A Detailed Guide to Cave Point County Park Kayaking

They say kayak tours are an activity that ruins relationships. We’ve certainly had our fair share of dramatics on the water, even when boating in Wisconsin.

This wasn’t that.

Our adventure with Cave Point County Park kayaking in Door County, Wisconsin, was some of the most fun we’ve had in this part of the state.

Learn more about why kayak tours are the best way to see Cave Point County Park and why it should be on your Midwestern summer bucket list.

Where is Cave Point County Park?

Cave Point County Park sits on the shores of Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

It’s known for its limestone ledges, underwater caves, and scenery that has been changing every decade or so since the prehistoric era. 

While you can see some of the wonder below from above, especially on windy days when the waves are churning, you can’t get inside the caves unless you’re in a kayak.

Note: You might see this one described as “Cave Point State Park” in some dark corners of the internet. We keep things accurate around here. Cave Point belongs to Door County, and is one of the best Door County parks in the state.

Is there a fee for Cave Point County Park?

There is no fee for Cave Point County Park. If you visit nearby Whitefish Dunes State Park you’ll need to pay for a vehicle admission sticker there, but visiting Cave Point alone is free.

Whitefish Dunes State Park — it’s not Whitefish Bay Dunes State Park, despite what you may have read — is still absolutely worth your time, by the way. Stunning Wisconsin state parks like nearby Peninsula State Park are great, too.

Cave Point Kayaking Tours

Our pick for our kayaking adventure into the county park caves was Peninsula Kayak Company in Jacksonport, Wisconsin. They run top-rated tours with knowledgeable guides who will leave you knowing quite a bit about the caves.

If you click through to their site, the address says they’re in Sturgeon Bay. They’re actually located about 15 minutes north of that town. They’ll shuttle you to and from the launch point from their offices.

I’d highly recommend them as your tour company of choice for kayaking Cave Point.

They keep their groups smaller than some of the other companies we saw out on the water, which is a great thing when someone in your group falls out of their boat. 

If you have time for more kayaking, they also take tours to Peninsula State Park, Eagle Bluff, and the wetlands of Logan Creek. Experienced folks may opt for Door County kayak rentals, but we wanted a little more hand-holding.

Well, OK. I wanted a little more hand-holding.

READ MORE: We love a good boating adventuring, despite my seasickness. Learn about our trip to the Apostle Islands!

If you want to comparison shop, there are a few other companies that will take you to the caves. Those include: 

• Door County Kayak Tours: You’ll likely share the water with this one. They also do shipwreck kayak tours to the Fleetwing wreck, visible from above the water.
• Cave Point Paddle & Pedal: Their one-day kayak tours are most popular, but they’re also known for their e-bike tours and bike rentals if you want to hit the road.

Fun fact: If you like the sound of a bike tour, that last option runs something called the Sunset Glow Roll Fat Tire E-Bike Tour which sounds very fun.

Some of the kayak tours even allow dogs in the kayaks, but they obviously need to be well-behaved enough to handle an activity like that out on the water.

Tips Before You Kayak Cave Point 

Kayaking on a lake as large as Lake Michigan is much different than kayak tours on inland bays or man-made ponds.

Here are a few tips for you before kayaking Cave Point to make sure your trip is safe and scenic. 

• Book an early tour. Book the first tour of the day if you can. The waves are a little less exciting first thing in the morning, and it’s more likely you’ll have a smaller group, too, as everyone isn’t up and at ‘em yet.
• Book a tour on one of the first days of your trip. Our initial tour time got canceled due to choppy water. It rained the day after our trip. The weather is wild in the Midwest, so book early on in your trip in case your tour is moved.
• Bring sunscreen. You’ll be out on Lake Michigan for a few hours. Bring an SPF of at least 30+ to apply before your kayak tour and reapply in case you get dunked in the water.
• Wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet. I thought it’d be chilly on our morning trip, so I wore a sweater and my hiking leggings. It wasn’t necessary, especially on a summer tour. You’ll wear a life jacket over whatever you’re wearing on top, too.
• Leave the valuables behind. A woman on our tour fell into the water twice. I was confident in my abilities so I brought my phone, but if balance is a challenge for you, your tour company can store phones and keys in a box in the office.
• If you’re a beginner, kayak with an experienced buddy. Pairs will likely get a tandem kayak. If this is your first time kayaking, you might have trouble in the caves. You should understand basics like reversing, steering, and navigating waves.

Cave Point County Park Kayaking

I can only describe our experience with Peninsula Kayak Company, but from what I could see on the water, most of the park kayak tours take a similar route to the caves. 

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned kayaking veteran, you’ll get a brief introductory session on basic kayak commands before heading out. You need to know how to call for help, just in case. 

Each tour takes about two hours, with 35-40 minutes of active kayaking until you get out to the caves. It was a little wavy on Lake Michigan from the day before, but we were told that was about as calm as it gets on these tours. 

Once you get to the caves, you’ll get to see what you worked so hard for.

