Cave Point County Park

Location:  5360 Schauer Road, about 8 miles northeast of the Town of Sevastopol.

Features: 

      Well-known for its wave-worn Dolomite/limestone ledges, underwater caves and stirring view of Lake Michigan, the park is a popular attraction for residents and visitors alike.  The site is a popular location for weddings as well.  Fishermen, skilled scuba divers, photography buffs, and nature  observers find the park a great delight. 

Cave Point offers a spectacular view of Lake Michigan and the eastern shore of the Door Peninsula, including sunrise and evening moon rises.  A half-mile hiking trail stretches through the forest of birch, maple and beech trees and links up with several miles of trails in the adjacent Whitefish Dunes State Park, which borders the park on three sides. 

A rocky beach extends eastward at lake level. The area is popular for kayak tours, allowing paddlers to explore sea caves up close as well as the scenic lake front shoreline.  Due to the rocky shoreline, kayaks must be launched at an adjacent site to the park and caution should be heeded as weather conditions can change rapidly and the rocky conditions of the area can be dangerous even with a small amount of wave action. 

Watching a storm at Cave Point is a fascinating adventure.  As waves crash against the rock formation, dramatic water spray can be seen, and felt even from a safe distance.  Water also sprays from blowholes 15 to 30 feet in from the edge created by fractures in the dolomite.

Cave Point offers a spectacular picture in winter as the constant wave action forms icicles that cling to the rock formations. Use caution, as rocks are slippery when wet or covered with ice.  Although ungroomed, cross-country skiing can be accomplished on the trail.

History: 

The land for Cave Point County Park was gifted to the county for preservation by three families in 1943 and 1945: George and Mabel Hanson, Mike and Louise Lyons, and John and Florence Reynolds.  It was the fifth park added to the county park system and derived its name from the geological formation.

Early discussion of the park’s formation explored making it a state park or a war memorial site.  After lengthy and heated debates on the topic and a reshuffle of county board  members, the focus of the park settled on the     geological formation.

A historical sign describing the history of the  formation of Cave Point was installed in 2003.    

FUN FACTS

• Only known County Park to be located within a State Park
• Over 400,000 visitors per year
• First solar power restroom in the county park system
• Ocean Wave shipwreck 4 to 5 miles off shore