How to Find the Door County Winding Twisty Road – Wisconsin

I love driving on twisty, winding roads, but typically, I’m doing this in the mountains – you know, where it makes sense to have a road of the sort. In the Midwest, you wouldn’t really expect to find such a curvy road as the landscape is fairly flat. But in Door County, Wisconsin, there’s a stretch of road that weaves and curves through the forest for seemingly no reason.

For one mile, this road twists and curves through a forest at the far northern tip of Door County, near Gill’s Rock, Wisconsin. Let’s take a look at how to find the Door County twisty road.

About the Door County Winding Curvy Road

Also known as Jens Jenson Road, this one-mile stretch of road is a curvy, twisty thrill – and seems to have been created for no apparent reason!

There are a few explanations for why the road curves in this spot, but neither one are the ‘official’ reason.

One reason for the curved road cites that the road was created to go around the utility poles. It’s said that the old utility poles were placed in (what would’ve been) the middle of the road, so the pavement weaved around the poles instead. Today, the poles are located off to the side, buried in the trees.

The other reason is that the design and creation of this road was heavily influenced by architect Jens Jenson. Jenson founded the nearby Clearing Folk School and also helped found the Ridges Sanctuary, in Bailey’s Harbor, Wisconsin. The purpose of the road was to get drivers to slow down and enjoy the view – and with curves like that, the road definitely accomplishes its goal!

Location of the Door County Curvy Road

This spot is located just past the small town of Gills Rock, Wisconsin, along Highway 42 – if you are headed to the Washington Island Ferry, this road takes you right there.

As you approach this spot, you’ll see some large pullouts that will allow you to pull over safely to photograph the road. Typically, you’ll see a few cars at the pullout point, so you’ll know where to stop – it’s on the top of a slight hill – you need to be on the hill to get a good vantage point of the road.

Door County Wisconsin Twisty Road – Photography Tips

Keep in mind that while many of the pictures make it look like this is a hidden road in the middle of nowhere, with nary a car in sight, this road has a lot of traffic! You will need to get out of the car and stand in the middle of the road to get that ‘famous’ shot. You’ll need to be quick and on the lookout for other cars.

You’ll also need patience if you want to get a shot without cars. I was here during peak fall color season in October and needed about 15-20 minutes here to get the shot I wanted without cars.

Other people and photographers will likely be around too – you’ll have to wait for your turn to take your photos if you don’t want anyone in them.

The right lens is also key – in order to get a good shot, you will need to photograph this with a telephoto lens. All the famous photographs of this road are taken this way, as the zoom lens compresses the scene. My photographs were all taken with a 100-400mm lens – and zoomed in all the way to 400mm.

Final Thoughts – Door County Curvy Road

This is an amazing and iconic photography location and I love the photos I took here. While you can photograph this in any season, fall is truly the best time of year to photograph the Door County Twisty Road. Bring your patience to get the car-free photo you want, along with a good zoom lens!