You’ll start with the Devil’s Bathtub, the largest cave in the park. You might see some cliff jumping here, but it’s an activity that comes with quite a bit of risk. 

Your guide will have you enter the cave solo or in pairs to avoid crowding inside the cave. The next cave you’ll enter is much smaller, with more churn inside. 

Kayak inside this one only if you know how to navigate choppy waters and know how to turn yourself around. This is the first spot that dunked one of the kayakers on our tour. She was fine but got a good soaking.

From here, you’ll listen to a narrative from your guide about Cave Point.

Our guide also shared information about invasive species like zebra mussels and what it’s like to live in Door County as a seasonal employee.

Fun fact: There are about 250 lakes and rivers in the state of Wisconsin that are known to have zebra mussels. While they’ve made the waters across the state much clearer, they also deprive native fish species of food and habitat.

You’ll head back to the start from here. Take your time, enjoy the view, and ride the currents if you can.

Those arms will likely be burning by now, even if you’ve been using your core muscles as they recommended.  

More Things to Do at Cave Point County Park

Your kayaking tour will take up the bulk of your morning (or your afternoon, if you booked a later tour).

If you have more time or enjoyed the park enough to pay it a second visit, there is more to do to get to know Cave Point on a deeper level.  

Explore Cave Point hiking.

There aren’t many Cave Point hiking trails, but the treks available are very scenic. 

Note: Make sure you visit during the park’s regular hours of operation, 6am-11pm daily. That’s plenty of time to do all you need and want to do at Cave Point.

Start with the Cave Point Lakeside Trail. This easy 1.6-mile trail takes you along the water’s edge and through the surrounding forest. 

The Black Trail is a longer option that starts at the Whitefish Dunes State Park parking lot, so you’ll need to pay the admission fee for that park to hike this trail.

The trail is 2.5 miles for the full lollipop loop, but a shorter loop of just 1.7 miles is also an option. This one takes you through the forest and views of exposed rock until you get to the rock ledges of Cave Point.

Watch the waves from above.

If the waters are too rough for kayaking, that doesn’t mean Cave Point isn’t worth your time. Rough waters mean epic waves crashing against the rocky shores.

You’ll likely hear them first upon arrival. Once you’re at a cliff edge, look over the edge — just watch your step! — and watch for spraying out of the blowholes formed from the momentum.

The Devil’s Bathtub is a great place to see this phenomenon. 

Go for a dive.

Cave Point tours aren’t limited to the surface. Scuba divers may be interested in exploring how deep the caves go underwater in waters known for their clear visibility.

This area is also known for its shipwrecks. The Ocean Wave shipwreck is about two miles off Whitefish Point. 

Visit in the winter.

I’ve yet to visit Door County in the winter, but the photos of ice formations and snowy bluffs at Cave Point in the cold weather sure do make me feel motivated to do so. 

Be warned that paths are even more slippery than usual in the winter, so bring footwear with a good grip for any winter visits to Cave Point County Park.

You can also snowshoe while you’re here if you’re into that, but it’s definitely harder than it looks.

READ MORE: Visiting from Chicago? Check out my guide to winter activities there.

Explore Whitefish Dunes State Park.

We visited this park the day before our Cave Point kayaking tour. We were already on the highway to meet our guide when we got word that conditions weren’t great for kayaking that morning.

As we like to YOLO, we went to Whitefish Dunes, instead.

This park is adjacent to Cave Point, so it’s an easy add-on if you want to see them both the same day. 

Just note that while Cave Point is free, there is a fee to enter Whitefish Dunes. Fees vary depending on whether you’re a Wisconsin resident or not. Learn more from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

You can pay by credit card at the pay boxes at the entrance. 

Once you’re there, explore the beach trails that take you along the water and the many seagulls likely nesting there, or hit the woods to avoid sand in your shoes.

Don’t miss Old Baldy, the tallest dune in the park. 

Swiming at Cave Point

You can swim at Cave Point, but you really shouldn’t. The waters are rough at the rocky shoreline, and not suitable for swimming. The currents are serious, too.

Lake Michigan views are lovely, but they should be treated with caution. The exception here would be a diving expedition, but if you’re exploring the underwater caves in that capacity, you’re likely on a tour or a strong swimmer.

Cliff jumping is generally discouraged, too.

Park officials warn that most of the waters closest to the cliffs are too shallow for cliff jumping. A number of visitors have been injured cliff jumping at Cave Point over the years.  

Where to Stay Near Cave Point County Park

Brian’s family has property at the southern end of Door County, so we just drive from there to all of our Door County excursions. If you want easy access to Cave Point, you’ll want to stay in Sturgeon Bay.

Check out the map below for some options:

Cave Point is best from the water.

You can hike or drive to viewpoints to see the caves from above, but it’s just not the same as seeing cliffs up close from the water.

A kayaking excursion is the best way to see Cave Point County and the natural beauty of the Wisconsin shoreline. This is an impressive region of the country. You should experience it as it’s meant to be experienced.