At Devils River State Recreational Trail, activities for different seasons come together. The trail is open year-round for walking, running, biking, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Its 14 miles run from Rockwood Road to the Village of Denmark. This makes it easy to understand the route both in terms of the activity you want to enjoy and its two endpoints.
Trails and Seasons
The horseback riding trails at Point Beach State Forest offer a seasonal option: They cover 3.6 miles and are open from May through October. Unlike the Devils River State Recreational Trail, which is open year-round, they are limited to a specific time of year. Long Lake also offers a winter activity: The lake is considered a popular ice-fishing spot.
Along Lake Michigan, the paved, seven-mile Mariners Trail connects Manitowoc and Two Rivers. Its paved surface also makes it appealing to cyclists; there are five parking areas at rest stops along the trail. This offers a different way to get your bearings than at Devils River State Recreational Trail: Here, the connection between two cities and the route along the lake are the key landmarks.
Lighthouse, Maritime History and Collections
The U.S. Coast Guard has operated a lighthouse at Rawley Point since 1853. You can view and photograph it from the beach; tours are generally not available. Housed in the historic lodge building, the Point Beach Nature Center dedicates its exhibits to recreational opportunities, glacial landforms, the rare local ecosystem, shipwrecks and the lighthouse. The Shipwrecks of Rawley Point exhibit features artifacts and parts from ships that sank off Rawley Point.
The Wisconsin Maritime Museum is on the Maritime-Metro Transit line; a stop is located right in front of the museum building. The museum is within walking distance of the S.S. Badger Carferry dock. These are concrete details to help with your journey without assuming a particular ferry connection.
Art and crafts also shape the county’s museum scene. The Rahr-West Art Museum combines a late-19th-century Victorian mansion with an art gallery wing added in the 20th century. The Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum has 1.5 million wood type letters and more than 1,000 patterns in a range of styles and sizes. These numbers convey the scope of the collection: The focus is not just on individual typefaces, but on a wide variety of patterns and sizes.
History in the Museum Village
The Manitowoc County Historical Society Museum and Pinecrest Village is a 60-acre living history museum featuring immigrant homes, historic trades and village life around the turn of the 20th century. More than 30 structures brought together from across Manitowoc County form the setting for three themed areas: Newcomers explores the lives of Wisconsin’s early immigrants in the mid-to-late 19th century. The Village focuses on a rural town around 1900. Rural Settlement depicts a changing community with new technology around the turn of the 20th century.
In winter, Pinecrest Village’s historic buildings are closed, but guided grounds tours are available. Advance registration is required for all participants on Manitowoc County Historical Society walking tours, including members. A tour lasts about 1 to 1.5 hours and proceeds at a moderate walking pace. These details help distinguish a seasonal grounds tour from a guided tour.
Gardens and Landscapes
West of the Lake Gardens was designed and named by Ruth West in 1934; many additions were made by 1950. The 6.5-acre site includes ten individual gardens. Visitors can stroll through themed gardens, rest on benches and enjoy the lake breeze. From Memorial Day weekend through early October, the gardens are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting.
Those interested in landforms will find a variety of features throughout the county. At Lower Cato Falls, the Manitowoc River forms the park’s northern boundary and flows through a narrow gorge with distinctive rock formations and a waterfall area. The nature park covers 84 acres. Fischer Creek Conservation Area, meanwhile, stretches along both sides of Fischer Creek; the land slopes down toward the creek bed and then rises eastward toward Lake Michigan. The area includes former agricultural land, meadows and lowland forests.
Woodland Dunes offers a seasonal highlight for birdwatching: During the fall bird migration along the lakeshore, birds of prey can be spotted there. Together with year-round trails, seasonal horseback riding trails and winter activities at Long Lake, it shows how nature experiences in Manitowoc County can be chosen to suit different seasons and interests.
Explore more destinations: Two Rivers, Manitowoc, Reedsville, Mishicot, Iowa County, Wood County, Door County, Washburn County.
For the broader travel overview: Wisconsin.
