If you’ve ever been to Door County, you know there’s no shortage of wildlife for you to see. All types of animals have set their domain on the peninsula and you can see them at any of the wildlife areas or even just driving around! The Nature Conservancy has protected over 2,100 acres at the Northern end of the peninsula which is known as the Mink River Estuary.
This Mink River is one of our favorite places to paddle! We offer tours and rentals daily at this location! An estuary is when water from a large lake or ocean mixes with water from a river. According to The Nature Conservancy, the Mink River Estuary is one of the few high quality estuaries remaining in the United States.
There are a lot of migratory birds that pass through this area which makes it an ideal spot for bird watching. There are both wetland and forest birds you could possibly see. Some to keep an eye out for are the rare Yellow Rail, Osprey American Bittern, Black-Crowned Night-Heron, Virginia Rail, Blue-winged Teal, Caspian Tern and many others. As far as a fish presence goes, a couple that are commonly seen on the river are the Panfish, Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike.
As I’m sure you can see, the Mink River has a plethora of animals to view, and it’s best seen from the water. If you don’t have a boat to take out and explore with, you’re in luck! Our daily rentals and tours are the perfect way to see the Mink River! The rentals are across from the Rowleys Bay Resort in Ellison Bay. Starting at 10:00am every day and the tours being at 10:00am and 2:00pm everyday. Make you reservations HERE!