Ahnapee State Trail: Sturgeon Bay to Maplewood

As the Ahnapee State Trail travels southwest 7.5 miles from Sturgeon Bay to Maplewood, it crosses scenic farmland, passes through hardwood forests, and borders low marshy areas. Trees and bushes line most of the trail. Elevation ascends for the first few miles, then remains fairly level to Maplewood. This segment of the trail is in Door County, and in good condition.

The main Sturgeon Bay trailhead is on the southern side of the city on Neenah Avenue. It has a large parking lot, pit toilets, and picnic tables. A short spur trail leads to the main path. To reach the trailhead by car, turn south from Wisconsin State Highways 42 and 57 onto Neenah Avenue. Drive 1.3 miles south to the trailhead entrance, on the left (east) side of the road.

Another trailhead option with more amenities is closer to downtown Sturgeon Bay. A separate path travels north from the main trailhead to Cherry Blossom Park. This park is nicely equipped with flush toilets, a picnic shelter, playground, and parking area. By car, Cherry Blossom park is accessed by turning south from the state highways onto Lansing Avenue. Drive 0.2 mile to the park entrance on the right (west) side of the road.

From Cherry Blossom Park, trail-goers may head south on the path to join the Ahnapee State Trail, or go west and then north into Sturgeon Bay. The path continues another 0.8 mile into the city, where cyclists may use city streets to reach the popular downtown area.

Sturgeon Bay offers visiting trail-goers plenty of leisure and dining experiences, along with several hotels and campgrounds. Downtown on the water, the Door County Maritime Museum is a popular attraction about the area’s unique  maritime history. Nearby Potawatomie State Park offers many recreational activities and stunning views of the waters of Green Bay.

A popular bakery and restaurant near the spur trail that runs into Sturgeon Bay is Scaturo’s Baking Company & Café. This family-run business sells tasty baked goods and prepackaged take-and-bake meals. They also offer an extensive dine-in menu with pizza, salads, sandwiches, and a Friday fish fry. An option for both dining and overnight accommodations is the Inn at Cedar Crossing, a well-known small hotel and restaurant in Sturgeon Bay. Set in a historic downtown building, it features plush hotel rooms and exceptional cuisine.

The area that is now the city of Sturgeon Bay was once home to the people of the Menominee, Ho-Chunk, and Potawatomie nations. The land was ceded to the United States in 1831, making it available for white American settlement. White settlers established a town named Graham in 1855. The community went by other names until 1860, when it was named Sturgeon Bay, after the adjacent bay. In 1874 Sturgeon Bay was incorporated as a village and became a city in 1883.

One of Sturgeon Bay’s first industries was quarrying limestone. At one point, five nearby quarries cut limestone that was shipped limestone throughout the region. In the 1880s, a canal was built to link Green Bay to Lake Michigan. This provided a new safe passage for ships, which previously had to travel through the dangerous Ports des Morts (Death’s Door). The new route attracted thousands of ships, making Sturgeon Bay a center of maritime traffic and shipbuilding.

Today on the Ahnapee State Trail, the path departs the Neenah Avenue trailhead by crossing the road and heading southwest. It’s one mile to the intersection of County Highway S. Along the way, the path crosses Wilson Road. A line of trees and bushes surround the trail as it journeys through farmland.

Nearly a half mile after County Highway S, the trail enters a large hardwood forest. It travels through the woods nearly a mile before emerging and crossing Settlement Road. Over the next 2.2 miles, the path navigates farm fields and crosses Tagge Road, Maple Road, and County Highway Q. Along the path, remnant apple trees still bear fruit in early autumn.

After crossing Idlewild Road, the trail runs along the edge of a forest and farm fields. It crosses Stony Creek, and after a mile arrives at Maplewood. A trailhead is located here at Wisconsin State Highway 42. It has a parking lot, pit toilet, self-service bicycle repair station, and picnic tables. A long wooden fence separates the trailhead into two sections.

The Maplewood trailhead and others on this trail segment serve more than the Ahnapee State Trail. From Sturgeon Bay to Algoma, the path is shared by hikers on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Bicyclists should use caution when meeting hikers on the trail, and announce their presence when passing. Horseback riding is also permitted on the Ahnapee State Trail. When encountering horses, cyclists should dismount and walk their bikes past them.

^{Map of trailheads and addresses along this section of the trail.}

The Maplewood trailhead is located off Wisconsin State Highway 42. By car, it is 2.6 miles south from the intersection with Wisconsin State Highway 57, south of Sturgeon Bay. Maplewood has one tavern. This little community developed in the second half of the 19^th century. Its main industries were fruit growing, lumbering, and farming. The historic sanctuary of Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, the community’s parish, was completed in 1901.

Trail last ridden and documented in September, 2023.