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The mainland portion and the islands of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore are open to visitors year round. The visitor center is closed on federal holidays, except Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

Bayfield Visitor Center

Open:
May 27 through September 3, 2007: Daily 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
September 4 through October 14, 2007: Daily 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
October 15, 2007 through May 23, 2008: M-F 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Phone:
715-779-3397

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore was established on September 26, 1970, “to conserve and develop for the benefit, inspiration, education, recreational use, and enjoyment of the public” 20 of the 22 islands in the group, as well as a 12 mile strip of shoreline on the mainland. Long Island was added to the lakeshore in 1986. The Apostle Islands display a rich assemblage of scenic features, natural and cultural resources. These values, recognized by the area’s earliest visitors, make it worthy of protection as a national lakeshore.

Today a walk along most trails on the Apostle Islands will give the hiker a feeling of wilderness, remember that not so long ago, people called these islands home. Men and women lived and worked on these islands, babies were born, and children played and went to school.

Over the years, people have attempted a living from the island environment by farming, logging, quarrying building stone, and by fishing in the waters of Lake Superior. Island inhabitants consisted of early Native Americans, pioneer farmers, commercial fishermen, lighthouse keepers and their families.

Sometimes the traces of past lives are easy to spot. The light stations, with their towers and houses and outbuildings, are well known, and visited by many. Follow the loop trail on Basswood Island from the group campsite southward: as you approach the island’s southern tip, you will suddenly find yourself at an overlook high above the remains of the Bass Island Brownstone Quarry.

The traces of prior lives are not always as dramatic as a lighthouse or as massive as the walls of the brownstone quarries. It takes a keen eye to spot a low masonry foundation in the woods near group campsite “A” on Sand Island, and even if one finds it, there seems nothing remarkable about the spot. Yet these are the remains of the one-room schoolhouse where the children of Sand Island’s farmers and fishermen once learned their ABC’s.

The waves of Lake Superior hide other stories from ready view; the waters around the island have been the scene of many shipwrecks. Sailors on doomed vessels looked toward the island shores with hope and desperation; some made it to safety, some did not. The Wisconsin State Underwater Archeology office provides detailed information and vivid accounts of several of these shipwrecks at their Lake Superior Shipwrecks web page.

At a distance of one to five miles in the lake lie a cluster of wooded islands, which Carver called “The Twelve Apostles.” There appears to be fifteen or twenty in number, and they present a very beautiful and pleasing group.

Near the western end of Lake Superior lies a forested archipelago of not twelve, but twenty-two islands called the Apostles. The name probably stems from the desire of 17th century Jesuit missionaries to honor the Apostles by naming a beautiful place after them, rather then from an actual count of islands.

Humans have used the Apostle Islands for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Many Ojibwe Indian legends are associated with them. Voyageurs established trading posts on the islands, and later settlers built seasonal hunting and fishing camps, summer cabins, farms, and homesteads. These people used the resources of the islands and the adjacent waters for their commercial potential – forests were logged, brownstone quarried, and commercial fisheries were established. Light stations were built in the 1800s to guide approaching ships.

This area named the Apostle Islands is home for some of the Ojibwe people who live throughout the Great Lakes. According to their written and oral history, the Ojibwe were the original inhabitants of this area. In order to gain the materials they needed to survive, they traveled throughout the islands with their main village being Madeline Island, which is known as Moningwunakauning: “Home of the yellow breasted woodpecker.”

Throughout the four seasons the resources here sustained the Ojibwe for many years. From Lake Superior they would obtain fish year-round. In the fall they would harvest game and gather wild rice. In late winter they would tap the maple trees for their sap which was boiled into sugar. When the blossoms began to show, plants such as leeks, March marigold, and fiddleheads were used for food. Wintergreen, Labrador tea, and sweet flag were some plants that were used medicinally. The bark from the white birch was used to make wigwams, storage containers, and canoes. When summer came, berries such as strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries were gathered.

The Ojibwe had great respect for the land and all that it had to offer. Nothing was taken without something given in return. Offerings of food and tobacco (made from red willow) were made to the spirits. When the life of an animal was taken the whole body was used, not letting anything go to waste. The Ojibwe also had great respect for their people, especially the elders. They always made sure the old ones were cared for before anyone else.

The Ojibwe once traveled throughout this area without boundaries until the 1800s when their lives began to change drastically. At that time the United States government negotiated a series of treaties with the Ojibwe which established reservations where many Ojibwe reside today. The treaties lessened the area where the Ojibwe could harvest, which in turn created hardships. Confined hunting and gathering depleted the resources the Ojibwe could rely upon.

The creation of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in 1970 greatly affected the natural and cultural resources of the area. The National Park Service is helping to preserve and restore some of the area that has been impacted over the years.

The Ojibwe today are working hard to bring back the knowledge that is needed in order to survive on this land. There is a great deal to be learned by everyone about the resources around us, and the stories that go with them.

Within the boundaries of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is the largest and finest single collection of lighthouses in the country.

Old Michigan Island Lighthouse:

There are two light towers at Michigan Island. One was supposed to be built somewhere else and the second originally was elsewhere!

The light on Michigan Island entered service in the spring of 1857, but was closed after only one year of operation. For more than a decade, the Michigan Island tower sat vacant, and in the harsh Lake Superior climate, it quickly began to deteriorate. In 1869, however, authorities decided that a lighthouse on Michigan Island might actually be useful, so $6000 was appropriated to repair the building and relight the light. The refurbished light was equipped with a three-and-a-half order Fresnel lens.

