DOOR COUNTY, Wis. – Six years after closing due to safety issues, the Eagle Tower at Peninsula State Park in Door County has reopened with new features.

The sixty foot tower sits more than 250 feet above the waters of the Bay of Green Bay. It’s a nearly 100 step climb up the stairs, but unlike previous years, a new 850 foot long canopy walk makes the tower and its remarkable views accessible to anyone.

“No more is the days of a tower and one of the parents staying below with young children or someone elderly or with an injury or disabilities,” says park superintendent Eric Hyde. “You know it’s inclusive for everybody.”

This is the third version of the Eagle Tower. The first was built in 1914 and came down 18 years later. A second tower was built in 1932. But that one began showing its age over the years and in 2015, the state decided to close the structure over safety concerns. It was deconstructed in 2016.

The new one cost $3.5 million to build. The Friends of Peninsula State Park raised $750,000 of that total.

“It feels really really fantastic to say it’s open,” says group president Chris Holicek.

Madison’s Maureen Early-Ruzicka was cycling by and stopped to take a look at the structure. She says she visited the old tower many times in her life and she’s grateful future generations can enjoy the new one.

“The beauty that surrounds it I’m sure will bring everyone peace,” she said.

There is no cost to accessing the Eagle Tower. However, you need a park admission pass to get there.​