Crossroads at Big Creek

Crossroads at Big Creek Crossroads at Big Creek is a 501(c)(3) NGO focused on education, research, and restoration. We foster environmental stewardship for all ages.
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Thanks to our donors, all programs are FREE and trails are open 24/7 at no charge. Welcome to Crossroads at Big Creek, a beautiful 200-acre preserve that grew out of the vision and dreams of members of the Sturgeon Bay Education Foundation in 1992. We are proud of our vibrant link to the Door County community through our environmental efforts, educational programs, recreational opportunities, cele

brations and commitment to addressing current community needs. We discover the awesome wonder of the universe at the Ray & Ruthie Stonecipher Astronomy Center and Leif Everson Observatory. We encourage learners of all ages to be responsible stewards of our environment through educational programs and research efforts. We honor the courage of our Door County pioneers and gain insight by learning their way of life though experience-based activities. We encourage healthy recreation and family activities such as hiking, cross-county skiing and snowshoeing and nature appreciation in our forests, meadows, and along Big Creek. Our visions and dreams for the preserve are outlined in our Master Plan which was developed with input from the community. We invite you to enjoy Crossroads as often as possible and encourage you to review the plan and invest in our future. Crossroads at Big Creek is an independent, donor-supported nature preserve in Door County located on County TT across from Whitetails Unlimited (at Michigan Street and Highway 42-57) in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.The Collins Learning Center, a Historical Village and an extensive system of free public trails are part of the complex. The Leif Everson Observatory, StarGarden and Stonecipher Astronomy Center are also featured and can be easily accessed via the Utah Street Entrance. A variety of lectures, learning experiences and events, both indoors and outdoors, are presented the year 'round.

🌙🦇 Reminder: Night Bat Hike — Thursday, June 18 at 8:30 PM! 🦇🌙Grab your headlamps and join us for an evening adventure a...
06/17/2026

🌙🦇 Reminder: Night Bat Hike — Thursday, June 18 at 8:30 PM! 🦇🌙

Grab your headlamps and join us for an evening adventure at Ida Bay Preserve as we search for and listen to our local bat populations!

This night hike is part of Crossroads’ ongoing bioinventory and restoration efforts, helping document bat species using WDNR AnaBat protocols throughout the summer. It’s a unique chance to experience the preserve after dark while contributing to real conservation work!

📍 Location: Ida Bay Preserve
1195 Canal Road, Sturgeon Bay
🕣 Time: June 18 at 8:30 PM

Please come prepared:
🔦 Bring a headlamp or flashlight
🧥 Dress for the weather
🦟 Bug spray is recommended
✅ Registration required — please RSVP below
💚 Free and open to the public

Come explore the night with us and help support local wildlife research!

🔗

Join one of our naturalists for some free family-oriented activities and nature exploration. Suitable for all ages, program topics range from glaciers and fossils to the insects and amphibians in our wetlands.

The Buzz About Bees! 🐝🔍Join us for a weekly summer "Talk" on Thursday, June 18 at 2:00 PM for an exciting afternoon with...
06/17/2026

The Buzz About Bees! 🐝🔍
Join us for a weekly summer "Talk" on Thursday, June 18 at 2:00 PM for an exciting afternoon with Door County Beekeepers Club!

🐝 What you'll learn:
• How to recognize different bee species
• The unique nesting habits and behaviors of native vs. non‑native bees
• Seasonal rhythms of bees in Door County
• Simple ways you can help support pollinators through gardening and habitat protection 🌻

Whether you’re a backyard gardener 🌱, a nature enthusiast 🦋, or just curious about the busy pollinators around you, this program is a wonderful way to deepen your appreciation for the bees that keep Door County blooming! 🌸

👉 Learn more: https://bit.ly/summeratcrossroads

💦🐟 What's Happening at Crossroads? Letting the Creek Run FreeWith Big Creek and The Cove Estuary both ecologically and s...
06/17/2026

💦🐟 What's Happening at Crossroads? Letting the Creek Run Free

With Big Creek and The Cove Estuary both ecologically and symbolically at the heart of Crossroads at Big Creek, and with a water research lab currently located in the Collins Learning Center, it should be little wonder that “Water” was selected as this week’s theme for our Summer at Crossroads Series.

Each Monday we start with a Tale. On Monday, June 22 at 2:00 PM, Door County Librarian Beth Lokken will read the storybook Creekfinding, A True Story” by Jacqueline Briggs Martin. This tale is set in the driftless region of Iowa, but it seems, somehow, so familiar.

It starts by asking: How does a creek get lost? Especially “a creek that burbled out of the ground.”

