Backpack the Europe Bay Trail at Newport State Park

Hidden on the northeastern side of Door County, Newport State Park offers 16 secluded, hike-in only campsites throughout its 20-plus miles of hikable terrain. The Europe Bay Trail Loop encompasses the northern portion of the park, and leads to three campsites bordering Europe Lake or the Lake Michigan shore. The trail begins at Parking Lot C, only .5 miles from the park entrance. Follow the signage towards Lynd Point and the trail-head for Europe Bay is right ahead. There is another parking lot located much closer to the lake, near Europe Bay Road, with specific spots for campsite #14-16. 

The hike is very scenic, with much of the trail located on the bluffs next to Lake Michigan. When entering in the woods, the tree coverage is very dense, but the coverage is much more mixed closer to the coast. The last three photos showcase the three campsites (#16 was our group's favorite)

Another thing to note: Europe Lake has lakeflies, which usually populate two-three weeks before mosquitoes season around the northern end of the park. If you'd like to avoid the bugs, Newport is relatively bug-free August-April. 

After completing your trip, make sure to stop by the Viking Grill for their award-winning corned beef hash.