Fifteen curves break up the roughly 1 mile of Highway 42 between Timberline Road and Porte des Morts Drive at the tip of the Door Peninsula. One of three National Scenic Byways in Wisconsin, the sinuous stretch is a particular treat this time of year, when the surrounding forest dons its seasonal mantle of orange and gold.
How this road came to be so curvy isn’t clear. One story, which has gained traction over time, attributes its origins to Danish landscape architect (and famed Chicago park designer) Jens Jensen, who built a curving driveway at his Ellison Bay home that invited visitors to slow their roll and breathe in the scenery around them.
No proof of Jensen’s direct involvement in the highway exists – but his curve-hugging philosophy is nevertheless one to embrace.