Fifty years later, an effort began to place the Michigan Island light in a higher tower. When the Lighthouse Service discontinued operation of the Schooner’s Ledge light on Pennsylvania’s Delaware River near Philadelphia, the cylindrical steel tower was disassembled and brought to Wisconsin. Originally built in 1880, the tower was transported to Michigan Island in 1919, where it sat on the beach, awaiting assembly, for another ten years.

The light station experienced a series of improvements in 1928 and 1929. A brick building was constructed to house an electric generator, a radio fog beacon, and a hoist engine for a tramway; a new keeper’s dwelling was added; and the relocated tower was finally assembled. At 112 feet in height, the new tower became the tallest lighthouse in Wisconsin. The Michigan Island light was automated in 1943. The Fresnel lens was removed from the tower in 1972 and is now on display in the National Lakeshore Visitor Center in Bayfield.

Old LaPointe Lighthouse, Long Island:

Three lighthouses have graced the narrow sandspit that separates Chequamegon Bay from the open waters of Lake Superior. Originally intended to guide ships to the old fur trade settlement of LaPointe on nearby Madeline Island, the station on Long Island took its name from that historic town.

The first LaPointe light was constructed about one-quarter mile east of the island’s western tip. This small, wooden structure was hastily erected in 1858, when authorities found that in the previous year, the lighthouse intended for Long Island had been placed on Michigan Island in defiance of their plans. Although the “misplacement” of the lighthouse was apparently due to the instructions of a Lighthouse Service official, the contractor was forced to build a second lighthouse at his own expense.

Over the years, the focus of shipping in the area shifted from venerable LaPointe to the bustling industrial port of Ashland. To accommodate this change, authorities installed a steam-powered fog signal and replaced the old lighthouse with two newer towers, spaced nearly a mile apart.

The fog signal came first, built in 1891, several thousand feet east of the original light. In 1897, it was joined by the “New” LaPointe light, a 67-foot cylindrical tower constructed alongside. The old lighthouse had its lantern room removed, and continued to serve as housing for keepers and their families until it was finally abandoned in 1940, replaced by a triplex apartment block. Only ruins remain today, hidden in thick vegetation.

The Chequamegon Point light, a 42-foot tower at the western tip of the island, was also erected in 1897. The LaPointe keeper had to operate both lights. Fortunately for the weary keepers, the Lighthouse Service eventually built a concrete sidewalk connecting the two towers, eliminating the need for a tiring walk through loose sand.

By 1924, a radio beacon was added to the LaPointe light station. Generators supplied power for the radio beacon and keepers’ quarters. Eventually, a cable was installed across the channel to Madeline Island, making the LaPointe station the only one among the Apostle Island lights with consistent access to electrical power. LaPointe light station and the Chequamegon Point light were fully automated in 1964. The fog signal building was demolished in 1986.

Of the three historic lighthouses of Long Island, only the New LaPointe tower remains in use. In 1987, concerned about erosion, the U.S. Coast Guard moved the Chequamegon Point tower, lifting it with a helicopter and transporting it about one hundred feet back from the shoreline. The beacon was placed on a modern cylindrical structure, and the old tower stands empty, surrounded by trees.

Raspberry Island Lighthouse:

The “Showplace of the Apostle Islands” was built at the urging of Henry Rice, the influential St. Paul politician who founded the city of Bayfield. A light on Raspberry Island would help mark the approach to the new port. Support from shipping interests added weight to Rice’s proposal, and in 1859 President Buchanan signed an order reserving the entire island for lighthouse use.

Construction of the lighthouse began about two years later, and the structure was nearly ready for use by the end of 1862. Only one problem delayed the station’s entry into service: the lantern’s lens had not yet arrived. Lighthouse lenses are highly specialized optics, designed to focus the light from a small lamp into a beam that can be seen many miles across the water. The lens for the Raspberry lantern was crafted in France and took months to make its way over the ocean and across half a continent. It was not until mid-July of 1863 that the lens was installed and the light station officially began operation.

The lighthouse that entered service during the Civil War appeared substantially different from the structure that stands on Raspberry Island today. As originally built, the Raspberry lighthouse was a boxy, two-bedroom house with a shed at one side containing the kitchen. Rising from the center of the roof was a short tower that supported the lantern.

While the lighthouse we see on Raspberry Island appears much the same as it did in 1906, the surrounding setting has changed substantially. When the lighthouse was built, the surrounding area was cleared of trees so that ships would have a clear view of the beacon. There were photos taken as recently as the 1940s show an open area of several acres around the station. Today, forest has encroached upon the site, and only a portion of the original clearing remains.

More ominously, the bluff in front of the lighthouse has suffered severe erosion. The steep clay banks face the force of Lake Superior at their base, while the upper sections are subject to “slumping,” or collapse. Despite some efforts at erosion control in the 1980s, engineers warn that the receding bank could threaten the light station structures in as little as ten years.

Fortunately, Congress has acted to protect the historic treasure known as the Raspberry Island lighthouse. Funds were appropriated to institute erosion control measures that will combine construction of a seawall at the base of the bluff, for the slope to a stable angle, drainage improvement, and planting vegetation. During the summer and fall of 2002, visitors to Raspberry Island were able to see the work in progress. By the end of October, more than half the project was complete. Work resumed in the spring of 2003, and the project was completed in July.

Outer Island Lighthouse:

Standing on a high bluff at the most remote point of the Apostle Islands chain, the Outer Island lighthouse was built in 1874 to guide ships past the archipelago to the rapidly growing ports of Duluth and Superior.

