Wagon Trail Resort
1041 Hwy ZZ
Rowleys Bay
920-854-2385

Peaceful, quiet, tranquil, beautiful. That’s the Rowleys Bay area of Door County. Not many people know enough about this small, tucked away retreat on the north end of Door County – but it is worth taking a close look at now – and with the Wagon Trail Resort, we have found a wonderful place to stay!

There is so much to write about – first of all, the location. You will get a definite feeling of the old Door County – where there is true countryside here, fishing boats that dock just up the road coming in off the lake and into the inlet (Rowleys Bay), cleaning fish as they return, and nature. Nature!

Only about a 10 minute drive from downtown Sister Bay, Rowleys Bay offers a true retreat, and Wagon Trail Resort has something for everybody.

When you walk in, you get a feeling of easier days, calmness, and a sense of welcome. In the lobby, a large fieldstone fireplace greets you, built from an old barn foundation, while its steel flue is an old scuttle hatch from the S. S. Mercury; in addition the wood beams in the lobby are also from a 100 year old barn. A harpsichord, a Door County diorama, a couple of loveseats, a couch, and other cozy touches really welcome you to the resort. Grandma’s Bakery (which can seat about 30 people) is off to the left of the lobby – and is famous for its pecan rolls, which we were compelled to taste-test: awesome! Buy some!

Rowleys Bay Restaurant, an on-premise public restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, always has a buffet in addition to individual offerings for each of the mealtimes – nice!

Bike, fish, canoe, hike, enjoy a traditional Door County fish boil, a star-thick sky – all here at the Wagon Trail Resort!

The Resort

The main lodge houses 82 rooms, in various configurations from rooms with a bay view, to woods views, to whirlpool suites. In addition, there are about 5 or so rustic cottages on the grounds that you can rent, and another 30 spectacular homes available that can accommodate groups of 4 – 15. There is an unbelievable choice of accommodations, so there is no way you cannot find something you like here!

The pool, with a 3’ – 5’ 3” depth, is in an area that also offers a hot tub, sauna, separate shower rooms with secure lockers, and beamed ceilings. Very nice!

We took a look at a lot of rooms and suites, so we will give a summary view of each.

The Main Lodge

The three-floor, 82 room main lodge is totally non smoking. We looked at a number rooms that the resort refers to as Lakeside or Woodside Hotel/Motel rooms. Please note there are no fireplaces in any of the main lodge rooms.

Room # 102
We took a quick peak at Room 102, which is just off the lobby and across from Grandma’s Bakery. With a double bed, two country nightstands, a table, 2 chairs this basic room offers a wonderful view of Rowleys Bay across the road.

Keep in mind that all Lakeside rooms have at least a dorm sized fridge and microwave. All rooms come with a hairdryer too.

Room # 106 – a Lakeside Room
With two – queen beds, with floral quilts, a nice table and chairs, country furniture like a pine armoire and a washstand-style night stand, this carpeted room gives a charming rustic feel with exposed wood beam and all wood ceiling, leafy stenciling around the ceiling edge (we like this kind of touch), and high back ladder chairs. Very nice room.

The bathroom has a full tub/shower combination, and stenciling also along the ceiling edge. Also the sink is outside the bathroom area, which makes it convenient for more than one person getting ready for your day out in Door County. The key to this room is the view of Rowleys Bay – very nice indeed!

Room # 103
Again, a very comfortable room, with 2 queen beds with knotty pine headboards, pine armoire and dresser, wood beam ceiling, stenciling, green print wing-back chairs, ladder back chairs, and bathroom fundamentally the same as #106 above, this is a nice room – but no view of the water from here. Instead, you can get a view across the parking lot of the woods – pleasant enough.

Upstairs to more rooms!

Room # 203 – Woodside 2 Bedroom Suite
A very nice suite with a galley-style kitchen with stainless steel sink, dishwasher, cream and green cabinets stocked with dishes, fridge, coffee maker, stove and table and ladder back chairs waiting for you to dine. The living room area offers a queen sleeper sofa, and green print coordinating wing back chairs, and TV.

