I visited Rock Island State Park at the tip of Door County in Wisconsin in early July 2012. Wisconsin has many great state parks and recreational areas, but Rock Island may be one of my favorites. A peaceful, primitive island a mile off of Washington Island, I spent nearly 5 relaxing days enjoying gentle Summer breezes and star filled nights.

The journey to Rock Island is part of the experience. To get to Rock Island, you must drive to Sister Bay for a car ferry to Washington Island, drive across Washington Island and catch another ferry (just people) to Rock Island. It’s important to know the schedules of the ferries. During the week, the last ferry was at 4:00. You need to catch the ferry to Washington Island around 2:00 to ensure you’ll catch the last Rock Island ferry.

Rock Island itself is around 5 miles in circumference. The camp sites are primarily on the Southwest corner, although there are a few sites on the Southeast side. Most people transport gear using carts or taking multiple trips to the dock.

The island is fairly primitive. There is a single well from which to draw clean water. There are a few latrines without showers. There is no electricity on the island.

During the day, the island sees many visitors from the larger island who visit the lighthouse, swim at the sandy beaches, walk on the trails, and enjoy the open picnic areas.

The island comes alive during the evening when the daytrippers depart. The entire island is surrounded – with some exception at the sandy beaches – by smooth stones. Campers congregate near the shore line to skip stones, chat, and occasionally gather around campfires.  Later in the evening, people gather on the dock to gaze at countless number of stars.  The nearest major source of light pollution is 50 miles away, providing for one of the best star gazing areas in the region.

A few things to consider if you’re planning a trip:

• Learn the ferry schedules. You do not want to miss the boats!
• The island has a rampant infestation of poison ivy. It’s especially noticeable between campsites that border the beaches. Bring and use poison ivy soap.
• There are deer, coyotes and racoons on the island. You won’t need to bear bag, but you do need to keep the materials secured.
• Consider bringing a cooler with cold food. Pick up a single block of ice (lasts longer) and bungees to keep the cooler sealed from animals.

We had a wonderful time on the island. The people you’ll meet on the island are wonderful, and will often invite you back to their site. Many families return year after year, a practice that we too will be adopting with a repeat visit in 2012.

Update: One of my photographs from Rock Island will be appearing in the June issue of Backpacker Magazine! Go subscribe to this great magazine. View the collection here:

View pictures from Rock Island.

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It isn’t like anything in the United States, but then it hit me.  It bears a striking resemblence to Southern Germany… which is probably why the area was populated by Germans beginning 150 years ago.

I’ve been exploring the area now that it’s just the mighty squirrel hunter and me.  We spent a day driving down by the lakefront, and the next day hiking at Kettle Moraine State Park.  Kettle Moraine State Park was formed by a receding glacier.  In its place is left rolling hills, streams, prairies and marshes.  The Southern Unit, where we were hiking, is about 67 miles long and goes from the Southwest to the Northeast.

This was actually the second trip Gus and I had made to Kettle Moraine.  The first, immediately one week earlier, also featured great scenery.  However, these new digital cameras require the memory chips be placed within the cameras, and not just in immediate proximity, to record the photos.  It’s a design flaw on Nikon’s part that I rectified by revisiting the area, but I digress..

The road out to Kettle Moraine goes through idyllic Wisconsin farming land.  Hosteins grazing in grassy meadows near large hay barns.  Country roads lined with grand old trees that are likely remnants of soil conservation programs from the Great Depression.  In the field to the right of the road were wild turkeys spanning their wings to soak up the warmth of the sun.  On the other side of the road (left) was a mix of old and new, an old red barn with a modern addition.

I continued down this road not more than a half mile and came across this stream cutting through the fields.  There is something very tranquil about this spot.  I’ve driven by the spot at least a half dozen times now.  I’ve got it marked on my TomTom as a favorite location.  I know it reminds me of someplace I’ve been.  It’s quiet.  You can hear the stream slowly passing by, making churning and swishing sounds as eddys are formed in the bends.  There is a bend in the road, causing the cars to slow down leaving the sound of their tires grinding in the asphalt and a low rumble of their engines accelerating after the curve.  When I tire of the corporate life, I may come back to make an offer to the owner and become a farmer.

We made the headquarters of Kettle Moraine State Park around noon.  The HQ is located in the center of the Southern portion of the park.  If that’s confusing, it’s one of another oddities of Wisconsin.  All signs seem to point in one location in a loop.  You can stand directly East of the park headquarters, but the signs to the headquarters will point East in a loop.  I think it has something to do with the German background, where they identify one way of doing something and don’t consider any further possibilities.

We registered, got our little blue sticker, and headed down to a hiking area the park ranger recommended.  I asked for scenic vistas, meadows, and lakes.  I was provided hilly paths in wooded areas, with one meadow.  Scenic, no, but it was an enjoyable hike.

There are these little purple flowers that appear all over the area.  I find them amazing.  We have some purple flowers back in Nebraska, but none as vibrant as these.  They stand out from the surrounding grasses and tress.  In all, the flowers seem darker in this climate.  it must have something to do with the cold weather and chlorophyl.

It was warm out.  80 something degrees and at least 80 percent humidity.  Gus was shaggy, having not had a haircut in 2 months.  At the mile in point, he started walking from one spot of shade to the next piece of shade, even if it was on the other side of the trail.  We stopped for frequent water breaks, but about another half mile in he stopped to rest in the shade at the top of a hill.  We decided that was a good resting point, and sat down to watch the scenery and share an apple.  After some more water and the energy from the apple, Gus was a little more energetic.  We turned around and took our time coming back, and were both appreciative of the powerful air conditioning in the truck.

Just as we made it back to the parking lot, the tornado sirens sounded.  I don’t know if Gus saw it coming – that whole animal instinct – or he was just sucking air because of the heat.  Either way, he saved us from a lot of rain and potentially worse.

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