The handsome brick tower stands ninety feet high, with a design that reflects the Italianate architectural style popular in the 1860s and 70s. Inside the tower, a cast iron staircase spirals up to the “watch room,” where keepers serviced the lamp and kept vigil over the beacon. The watch room is encircled by an outside walkway and topped by the lantern room. The hooded arched windows and the decorated brackets supporting the watch room walkway show an attention to architectural detail not seen before in the Apostle Islands.

Sited to cast its beam far across the open lake, the Outer Island light had a large, “third-order” Fresnel lens with a central band of six glass prism bull’s-eye panels. These bull’s-eyes concentrated the light into six brilliant beams. Rotation of the lens on a clockwork mechanism powered by weights caused the beams to sweep the horizon, making the light appear to flash.

The light station on Outer Island is exposed to the full force of Lake Superior. In its first year of operation, the station dock washed away. Waves eroded the clay banks until they collapsed, destroying the fog signal building at their base. Fierce northeast gales caused the tower to sway so dramatically the keeper feared the clockwork mechanism would break.

The original fog signal building was replaced by a structure at the top of the cliff in 1875. This move caused the keepers many headaches, as the new location made it difficult to ensure an adequate water supply for the steam-powered whistle. In 1878, a third fog signal building, virtually identical to the second, was built at cliff top, adjacent to its twin. These two buildings were renovated and combined into a single structure in 1900, assuming the form that we see today.

The station changed with improvements in technology. In 1925, the steam fog whistle was converted to an air diaphone run by air compressors and diesel engines. The light was electrified in the late 1930s, allowing it to operate automatically through the winter. The Fresnel lens was removed when the station was fully automated in 1961. Today, solar panels attached to the walkway supply the energy to keep the light burning.

Sand Island Lighthouse:

Sand Island lighthouse, near the western end of the Apostle Island chain, was occupied for a shorter period than any of the archipelago’s other lights. Built in 1881, it was the first of the group to be automated, in 1921.

Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful lighthouses on Lake Superior, the structure was built from sandstone quarried right at the building site. The design of the lighthouse was influenced by the Gothic style, popular during the Victorian period. The light tower begins as a square rising from the northwest corner of the dwelling, and then gracefully flows into an octagon surmounted by the lantern and walkway. Carved wood trim decorates the steeply sloped gable end of the quarters. A fourth-order Fresnel lens produced a fixed white light from the top of the 44-foot tall tower.

In 1921, the Lighthouse Service installed acetylene light atop the tower, designed to run without need for daily attendance. Keepers from nearby Raspberry Island kept an eye on the beacon to make sure it was operating properly, and changed the fuel tanks when they emptied.

The station’s lamp was moved twice during the years of automation. The Lighthouse Service erected a 50-foot steel tower in front of the stone building some time around 1933, and placed the acetylene apparatus atop it. The beacon stood outside the lighthouse for more than half a century, but in 1985, the Coast Guard returned the signal to its historic home and removed the metal tower. Once again, the light shines from the tower in this jewel of the Apostles.

Devils Island Light Tower:

The final jewel was placed in the necklace of lights around the Apostle Islands when the beacon on Devils Islands was lit in 1891. A two-story, red brick, Queen Anne- style keeper’s dwelling and a building for the steam fog signal were completed at this time, but the light was placed in a temporary tower. The tower, made of wooden timbers, held a fourth order, non-flashing red light.

A two-story, brick and shingle house similar in design to the keeper’s dwelling was built for the assistant keepers in 1897. Work began on the permanent tower, an 82- foot tall steel cylinder, that same year. Although the tower was ready in the fall of 1898, there was a three year delay in supplying it with a lens. A third order lens from the Paris firm of H. Lepaute finally arrived in April 1901. The permanent tower was placed in service shortly afterward, and the temporary tower torn down the same year.

The lighthouse was originally designed as a plain, self-supporting cylinder, but the high winds of its exposed location caused the tower to shake so badly that light keepers complained that the motion sometimes extinguished the lamp. In 1914, the Lighthouse Service reinforced the structure with external braces, alleviating the problem and giving the tower the appearance we see today.

Devils Island’s flashing red light became a major landmark along trans-Superior shipping lanes. The station’s steam fog signal was replaced in 1925 with a compressed air diaphone and a radio fog beacon. Ships on the lake could use the time delay between the radio and audible signals to determine their distance to the station.

Devils Island eventually became the last manned station in the Apostle Islands. As the other lights were automated, the Coast Guard maintained a five-man crew on Devils Island to watch over the beacon and perform periodic maintenance on the other island lights. This era finally ended in 1978, when the Devils Island light was automated as well. When the Coast Guard detachment hauled down their flag, it marked the end of over a century of light keepers tending lights in the Apostle Islands.

The lighthouse at Devils Island is the only one among the Apostles group to retain its original Fresnel lens, though there was a three-year period when the lantern room was empty. The U. S. Coast Guard removed the third order Fresnel lens from the tower in 1989 and replaced it with a smaller, plastic beacon. The National Park Service repaired the lens and returned it to the tower as a display in 1992.

While technological advances decreased the importance of lights as navigational tools, these lighthouses have acquired significance beyond their importance to mariners. They represent a fascinating period in the historic development of the region. They also remind us of the brave men and women who tended these remote outposts to make life safer for sailors navigating the waters of the Apostle Islands.

New LaPointe Light Tower, Long Island & Chequamegon Point Light Tower, Long Island:

The first LaPointe light was constructed about one-quarter mile east of the island’s western tip. This small, wooden structure was hastily erected in 1858, when authorities found that in the previous year, the lighthouse intended for Long Island had been placed on Michigan Island in defiance of their plans. Although the “misplacement” of the lighthouse was apparently due to the instructions of a Lighthouse Service official, the contractor was forced to build a second lighthouse at his own expense.

