With over 300 miles of shoreline there are plenty of places to launch your kayak in Door County whether chasing smallmouth bass or just out for a fun time paddling on our beautiful Green Bay or Lake Michigan. 

I won’t have space to list all the launches, but this should get you started. I suggest you do some exploring and take advantage of Google Maps. One of the best, and there are dozens of these up and down the peninsula, are roads that dead-end at the water. The key to any of these launch points is making sure your vehicle is off the road when you park.

Throughout the county there are many public and private boat launches that if you are using a kayak trailer you can launch by just paying the fee. I’ve used the launches in Ellison Bay and on both North Bay and Moonlight Bay.  For Sturgeon Bay, I like the launch at Sunset Park and if you are transporting your kayak on your vehicle, you can launch at the beach. Beaches are great places to launch, but usually best on weekdays or before the crowds show up on weekends.  Other good beaches to launch at are Otumba Park, Murphy Park and public beaches in most communities. For the more secluded Rowleys Bay and Mink River use the nice kayak launch next to the public boat launch in a protected little harbor. And, as you’d expect, both Potawatomi and Peninsula State Parks have kayak specific launches and plenty of parking. 

There’s beautiful scenery and plenty of water birds to view when paddling from any launch point in Door County.  You might even get lucky and spot an eagle soring over the water or above the trees. For you smallmouth bass anglers many of the launches I mentioned can put you on some very good spots to catch and ideally release those smallies.  As you all know I love chasing smallies and the excitement level ratchets up when in your kayak.

It’s the perfect time of the year to get out in your kayak and enjoy Door County!  As always, if you have any kayak or kayak fishing questions email me at kayakfishingwisconsin@gmail.com.  My 2024 Canoecopia talk, Kayaking & Kayak Fishing Door County, Wisconsin, covers most of the launches in the county with Google Map pictures.  Email me if  you’d like the PDF of the talk.