Well, according to the storybook, “the creek did not lose itself. A farmer used a bulldozer to stuff the creek with dirt so he would have more space to grow corn. No water—no water bugs, no frogs, no birds…”

Continue reading 🔗https://crossroadsatbigcreek.org/whats-happening-letting-the-creek-run-free/


🌟📸 Announcing Our Spring Photo Contest Winner! 📸🌟Congratulations to Our Community’s Top Choice!Thank you to everyone who...
06/16/2026

🌟📸 Announcing Our Spring Photo Contest Winner! 📸🌟
Congratulations to Our Community’s Top Choice!
Thank you to everyone who submitted photos and cast votes—your participation made this contest a beautiful celebration of nature, creativity, and community at Crossroads at Big Creek.

🥇 🏆 First Place Winner: Kristine Sawdo. This photo received the most Likes 👍🏻♥ during public voting and resonated strongly with our Crossroads community.

🎉 Congratulations!

🏅 Honorable Mentions
We’d also like to recognize a few standout finalists whose photos captured unique perspectives and moments:
• Ashley Jodarski - photo 2
• Richard Cargin- photos 3, 4 and 5
• Tawnie Perkovich - photo 6

Thank you for sharing your talents and helping showcase the many ways people experience the natural world.

💚 Thank You, Voters!
Your Likes, comments, and shares helped make this contest truly special. Your engagement supports our mission to connect people of all ages with science, history, and the environment.

🌿 Stay Tuned!
We’ll soon be announcing details for our Summer Photo Contest—another chance to highlight the beauty of our landscapes and the creativity of our community. Keep an eye on our page for updates!

🐝 Drop in at 2 PM on Thursday, June 18 and discover the buzzing diversity of Door County’s bees with a special presentat...
06/16/2026

🐝 Drop in at 2 PM on Thursday, June 18 and discover the buzzing diversity of Door County’s bees with a special presentation by the Door County Beekeepers Club and explore the incredible diversity of bees that call our region home.

From tiny, metallic sweat bees ✨ to fuzzy bumble bees 🐝—and even the familiar (but non‑native) honey bee 🍯—you’ll learn how these pollinators differ, why they matter, and how each plays a vital role in our local ecosystems.

🌿 What you’ll learn:

• How to recognize different bee species
• The unique nesting habits and behaviors of native vs. non‑native bees
• Seasonal rhythms of bees in Door County
• Simple ways you can help support pollinators through gardening and habitat protection 🌻

Learn more at Crossroads: Bees

🍯🐝 Reminder: Story Time Each Monday! 📚✨Join us Monday, June 8 at 2:00 PM for a special outdoor story time with librarian...
06/13/2026

🍯🐝 Reminder: Story Time Each Monday! 📚✨
Join us Monday, June 8 at 2:00 PM for a special outdoor story time with librarian Beth Lokken! We’ll kick off the week with "The Bumble Bee Queen"written by April Pulley Sayre and illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne.️

🌱 Enjoy the story surrounded by nature
🚶‍♀️ Then explore our Trail Tale starting the West Trailhead all week long!

rom her underground nest as spring warms the ground, to her efforts to build and care for her colony, all aspects of the bumble- bee queen’s lifecycle are fully explained, with fascinating details even young children will understand.

🐝 Meet in front of the Collins Learning Center
🐝 Drop in — no registration required
🐝 Free and open to the public
🐝 All ages welcome!

Part of 🌞 Summer at Crossroads
👉 Learn more: https://bit.ly/summeratcrossroads

06/12/2026

Check out the 2K Trail at the Crossroads Trail Run!

Race day is tomorrow! 🏃🏻‍♀️🌳 There is still time to register and take advantage of discounted pricing.🔗www.CrossroadsRun...
06/12/2026

Race day is tomorrow! 🏃🏻‍♀️🌳 There is still time to register and take advantage of discounted pricing.

🔗www.CrossroadsRun.com

📸 Less Than A Week Remains to Cast Your Vote for the Spring Photo Contest! 🌷Cast your vote by liking or loving your favo...
06/10/2026

📸 Less Than A Week Remains to Cast Your Vote for the Spring Photo Contest! 🌷
Cast your vote by liking or loving your favorite photo—it’s that easy!
⏰ Voting deadline: Monday, June 15, 2026, at 4 PM
🏆 Winner announced: Tuesday, June 16, 2026
✨ How It Works:
Browse the contest photos and vote by clicking 👍 or ❤️ on the image you love most. Want to support your favorite even more? Share the post and encourage others to vote!
🏆 What the Winner Receives:
Bragging rights, 40 custom 5x7 greeting cards featuring their photo, and a Crossroads Buff to wear with pride.
📢 Usage Note:
Winning photos may be featured in future Crossroads promotional materials.
⚠️ Disclaimer:
This contest is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook.
🌿 Thank you for celebrating the beauty of Crossroads at Big Creek—happy voting!

Address

2041 Michigan Street
Sturgeon Bay, WI
54235

Telephone

+19207465895

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