Over the years, the focus of shipping in the area shifted from venerable LaPointe to the bustling industrial port of Ashland. To accommodate this change, authorities installed a steam-powered fog signal and replaced the old lighthouse with two newer towers, spaced nearly a mile apart.

The fog signal came first, built in 1891, several thousand feet east of the original light. In 1897, it was joined by the “New” LaPointe light, a 67-foot cylindrical tower constructed alongside. The old lighthouse had its lantern room removed, and continued to serve as housing for keepers and their families until it was finally abandoned in 1940, replaced by a triplex apartment block. Only ruins remain today, hidden in thick vegetation.
The Chequamegon Point light, a 42-foot tower at the western tip of the island, was also erected in 1897. The LaPointe keeper had to operate both lights. Fortunately for the weary keepers, the Lighthouse Service eventually built a concrete sidewalk connecting the two towers, eliminating the need for a tiring walk through loose sand.

By 1924, a radio beacon was added to the LaPointe light station. Generators supplied power for the radio beacon and keepers’ quarters. Eventually, a cable was installed across the channel to Madeline Island, making the LaPointe station the only one among the Apostle Island lights with consistent access to electrical power.

LaPointe light station and the Chequamegon Point light were fully automated in 1964. The fog signal building was demolished in 1986.

Of the three historic lighthouses of Long Island, only the New LaPointe tower remains in use. In 1987, concerned about erosion, the U.S. Coast Guard moved the Chequamegon Point tower, lifting it with a helicopter and transporting it about one hundred feet back from the shoreline. The beacon was placed on a modern cylindrical structure, and the old tower stands empty, surrounded by trees.

New Michigan Island Light Tower:

The light on Michigan Island entered service in the spring of 1857, but was closed after only one year of operation. Evidence suggests that higher authorities in the Lighthouse Service repudiated the rash decision of their field representative, and ordered the hapless contractors to go back and erect a new lighthouse at the planned Long Island location.

Fifty years later, an effort began to place the Michigan Island light in a higher tower. When the Lighthouse Service discontinued operation of the Schooner’s Ledge light on Pennsylvania’s Delaware River near Philadelphia, the cylindrical steel tower was disassembled and brought to Wisconsin. Originally built in 1880, the tower was transported to Michigan Island in 1919, where it sat on the beach, awaiting assembly, for another ten years.

The light station experienced a series of improvements in 1928 and 1929. A brick building was constructed to house an electric generator, a radio fog beacon, and a hoist engine for a tramway; a new keeper’s dwelling was added; and the relocated tower was finally assembled. At 112 feet in height, the new tower became the tallest lighthouse in Wisconsin.

The Michigan Island light was automated in 1943. The Fresnel lens was removed from the tower in 1972 and is now on display in the National Lakeshore Visitor Center in Bayfield.

Set in an atmosphere of Lake Superior, the largest and most faultless of the Great Lakes, the Apostle Islands archipelago includes 22 islands and is located in far northwestern Wisconsin, off the Bayfield Peninsula. Twenty-one of these islands, and a 12-mile segment along the shore of Wisconsin’s north coast, comprise the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

The islands have been carved for over a million years by glacial ice, wind, and waves; producing dramatic shorelines featuring sandstone cliffs, sea caves, and miles of pristine sand beaches. The Apostle Islands are at the continental northwestern limit of the hemlock/white pine/northern hardwood forest and the southern limit of the boreal forest.

The beauties of the islands are enhanced by the area’s geology. Colorful Precambrian sandstone has eroded into interesting cliff formations, including sea caves, and there is a highly diverse collection of sandscapes, including sandpits, cuspate forelands, tombolos, a barrier spit, and numerous beaches. These sandscapes are among the most pristine left in the Great Lakes region.

More than simple beaches, sandscapes are a range of features from barren sand bars to dune habitats that support plant and animal communities. Shaped by Lake Superior’s ever-changing moods, the sandscapes of the Apostle Islands strike a balance among the forces of nature that alternately build and erode them. As these areas attract more boaters, hikers, picnickers and campers, human disturbance threatens to upset their natural balance. You can help insure the preservation of the area’s sandscapes by taking a few minutes to learn about these special places within Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

The formation of any sandscape requires three factors: a source of sand, energy to carry the sand, and a calm area where sand can accumulate. In the Apostle Islands, much of the sand comes from bluffs of soft glacial deposits that are easily eroded by wave action. When waves hit the shore at an angle, they lift sand off the bottom and generate long shore currents. These currents carry the lifted sand along the shore until it reaches a protected area where calmer conditions allow sediment to be deposited. Protected areas include bays and the lee side of islands.

Not all of the Apostle Islands have sandy shores. Smaller islands, for instance, may not have enough glacial deposits to provide sand. The innermost islands may not be exposed to wave energy sufficient to transport much sand.

At least five different types of sandscapes occur on the Apostle Islands: beaches, sand spits, a barrier spit, cuspate forelands, and tombolos. Beaches along bays or coves are the most common of the sandscapes. Perhaps the most familiar is the beach at Quarry Bay on Stockton Island.

Centuries of wave action, freezing, and thawing have sculpted shorelines throughout Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Some of the Great Lakes’ most spectacular scenery occurs where these forces interact with sandstone of the Devils Island Formation to create extensive sea caves. Nature has carved delicate arches, vaulted chambers, and honeycombed passageways into cliffs on the north shore of Devils Island, Swallow Point on Sand Island, and along the mainland near the Lakeshore’s western boundary.

