The Nature of Peninsula

Peninsula's rich natural legacy includes Wisconsin's largest protected tract of the Niagara Escarpment, eight miles of shoreline, and several rare species, including the Dwarf Lake Iris (Iris lacustris), pictured below. Peninsula has two State Natural Areas, the White Cedar Forest and the Beech Maple Forest. The State Natural Areas Council set both aside because they possess unique attributes of native plant communities, typical of the way things looked before Europeans settled here.

Know what poison ivy looks like. Leaves of three, let it be. Stay on the trails and roads. And tell your kids, "Don't pet the dogs!"

On the Web

Learn more about these features by visiting the following links.

EEK!! (DNR site for kids)
Educational Signs
Lake Michigan Links
Peninsula's Key Ecosystems
Peninsula Seasons
Nature Programs
White Cedar Nature Center

Educational Signs

Seven historical wayside signs reveal stories about key park features. All are accessible by car.

• Shorelines and Sedge Meadows: Weborg Point and the White Cedar Forest. Shore Road, near Weborg Point.
• Privilege in the Park: Camp Meenahga 1916-1948. Shore Road, Skyline parking lot, Lot 3.
• Island Overlook: Who was Sven? Skyline Road, Sven's Bluff overlook.
• Island Paradise: Horseshoe Island. Shore Road, near Lighthouse.
• Life on the Ledge: The Niagara Escarpment. Near Eagle Tower.
• A State Park System is Formed: Peninsula Takes the Lead. Eagle Panorama.
• A Road Less Traveled: Eagle Terrace, CCC. Eagle Trail trailhead, at Terrace.

Sentinel Trail and the White Cedar Nature Trail both feature series of educational signs.

Visitors can also learn much about park history and ecology at the White Cedar Nature Center.

For more information, ask Kathleen Harris, (920) 854-5976.