north on 42 to County Hwy Z Turn east (right) on County Hwy Z and go to the Wagon Trail Campground on Rowley's Bay. Launch from the Boat Launch. Follow the shoreline north to reach the mouth of the Mink River.

Hiking/Portaging Access:

From the intersection of Hwy 57 and Hwy 42 in Sister Bay:

• Follow County Hwy ZZ east 3 miles, then north for 2.25 miles to County Hwy Z.

• Take Z east (right) 0.5 mile to Mink River Road. Go north (left) on Mink River Road about 1.5 miles to the preserve parking area on the right (east) side of the road.

• From Ellison Bay, travel east on Hwy 42 about 2.25 miles to Newport Drive. Take Newport Drive south (right) 1 mile to the Conservancy parking area on right side of road. Arrows mark some trail junctions.

The Launch from The Wagon Trail costs $3 a boat, and the Sand Bay kayak launch is not that much farther of a paddle. Look for the Kayak Launch sign at Sand Bay Beach Park

If you launch from the Wagon Trail-$3, If you launch from Sand Bay-Free.

The wind can pick up and make the return trip much harder.

Great Fishing in the Mink River Fishing licenses and Great Lakes stamps can be purchased online. With the shallow delta of the river, it can make it a challenge, sometimes requiring you to zig, zag back and forth to enter or even portage.

Wagon Trail (buy a pecan roll) and Sand Bay Beach both have facilities

If there is any wind out of the south, Do Not Go.

(S, SW, SE, W) greater than 20 knots

The BluffSide

Newport State Park

The Wagon Trail

The Wagon Trail Pecan Rolls

It is a long kayak haul out of the Nature conservancy by foot. Newport State Park

Make a day of this trip, with a lunch and some reading time, or bird watching. Peaceful area.