The story of the Devils Island Formation begins over one billion years ago. At that time, rivers carried sandy sediments from hills in what is now southern Minnesota to a basin where the Apostle Islands are now found. These rivers, known as braided streams, carried sediment that slowly filled the basin, forming a sand flat. That area was covered with many shallow ponds, some only a few inches deep, connected by shallow channels. Sand deposits in this environment were thinly-bedded, fine-grained, and extensively ripple marked. These deposits eventually became the sandstone known as the Devils Island Formation, named for the locality where it was first identified and described by geologists.

Where wave action erodes and undercuts the base of a cliff, a feature known as a “reentrant” develops. Sea caves are produced when a number of reentrants join behind the face of a cliff, leaving behind supporting pillars and arches. They develop most easily where the sand layers comprising a rock formation are very thin. The thinly bedded, easily eroded sandstones of the Devils Island Formation are the source of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore’s spectacular array of sea caves.

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore provides many diverse and distinctive plant communities. This is due primarily because it’s located between the boreal and temperate forests. So therefore the islands and their forests encompass an ecosystem that is unique in North America.

Not only are the sandscapes of the Apostle Islands interesting geological features, but they also support several varieties of ecologically important plants and animals that are rare in Wisconsin. With your help, the National Park Service will be able to protect these rare communities for study and enjoyment now and in the future.

The plants that inhabit sandscapes are adapted to survive under the severe conditions of shifting sand, strong winds and nutrient-poor soils. “Pioneer” plants, such as American beach grass and beach pea trap wind-blown sand and organic matter and help to stabilize the sand dunes that separate the vegetated area from the beach zone.

Microorganisms associated with beach grass and beach pea capture atmospheric nitrogen, convert it to a form usable by plants, and store this vital nutrient in the root zone. These two important ecological functions (stabilization, nitrogen fixation) provide conditions in which other species of plants and their associated animals can live.

However, even the more stable sandscapes remain sensitive to disturbances such as fire, major storms and repeated human traffic. Such disturbances can cause the sandscape to revert to barren sand. In some cases, the disturbance may also lead to invasion by non-native plant species. This has occurred on the cuspate forelands on South Twin Island and Ironwood Island.

The lakeshore is at the continental northwestern limits of the hemlock-white-pine-northern hardwood forest and also contains elements of the boreal forest. The lakeshore’s forests have a wide variety of disturbance histories, ranging from pristine old-growth forest without a history of deer browsing, to forests that have been subjected to logging, fires and extensive deer browsing. At present, most of the Lakeshore is covered with unbroken mature second growth forest. There is an interesting interplay of cultural and natural resources that occurs in the Lakeshore.

In pre-settlement times about 90% of the islands were covered by an upland mixed coniferous/hardwood forest dominated by hemlock, white pine, sugar maple, yellow and white birch. The boreal forest community is conquered by white spruce, balsam fir, tamarack, white cedar, birch, and aspen.

Most of the islands have a history of logging however; a few of the islands (North Twin, Devils, Raspberry, Long, Eagle, Gull) have never been commercially logged and have old growth remnant forests. Today, maturing second growth forest exist throughout the islands.

Over 800 plant species occur within the lakeshore, including Wisconsin State listed endangered and threatened species. Following logging, deer populations irrupted on many of the islands, severely impacting species favored by deer, such as Canada yew. Several of the islands, however, that did not have a history of deer populations and others that had moderate deer populations have lush stands of Canada yew, a very rare species on the mainland due to deer browse. Currently, deer populations occur on only a few islands.

Wetlands within the lakeshore include bogs associated with sandscapes, perched bogs, lagoons, alder thickets and beaver flowages. These wetlands contain distinctive flora and fauna and add a considerable amount of ecological diversity to the lakeshore. Bogs dominated by sedges, ericads and Sphagnum mosses often occur in the filled-in lake basins that occur just inland from sandscape dune ridges.

About one-third of the Islands coasts consist of Precambrian sandstone ledges and bluffs. Local vegetation on the rocks face depends on the microhabitat and can vary from common willows and weed species, to sub artic scarcity and species. Steep reddish clay bluffs are vegetated with small trees of balsam poplar, white birch, red maple and showy mountain ash.

The lakeshore has a rich collection of dunal features. Dunal vegetation, beach grass and beach pea, as well as a shrub and forest component of speckled alder, quaking aspen and white birch dominate these sandscapes.

There are many fun and exciting activities to do while visiting Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Getting the most out of your visit will depend on your interests, how much time you have to spend, and how well you plan your stay. The Apostle Islands offer terrific opportunities for active, outdoor enjoyment and recreation such as, hiking, hunting, camping, fishing, scuba diving, and boating. People come to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in summer and winter to visit the sea caves and witness Lake Superior’s ever-changing handiwork.

Camping in the Apostle Islands offers visitors an exceptional opportunity to experience a landscape that is natural, yet rich in human legacy. Camping opportunities on the Apostle Islands range from developed sites near docks to minimal impact wilderness camping. In addition, several public and private campgrounds are located in the area. There are no developed National Park Service campgrounds accessible by road on the mainland unit of the National Lakeshore. However, there is one primitive site on the mainland, accessible to hikers and kayakers.

Hiking is just another activity that can be enjoyed while visiting the islands. Hikers can enjoy more than fifty miles of maintained trails on the islands of the National Lakeshore. These trails provide access to lighthouses, abandoned quarries, old farm sites, historic logging camps, beaches, campsites, and scenic overlooks. Besides trails, there are numerous sandy beaches that are great for walking and exploring.

With the opening of the first segment of the Lakeshore Trail, the park now offers hiking opportunities on the mainland, as well. When finished, this trail will run the length of the Lakeshore’s mainland unit. The section now open extends 4.5 miles, from Meyers Road, past the cliffs above the mainland sea caves, and approximately halfway along the Lakeshore’s mainland unit. This trail is a rugged path for use by experienced hikers, with stream crossings and steep slopes along the way. Consult a ranger for up-to-date information on trail conditions.

