Door County Land Trust

Explore the Door Hike 

Located on the Niagara Escarpment, the Lautenbach Woods
Nature Preserve presents visitors with a chance to see first-hand
the fractures in the dolomite rock that underlies much of Door
County. In the spring, when the ground thaws, water from higher
elevations pours out the base of the escarpment on its way to Green
Bay, as if someone’s pulled the plug on a drain. This water creates a
vernal pond and a unique hardwood swamp on the far western
portion of the preserve. The pond is reminiscent of the bayous of the
south and contains enough water in spring that the Lautenbach
children traversed it by row boat. The pond is a favorite habitat for
migrating waterfowl, salamanders and spring peepers. Although the
pond recedes or disappears with warmer weather, high water marks
on the hardwood trees are visible year-round.

Tall pines, hemlocks and hardwoods located along the escarpment
create a shaded oasis, even on the hottest days of summer. This
refugium (climatically stable area) provides habitat for rare wildlife,
including terrestrial land snails that have survived here since glaciers
covered the region 10,000 years ago. The hardwoods provide a
dazzling display of color in fall, and the evergreens are a welcome
sight for skiers and hikers throughout the winter.

The Land Trust’s Explore the Door outings offer you the opportunity to visit the beautiful places you’ve helped protect! All Explore the Door outings are free of charge for Land Trust members, but pre-registration is required. To ensure a high-quality hiking experience, registration for Explore the Door events is limited. You will be emailed a confirmation of your registration and directions to the event. All outings last approximately two hours.Register Now!