Welcome to Door County's Quick and Happy read. In addition to this week's front page articles found below, we invite you to enjoy over 700 stories from all past issues of the magazine, contained in our archives. Use the search fields below to find what you're interested in.
Olde Stone Quarry Park A Local Treasure
By Ethan Taylor
Apr 5, 2011 - 8:50:00 AM
A little bit off the beaten path is one of Door County's parks called Olde Stone Quarry County Park. It's located just south of Little Harbor on Bay Shore Drive (County B) in the Town of Sevastopol. It's within ten minutes of Sturgeon Bay. This little gem underwent a major renovation back in 2005, and it became a first class boat landing with amenities that make it a great place for a variety of seasonal activities.
The name pretty much helps you find this Peninsula treasure. It's easy to spot from the water or the air since it's right next to a rather prominent vertical outcropping of dolomite bedrock, part of the large Niagara Escarpment that is so prevalent in the area. Driving north or south on County B, you really can't miss it. The park's primary use is as a boat landing. It's quite busy in spring, summer, and fall. There's a somewhat protected harbor for smaller boats and other watercraft with a shallow draft. A system of floating docks that are removed for the winter months provides ample room for three trailers at a time to get in and out of the water and tie up temporarily. Parking and restrooms make it a convenient place to embark upon an adventure out on the waters of Green Bay. Although there is no running water here, modern technology has provided for a very acceptable restroom experience, complete with ventilation system!
This park has a small pavilion, great for picnics and gatherings. A very nice feature of this place is that dogs are invited to join in the fun, as long as their owners attend to cleanup. Plastic bags are available from a free dispenser on the grounds. A bench facing the shoreline affords a spectacular view out across the water. In high season this place is a delightful sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the towns, the traffic, and the larger public beaches. Fishermen find solitude right along the shoreline. For the boaters there is a small launch fee at the park, payable on the honor system at a box adjacent to the boat ramp.
There is a small unofficial swimming beach at the south end of this park. It has a slightly rocky shoreline, so don't look for much smooth sand under your feet. It's a popular spot for scuba diving classes and practice, as shown in the accompanying photo. How's the water? Well, since it's on the Green Bay side you're likely to find slightly warmer water temperatures than on the Lake Michigan side. The air temperature is usually a bit higher here too than on the lake side. There is no lifeguard, so always swim with a buddy and be careful. It's likely safer to swim in this little area than over by the boat landing with its traffic.
On the day depicted here, a motorcycle club made a quick pit stop and enjoyed the ambience of this little park. The Green Bay Chapter of the Gold Wing Touring Association is a well-established organization that's been riding motorcycles (and trikes!) in Door County for quite some time. They call themselves the N.E.W. Riders. N.E.W. stands for North East Wisconsin, and the membership includes riders from Sturgeon Bay, Shawano, Abrams, Sobieski, Oconto, Sheboygan, Glenbeulah, New Franken, Casco, Kiel, Peshtigo, Greenleaf, Appleton, Kaukauna, Stangelville and Lake Linden, Michigan. The group holds a "Color Ride" each October to enoy the fall colors.
Olde Stone Quarry gets some winter use. Ice fishermen enjoy easy access to their "hunting grounds". The shoreline usually freezes enough that this sport can be conducted for the better part of the winter. In the photo, a lone fisherman uses a power auger to bore his hole, while his dog supervises.
Enjoy this local Door County treasure all year round!
DoorCountyTravelersJournal.com Online Store We
donate our tiny commission from this program
to the
Door County Humane Society.
This way some of your online shopping dollars
benefit Door County.
DoorCountyTravelersJournal.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, Endless, and the Endless logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Updated daily ... What's going on in Door County
Welcome to DoorCountyTravelersJournal.com!
If you are looking for interesting places to visit and things to do, you're in the right place. This online magazine features articles that help you get the most out of your vacation in Wisconsin's magical Door Peninsula. Get useful visitor information and be sure to check out our Kids Edition to find places that children like to go. The opinions and recommendations herein are solely those of our contributing writers. Event information subject to change without notice.
We also publish articles of interest to local residents. Submissions and story ideas are welcome.
Email article to a friend