The Apostle Islands and surrounding areas offer many chances for some great fishing. A Wisconsin fishing license and Great Lakes trout/salmon stamp are required for fishing in the park. Season dates, closed areas, line and fish limits as well as certain method restrictions are enforced by both the National Park Service and State officers. You can find up-to-date on-line at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources site. A pamphlet containing the regulations may also be obtained at DNR offices and other locations where licenses are sold.

The best dates for this fishing vary from year to year. During the spring season the water temperatures near shore attract large numbers of trout and salmon. The producing of Rainbow Trout and Rainbow Smelt further improve the fishing. Popular areas at this time include many points along the Bayfield Peninsula from Ashland to Port Wing. During the summer season, near-shore water temperatures will be too warm to mass trout or salmon. Fishing during this period takes place in deeper water with Lake Trout being the most commonly targeted fish. Fall season has favorable shore temperatures that bring in both trout and salmon species.

Hunting is also another great outdoor activity available in The Apostle Islands. It may come as a surprise to some visitors to learn that hunting is permitted in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. These activities are managed to ensure that game species are not overexploited and that hunting does not unreasonably impact the safety or experiences of other visitors. Most types of hunting are prohibited between May 15 and September 30 on all lands and waters within the lakeshore. Consequently, most hunting activity occurs outside of the lakeshore’s busiest visitor season.

Long Island and the lakeshore’s mainland unit offer the greatest variety of hunting opportunities. At these locations, most hunting seasons match with those of the State. In general, State of Wisconsin hunting regulations are applicable. Species most commonly pursued include white-tailed deer, black bear, and ruffed grouse. There are also limited opportunities for small game and waterfowl hunters. Hunting opportunities are also available at certain other islands in the National Lakeshore.

Clean, clear water, underwater rock formations, and fascinating shipwrecks combine to provide outstanding diving opportunities at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

There are also many different dive sites you can visit while scuba diving. There is Devils Island, Sand Island, Stockton Island and “The Wall”. There are also submerged historic docks that provide some pleasant scenery. These docks were active in the 1890s and now rest underwater. These docks are located on Basswood Island, Stockton Island, and Hermit Island. There are also some shipwrecks that make for a fun dive. There is Lucerne Noquebay, Sevona, Pretoria, which are a few of the wrecks available to visit.

Apostle Islands may appear consistent year around. Although the climate changes, geologic processes, fire, and human-caused factors such as air and water pollution are only a few of the agents of change that have helped to shape the face of the Apostles; today large-scale erosion has continued since de-glaciations. Erosion rates are directly related to resistance of materials exposed along the shore, intensity of storms, and variation in the levels of Lake Superior.

Water quality of Lake Superior and its branches within the Lakeshore is relatively high, and the National Park Service is mandated, at a minimum, to maintain water quality within Federal and Wisconsin standards. Potential sources of pollutants to near shore waters on the mainland include agriculture runoff form local orchards, and local sewage treatment facilities. Introduction of toxic chemicals into Lake Superior have entered the system through atmospheric deposition.

The forest within the Lakeshore provides a spectrum of disturbance histories, ranging from old-growth forest to forests subjected to logging and fires. Various and unique habitats on the islands are important to birds, mammals, vegetation and aquatic species, including federally and State listed species. Because these are unique ecosystems and are undergoing environmental changes, long-term ecosystem monitoring is essential. Monitoring data assists park managers in understanding park ecosystems and their fluctuations, as well as serving as an early warning system to identify threats to park resources. The lakeshore’s natural resources monitoring program began in 1989 and continues to be built and refined. There are currently 17 monitoring projects which are conducted either annually or on a periodic basis. Projects range from breeding birds to frogs and toads, from sandscapes to campsites.

The summer temperatures average 75-80 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night. Summer thunderstorms usually create severe weather with changing wind and wave conditions. We recommend visitors bring layers of clothing and rain gear. Kayakers should use wet or dry suits. Winter temperatures of -10 degrees are not uncommon.
Lake Superior is notorious for its cold temperatures, rough seas, fog, and sudden squalls. Boaters and paddlers should monitor marine weather forecasts and be constantly alert to changing conditions.

Summer storms usually create rigorous weather with changing wind and wave circumstances. We recommend visitors bring layers of clothing and rain gear. Kayakers should use wet or dry suits. Winter temperatures of -10 degrees are not unusual.

Average daytime high temperatures range from 60 degrees in May, to the upper 80s in mid-summer, to the mid-60s in September. Average lows vary from 40 degrees in May, to the upper 50s in mid-summer, to 50 degrees in September. Average water temperatures in May and June are only in the 40s. Even in late summer, surface temperatures rarely exceed 60 degrees, except in protected bays. Average summer winds blow at from 5 to 20 knots with waves of from one to four feet. Winds of 30 to 40 knots and 6 to 12 foot seas are possible

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Apostle Islands National Lakeshore encompasses more than 500 square miles of Lake Superior. Visitors must be aware of the risks and hazards associated with the lake and island environments. Response times to areas on Lake Superior can be far greater than for similar distances on the mainland. The National Park Service will make reasonable efforts to respond in emergency situations.

Please keep in mind that the beaches are highly sensitive to human disturbance. So remember to walk on the provided boardwalks, keep pets on a leash at all times, do not venture through the sandscape vegetations.

