Door County Land Trust
Bear Creek
Nature Preserve
This 75-acre property in Southern Door is the first designated Land Trust Nature Preserve in over a decade! Once a dairy farm, the property now showcases stunning vistas of open grasslands and forested wetlands. At the heart of the preserve flows Bear Creek, a perennial stream shaped thousands of years ago by glacial meltwater, flanked by ancient 50-foot-tall riverbanks. The preserve offers exceptional landscape diversity, rare views, and abundant wildlife. Visitors may encounter old-growth cedars, rainbow trout, wetland and grassland birds, and native pollinators. Future plans include expanding the current trail system to over two miles, with a wetland boardwalk, scenic overlooks, and the restoration of fields to native forests and grasslands. Perfect for hiking, skiing, bird-watching, fishing, and wildlife observation, this preserve is a sanctuary for nature lovers.
Help us continue to protect Door County’s special places. Door County Land Trust nature preserves were established to protect fragile ecological resources and provide habitat for plants and wildlife. You can help maintain the health of the forest, meadows, and wetlands by respecting the nature preserves in the following ways:
Stay on the trails. Hiking off-trail disturbs vegetation and wildlife, and increases your chances of encountering poison-ivy, other natural hazards, or trespassing outside of preserve boundaries.
Clean your boots or shoes. You can reduce the spread of invasive plants by brushing your boots or shoes where a boot brush station is provided.
Pets are welcome. Please keep your pets on a leash at all times and pick up after your pets.
Collecting is not allowed. Collecting of any vegetation, wildlife, or other material is not allowed.
Leave no trace. Please carry out everything that you carry in, including garbage.
Some activities are not allowed. Horseback riding, ATVs, bicycles, snowmobiles and other motorized recreational equipment is not allowed on the preserves.
Camping in parking lots or on Land Trust protected properties is not allowed. Use of the nature preserves is allowed from dawn until dusk.
Fires are not allowed on Land Trust protected properties.
Wear brightly colored clothing during hunting seasons. Hunting, trapping, and fishing may be allowed at some Door County Land Trust nature preserves. For more detailed information about hunting on Door County Land Trust preserves, please visit our Hunting Program page.
- 75 protected acres
- 0.6-mile looped hiking trail over level terrain
- Level terrain
