03 WISCONSIN
Rock Island State Park
This 912-acre primitive island in
Lake Michigan off the tip of Door Peninsula is my favorite place in the world. Stay for a day to hike and picnic (you’ve got six hours between ferries to explore) or camp overnight. Kayaking is a popular way to see the island (below is a photo of my daughter Tansy Lederhaus paddling along the rugged cliffs of the western shore). Rock Island has a fascinating history related to Native Americans, early pioneers and the eccentric inventor who built the magnificent Viking boathouse at the ferry landing.
PLAN AHEAD
The park is open from Memorial Day to Columbus Day and you have to take two ferries to get there. Reserve your campsite at least a year in advance. dnr.wisconsin.gov
BE A LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER Volunteer to be a docent and stay for a week at the
Pottawatomie Lighthouse, which was named for the people who lived on the island for many years. Giving tours to visitors is part of the docent’s job. The lighthouse has no electricity or indoor plumbing, but it’s an amazing place to watch storms roll in and ships sail by. fori.us/vols.htm
BIRD-WATCHING
Bring your bino ulars to look out for diverse bird spe ies, in luding spotted sandpipers,
liff swallows and bla kthroated green warblers.