When out on the lakes boating take the following precautions and regulations to help make your trip safe. Do not overload your boat over the boats capacity. Always use life jackets and do not consume alcohol while boating. Always exhibit anchor lights from sunrise to sunset. Stay 100 feet away from commercial fishing nets. Be aware of shallow areas when beaching your boat. Make sure your boat is equipped with, floatation devices, paddles/oars, fire extinguisher, spare propeller and shear pin, compass and nautical charts, running lights, flashlight, whistle or horn, first-aid kit, radio, and an anchor with sufficient line.

Well water is only available at Little Sand Bay, on Sand Island, and at Presque Isle on Stockton Island. Water from the lake should be boiled for two minutes or filtered through an adequate filter before use. This precaution eliminates many organisms including Giardia, a bacterium which causes an intestinal disorder.

Campfires must be built in metal fire receptacles where provided. Beach fires must be built on bare beach sand and be no more than three feet in height or diameter. Dead, loose wood on the ground in forested areas or un-vegetated beach areas may be collected for firewood. To limit the spread of harmful insects, do not bring firewood into the park. Chain saws cannot be operated in the national lakeshore. Before leaving a campfire, the fire must be extinguished and free of litter with no evidence of food remains that could attract wildlife. Fires are not allowed on Raspberry Island beaches, at Julian Bay and Presque Isle Bay on Stockton Island, or on beaches within 150 feet of campsites where fire receptacles are provided. Fires are not permitted in portable grills or stoves on docks or on boats tied to public docks. Open fires will be prohibited during times of high fire danger.

While visiting some of the islands you may encounter a black bear. So be sure to bear proof your camp site. The camp grounds offer food lockers to store your food while you are out exploring the lakeshores. Make sure not to leave any food scrapes that may attract a bear to your area. All visitors must be prepared to carry their garbage out of the park. A few bear resistant garbage containers and recycling bins are provided for campers using the Quarry Bay and Presque Isle campgrounds on Stockton Island. Do not dispose of garbage in toilets, do not bury it, and do not throw it in the lake. Where vault toilets are not provided, take care to dispose of human waste properly. Dig a hole six to eight inches deep and 200 feet from the nearest body of water. Cover thoroughly.

Biting insects can be prevalent on the islands from June to September. Wearing long pants and long sleeved shirts will provide some protection from mosquitoes, biting flies, and ticks. Insect repellents are helpful. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease and Ehrlichiosis are found in the park. If you notice a rash, flu-like symptoms, or pain in the joints following a tick bite, call your physician.

Canoes should not be used for travel between the islands. Calm days may make canoe use possible along the mainland or island shorelines. Sea kayaks have become very popular for travel among the islands, but may be difficult for other boaters to see. Brightly colored kayaks clustered in a group offer greater visibility. Allow plenty of time to accomplish your intended route. Beginners should not try to cover more than ten miles in a day. Inform a friend or relative of your travel plans.

Keep in mind that wind shifts, fog and sudden storms can occur suddenly. Monitor current weather conditions and marine weather forecasts. One important thing to have on you is a marine radio. Maintain at least a 100-foot clearance around pound nets used by commercial fishermen. These nets can be recognized by their tall wooden posts and the long lead net extending from the pot toward shore. Boaters should stay at least 100 feet away from flagged net buoys and floating plastic jugs marking the location of commercial fishing nets. Be aware of shallow areas and use caution whenever beaching a boat. Please be courteous and allow as much space as possible for other boats to dock. Also observe that quiet hours are between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Please check posted regulations upon arrival at any dock. All dock regulations are strictly enforced by park rangers.

Wind and waves drive anchored vessels aground on the Apostle Islands. Protect yourself and your boat and always try to anchor on the lee side of an island. All vessels at anchor are required to exhibit anchor lights from sunset to sunrise. Set the alarm on your depth sounder to alert you if your anchor begins to drag. Keep anchored vessels clear of approaches to docks and harbors. Kayakers should use wet suits or dry suits when paddling in the Apostles and carry a PFD for each person on board. Paddlers should also pack such items as: a marine radio and cell phone, a first aid kit, extra paddle, sunscreen, insect repellent, compass, nautical charts, 50 feet of line, waterproof matches, dry storage containers, and provisions for at least one extra day. Visitors to the caves face a number of potential hazards. Boaters should avoid sea caves when conditions are rough. Kayakers should not visit the caves alone. When walking along cliff tops remember that this is an eroding shoreline, and stay back from the edge.

Pets must be kept on a leash that is six feet or shorter and never left unattended. Persons having pets within the park must dispose of all pet excrement. Excrement must be deposited in wooded areas at least 100 feet from any trail, campsite, dock, building, picnic area, or water source. Pets are not allowed in public buildings or on scheduled Apostle Islands Cruise Service trips (except guide dogs accompanying visually or hearing impaired people.)

High winds can cause even healthy trees to fall down. Beware of trees with recognizable flaws (leaning or partly uprooted, dead areas, hanging branches) near campsites, docks and picnic areas. Do not linger in areas adjacent to hazardous trees especially during high winds. Report any such trees near visitor use areas to park staff as soon as possible.

While hunting, you must have an up-to-date license that is within Wisconsin’s regulations. If you are scuba diving you must have on person a current certificate allowing you to dive. Hunters should be aware that there are regulations that apply to hunting in national parks they may not be familiar with. Hunting rules on park lands and waters are not always the same as those for other lands in Wisconsin. Please be sure to contact park headquarters or a park ranger before you begin your hunt.

If a deer is harvested, it must be tagged with a State firearms deer tag. The hunt is limited to 50 participants. Interested hunters must apply for a permit between June 15 and July 15. For an application form and additional information about this hunt write to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, 415 Washington Avenue, Bayfield, Wisconsin 54814.

