We’ve done the Door County Century Ride three times and the 50-mile route once. This early fall race circles the Door County Peninsula and has it all—sweeping views of Lake Michigan, rustic cabins, sandy beaches, rolling hills, and a slice of famous Door County cherry pie at the end of it all!
Here’s what you need to know about this legendary ride.
Overview
Each year on the first weekend of September, 3,000 cyclists flock to Door County, Wisconsin for the Door County Century (DCC), a wonderful ride that also has 70, 50, and 30-mile route options. It’s a well-established, popular event that has taken place for over 40 years with many returning cyclists, and for good reason!
The Door County Peninsula has around 300 miles of glimmering Lake Michigan shoreline. It’s home to five State Parks and a handful of county parks, renowned art galleries and studios, quaint antique shops, and fantastic restaurants. Visitors can go cherry picking, peep shipwrecks, stroll to lighthouses, and rent kayaks and bikes to explore the area’s charming lakeside communities.
Among the most quintessential Door County experiences is enjoying a Swedish meal at Al Johnson’s in Sister Bay, where actual goats hang out on the sod-covered roof. (You can watch them on the Goat Cam in tourist season.) Another classic experience is going to a fish boil, a singular experience in which freshly caught whitefish are cooked in a huge cauldron with kerosene in a dramatic burst of flames. (Stand back if you enjoy having eyebrows.)
The DCC offers a fun opportunity to see several breathtaking parts of the peninsula, which brings us to the route!
The Route
The ride begins and ends in Sturgeon Bay at the Door County Fairgrounds.
Then, cyclists ride north up the west side of the peninsula past Egg Harbor to Fish Creek and up to Peninsula State Park before going east through Ephraim and Sister Bay.
The route goes south through part of the interior before cutting back to the eastern shore of the peninsula, passing Bailey’s Harbor and Jacksonport (with a picturesque stop at Cave Point County Park) before looping back to Sturgeon Bay.
Screenshot from ridewithgps.com.
The DCC isn’t a race, and riders do not begin at the same time. Rather, there’s a rolling start (no pun intended) and participants can hit the road between 6 AM and 10 AM.
As with any endurance event, there are highs and lows. You’ll have the chance to stop for food six times and enjoy breakfast treats, sandwiches, strawberry shortcake, and other snacks. Each rest stop is along the lake and provides a beautiful view, too!
We generally start to feel some fatigue around mile 60 or 65, and then it gives way to giddiness. Sometimes this cycle (no pun intended once again) repeats itself. Good conversation, mantras, music, and spotting alpaca farms and quaint red barns help to break up a bit of the monotony of the interior sections of the ride. As you pass through towns, you’ll spot kayak rental outfitters, ice cream shops, and charming motels, and we always enjoying ogling lakeside cabins near Whitefish Bay.
There are a couple of short and steep hills on the streets of Sturgeon Bay riiiight before the end of the ride that take some extra willpower and then boom! It’s all over.
We love having this opportunity to unplug for a good chunk of the day and to enjoy the sights and sounds of this lovely part of Wisconsin.
Also…The post-ride meal does not disappoint. Each rider gets a fajita lunch/dinner, two beer tickets, a chocolate milk, water, and of course, cherry pie. It’s a classic Wisconsin experience. Riders rest and refuel at long, cafeteria-style tables in a space that serves as a county fair livestock showroom in the summer, and the Green Bay Packer game flashes across a big screen in the corner.
If You Ride the DCC (Tips & Tricks)
➜ Register early if you know you’d like to ride—the DCC sells out quickly each year! (You can always adjust your plans and do a shorter route if you don’t get in the training rides you’d originally planned to do.)
➜ Book your hotel or Airbnb ASAP as well. We’ve stayed in Ephraim and Sturgeon Bay, and it was really nice to be in Sturgeon Bay, slightly closer to the start and end of the course. Door County isn’t huge but a shorter drive makes a big difference after riding for several hours.
➜ If you can, arrive a day early to poke around Door County’s State Parks, buy apples, and partake in other seasonal activities! It’s also nice to pick up your bib and ride packet the day before for some peace of mind (although you can grab it immediately before riding, too.)
➜ Ride prepared—make sure your bike is tuned up ahead of time and dress for the weather. Early September in Door County can be unpredictable. It may be shorts weather, rain jacket weather, or anything in between!
➜ Start biking early to make sure you have plenty of time to complete the course, especially if you’re doing the full century for the first time. It’s always nice to have a bit of time in the evening to unwind with a relaxed stroll and watch the sunset.
➜ Take advantage of all of the rest stops (AKA gorge yourself on allllll of the treats provided.) With six stops, it’s unlikely you’ll get too hungry, but we like to carry a bar, a banana, and a Gu or two just in case hanger strikes between stops. At the stops, you can refill your bottles with Gatorade, water, or pickle juice, munch on sweet, salty, and savory snacks, and use the restroom. You can also get mechanical support for your bike as needed.
➜ Safety first! Bring your bike lights and wear highly visible clothing. Always check for cars at road crossings. The course is well marked and takes place on quiet country roads for the most part, but officials do not stop traffic, and highway crossings require a bit of extra caution.
➜ Enjoy the ride! We hope you find this event just as fantastic as we do. Fellow cyclists are thoughtful and kind (and fashionable—it’s always fun to make a game out of spotting jerseys from different states, or with the best slogans) and the volunteers are helpful and encouraging.
Final Thoughts
We highly recommend the Door County Century! Whether it’s your first century ride or your 100th, the DCC is well-organized and worthwhile.
Have you done the DCC? Do you have any questions about riding a century? Let us know!
Pass the Snacks Adventures 
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