Little Lake is the only inland lake on Washington Island and is a literal stone’s throw away from Lake Michigan, with a 250-foot cobblestone ridge separating the two bodies of water. The DNR says that Little Lake requires permission to visit from the owner, the Door County Land Trust, but the DCLT’s own information makes no such mention. That said, I did ask permission before my visit.
From the road, a trail meanders through an old pine plantation to the northern shore of Little Lake. Continuing down the western shore brings you within just feet of Lake Michigan, which is a neat site to see. Two lakes separated by just a few stones, but vastly different in size. On this day, the sky over Lake Michigan was a brilliant blue with lovely white cirrus clouds. Not enough time was available to explore this site, as we were on our way back home on this day, having left Rock Island in the morning and with another ferry ride and 4 hour drive ahead of us. I would like to return and explore the small fen area on the northern shore and walk around the entire lake this time.
More of my photos (and full-res) from Little Lake can be viewed here.
Additional Information
| SNA # | 554 |
| County | Door |
| Natural Communities / Geology | Lake, Fen |
| Size (Acres) | 66 |
| Parking | Roadside |
| Trails | Yes |
| Easy to Find | Yes |
| Best Seen By | Foot |
| Marked Boundaries | No |
| Ownership | Door County Land Trust (PDF); More info: Wisconsin DNR |
| Located Within | n/a |
| Dates Visited | 8.17.10 |
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State Natural Areas of Wisconsin 