The bedroom to the left (which also has a private hallway entrance), has a queen bed with floral quilt, beamed ceiling, carpeting throughout, stenciling (another nice touch) and a private bath.

The bedroom to the right has a slanted wood beam ceiling, dark wood dresser and mirror, matching nightstand and small armoire.

This suite can be made even larger by adjoining the room next door if you are traveling with a larger family or group – nice option.

The bathrooms were standard, as before: clean and functional.

Room # 252 – Balcony Room
A great room with queen bed, queen sleeper sofa, nice country touches like milk pail lamps and floral sprays, stenciling. Bathroom is standard, with stenciling, and tub/shower combination. But this is a room with a view! Step out on the balcony for a wonderful view of Rowleys Bay – gorgeous!

Room # 254 – Balcony Room
Two queen beds are offered here, with pine headboards, stenciling above the headboards and along the ceiling line, sofa, table and chairs. Balcony offers a view fundamentally the same as # 252 – awesome!

Room # 262:a 3 Bedroom Suite!
A bathroom to the left and one to the right greet you as you enter. A galley style kitchen, large pine dining table and 4 chairs, nice stenciling again around the ceiling line, pine armoire with TV, 2 green fan-print easy chairs and a sofa bed offer comfort. Bedroom 1 has a king bed, pine post headboard, floral quilt – this is a very generously sized room. Bedroom 2 sports a queen bed, pine headboard and dresser and stenciling. Nice. Bedroom 3 offers a queen bed with a bay view, stenciling, mirror and dresser.

Balcony: What a fabulous view! This is a view to be seen! You will love it. It is what rooms are made for!

Room # 154: Whirlpool Room
For those who like more to a room, here it is – a whirlpool room, which can accommodate 2 adults. With a king bed with unique pine headboard, a beautiful view from the window, an elegant leafy green-on-green wing back chair, milk pail lamps, stenciling and other niceties, this is a great selection for the romantics. A wet bar, TV, fridge and microwave complete the offering. The bathroom is stenciled, with the standard tub/shower combination.

So we sampled some of each style room offered in the main lodge, and found them all to be very nice rooms, clean, comfortable, and nicely appointed.

There are 5 cottages, more rustic in nature, that are available for rental that can accommodate honeymooners in the Honeymoon Cottage, or up to 8 people in another. We did not tour the cottages, but you can tour them on the Wagon Trail website!

Vacation Home

There are about 30 vacation homes available as well, that are rentable one week at a time minimum in July and August, and a selection that can accommodate from 4 to 15 people. We toured a sample home, and it was spectacular!

If you want a water view, ask for homes # 20 or # 21. We toured the 4 bedroom #21.

From the outside, the stained cedar siding welcomes you warmly. On the waterfront, this is one fabulous home – the living rooms boasts a fieldstone fireplace, 2 ceiling fans, 3 skylights, a sleeper sofa woodsy touches like wooden ducks, bookshelves loaded with board games and books, and more. The full kitchen is ready to go.

The view is simply breathtaking – you will want to live here!

The dining room has a large table and 9 chairs. The upstairs bedrooms are well appointed, tastefully decorated, and large. In bedroom 1 is a king bed, with under the bed storage drawers. A second bedroom has another king bed, and the third bedroom has 3 single beds – great option for large families.

This is a gorgeous home, and we are assured the others are equally well done. Beautiful!

Conference/Party Room

Wagon Trail also offers a conference/party room called the Lake Michigan Room – which can hold about 150 people – for weddings, conferences, meetings. For business meetings, there are ad additional 4 break-out rooms.

The Wagon Trail Resort has so much to offer, and in a part of Door County that seems wonderfully untouched. Check it out right now and please tell them that you found them on DoorCountyNavigator.com!