By Mary Bergin
Only a slim body of water – Green Bay – separates Door and
Marinette counties, but in some ways these sisters are worlds apart.
Door County, our “Cape Cod of the Midwest,” is one of Wisconsin’s strongest tourist magnets. Within the 75-mile-long peninsula is an abundance of boutiques, gourmet dining and stylish lodging. Across the bay lies its untamed and earthy relative. Marinette County’s beauty is more rugged than manicured, and this is the foundation for pleasant surprises.
More trout streams than hiking trails (but at least 600 miles of each) weave through the county. These are routes less traveled, more serene, and as charming as those in Wisconsin’s most-frequented parks.
Begin your adventure with a hearty breakfast at Wilson’s Café in Pound, where customers linger over a newspaper or conversation. Indulge in freshly made cake doughnuts: plain for 15 cents each, a dime more for sugar coating. Spend 30 cents, and you’ll get a bonus of frosting and sprinkles, nuts or coconut.
Consider it sustenance as the waterfall search begins. The county contains a dozen, plus Pier’s Gorge and Carney Rapids, all marked by blue roadside signs. It’s too much to do in one day, especially when hiking adjacent trails.
So make this trek a leisurely exploration that also encompasses
Governor Thompson State Park (great for trout fishing) and
Peshtigo River State Forest (Wisconsin’s newest designated forest).
No other Wisconsin river, based on length, has more or bigger rapids than the Peshtigo. Visit in early spring for a Class IV rafting challenge. It’s a milder ride in summer.
Lunch won’t break the budget at
Mickey-Lu’s Bar-B-Q, where the countertop jukeboxes play three songs for a quarter and burgers have been flipped since 1942. The tiny sandwich joint turns into a swirl of neon at night, and a flame-kissed burger costs a whopping $1.70.
For multiple courses, head to another U.S. 41 business,
Rail House Restaurant & Brewpub, which produces 11 microbrews. The top seller is Silver Cream, a light/crisp beer with slight sweetness. On the menu are pizzas, pastas and panini.
Campgrounds and woodsy cabins are plentiful, but lodging need not be rustic.
Four Seasons Resort – amid patches of pine trees, cedar swampland and twists of the Miscauno Creek – is an exercise in remote elegance.
At the all-suite hotel on 100-acre Miscauno Island has a nine-hole golf course that butts up to the Menominee River; an indoor pool; spa services; tennis courts; and nearby whitewater rafting. Snack at the old-fashioned soda fountain and dine on Italian fare at the bistro.
How to feel like you’re a localLearn about the 1871 Great Peshtigo Fire, when up to 2,400 perished. The event got little publicity compared to the Great Chicago Fire, which killed 250 on the same day. You can learn more at the Peshtigo Fire Museum, 400 Oconto Ave., Peshtigo, (715) 582-3244,
www.peshtigofire.info.
EatsWilson’s Café: 4065 U.S. 141, Pound. (920) 897-3100.
Mickey-Lu’s Bar-B-Q: 710 Marinette Ave., Marinette. (715) 735-7721.
Rail House Restaurant & Brewpub, 2029 Old Peshtigo Rd., Marinette. (715) 732-4646.
ShoppingSimply Charming, 1713 Dunlap Ave., Marinette. (715) 732-9300.
Seguin’s House of Cheese, W1968 U.S. 41. (800) 338-7919.
Woodsong Gallery, N18360 U.S. 41, Pembine. (715) 324-6482.
AccommodationsThe Four Seasons Resort: N16800 Shoreline Dr., Pembine. (877) 324-5244.
Lauerman House Inn, 1975 Riverside Ave., Marinette. (715) 732-7800.
Shaffer Park Resort, N7217 Shaffer Rd., Crivitz. (715) 854-2186.
Sites Marinette County Historical Society Logging Museum, Stephenson Island. (715) 732-0831.
Peshtigo Harbor Wildlife Area, N1217 Harbor Rd., Peshtigo, (800) 236-6681.
Theatre on the Bay, Herbert L. Williams Theatre on the University of Wisconsin-Marinette campus. (715) 735-4300 for information; (715) 735-4313 for box office;
More infoMarinette Menominee Area Chamber of Commerce. (715) 735-6681.
Marinette County Tourism Department, (800) 236-6681.
Peshtigo River State Forest and Governor Thompson State Park, N10008 Paust Lane, Crivitz. (715) 757-3965.
Mary Bergin is a freelance writer based in Madison. Content produced in cooperation with Wisconsin Trails,
www.Wisconsintrails.com. For a complimentary copy of Wisconsin Trails magazine, please e-mail info@wistrails.com.