Possession and use of underwater metal detectors in the park is also prohibited. Please keep in mind that dive sites or boats must be marked with the standard diving flag. When diving on a shipwreck, avoid setting your anchor into the wreck itself. Do not remove any artifacts. They are a unique and irreplaceable. Exploring these treasures is not only fun and exciting, but allows us to glimpse a few pages from one of the most colorful chapters in the Apostle Islands’ story.

To help keep your dive safe and enjoyable please consider the following tips and rules. A permit is required for all diving within the waters of the National Lakeshore. Lake Superior is well-known for violent weather so monitor the conditions and marine weather forecasts. Water temperatures vary with the season. Surface temperatures can reach 70 degrees F in summer, but even then divers will find underwater temperatures in the 40s and 50s. Visibility normally ranges from 10 to 80 feet, but can be reduced to zero under certain weather conditions.

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a location that offers a wide diversity of habitats and provides a refuge for birds. While visiting these islands you will have a chance to stumble upon many different types of wildlife. These types of wildlife may include mammals, fish, bears, birds and amphibians.

The island’s wildlife includes a diverse population of nesting and migratory birds and a variety of mammals, amphibians, and fish. Following logging and associated fires, favorable habitat for deer and beaver was created on many of the islands. Pre-disturbance forest had a fairly dense ground cover of Canada yew, which is still present on islands without a history of deer. On Islands with deer, however the yew was rapidly browsed to near extinction and some areas remain at that level today. Deer numbers peaked in the early 1940-50’s but by the early 1960’s; deer were driven to very low numbers through liberal hunting quotas. Today the deer population is relatively low but appears to be increasing on Oak and Sand Island.

Island environments are naturally isolated to provide important habitats for numerous bird species, mammals, plants, amphibians and aquatic species. Game species include whitetail deer, black bear, snowshoe hare, waterfowl, woodcock, and ruffed grouse. Other fur-bearers include the red fox, coyote, beaver and otter. Small mammals are an important component of the lakeshore’s terrestrial fauna and include: shrews, mice, voles, red squirrels and chipmunks. Some common mainland species do not occur on the islands, including raccoon, skunk, porcupine, gray squirrel, chipmunk and woodchucks.

The Apostle Islands area is important for commercial and recreational fishing. Shoals near the lakeshore’s ¼ mile lakeward boundary provided critical spawning areas for the commercially important lake trout and whitefish. The fish community presently found within the relatively shallow Apostle Islands waters is diverse and complex for waters such as Lake Superior.

The islands within the park provide important habitat for resident breeding birds. The great majority of nesting forest bird species in the Apostle Islands is migratory. The lakeshore includes important migratory bird concentration points during spring and fall migration.

One of the greatest concentrations of black bears in North America is found on Stockton Island in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Bears also regularly inhabit Sand and Oak islands, and, due to their mobility, may be found on just about any of the Apostle Islands. Their curved claws enable them to climb trees. They are also powerful swimmers, enabling them to utilize habitat available on the islands.

Stockton Island’s attractiveness to local bears seems to be a recent development. These bears have been monitored over the years to determine their survival rate, productivity, movements and habitat use. As the density of bears on Stockton Island increased, several changes occurred in their life pattern. Home ranges became constricted showing considerable overlap with adjacent bears. Young females began breeding at a later age than their mainland counterparts. Numerous cases of cannibalism of yearling bears by adults were documented. The weights of cubs, yearlings and adult females became significantly lower than mainland bears.

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, with its strategic geographic location and wide diversity of habitats, provides a refuge for birds. Outer and Long Island provide critical habitats for migratory birds: Outer for passerines, hawks and falcons, Long for waterfowl, passerines and shorebirds. In addition to these two islands, nearly all of the islands provide habitat for migrating birds. There are large fluctuations in migratory volume from year to year, especially on Outer Island, most likely due to highly variable weather conditions. The islands also provide important habitats for resident breeding birds as well as Neotropical migrant land birds (those, which migrate to Central and South America in winter). Over 89% of the breeding birds in the Lakeshore are migrants, 59% of which are Neotropical migrants.

The Lakeshore provides important nesting habitat for the following colonial nesting birds: herring and ring- billed gulls, double-crested cormorants, great blue herons, and cliff swallows. Gull and Eagle Islands combined have 88% of the lakeshore’s breeding herring gull populations and 80% of the herring gull breeding population on the entire Wisconsin shore of Lake Superior. Eagle Island has the only great blue heron rookery in the park.

The Lakeshore also provides nesting habitat for bald eagles (Federally threatened) and shorebirds such as the federally and State endangered piping plover.

The lakeshore’s forests have diverse disturbance histories that, through time, have strongly influenced wildlife habitat. Following logging and associated changes to habitat on the islands, there was an irruption of deer on many of the islands. Currently deer populations are limited to Basswood, Oak, and, most recently, Sand Islands. There may also be a low population of deer on Stockton and Long Islands and deer may occasionally swim to other islands and occur in low numbers for various lengths of time. There is a wintering deeryard on the mainland portion of the lakeshore.

Other large game species on the islands is the black bear; Stockton and Sand Islands are the only islands with a known reproducing population. Bears have over wintered and may occasionally be seen on a number of other islands. Stockton, Oak and Sand Islands are open to hunting.

Islands like Stockton, Oak, and Sand host resident bears, but bears can swim to any of the Apostle Islands. Never approach a bear, even to take pictures. Keep at least 50 yards away. Never feed a bear. There are several ways to avoid a close encounter with a bear where you camp or picnic. Reduce food odors by washing dishes and cleaning the kitchen site after cooking. Use minimal amounts of water to clean dishes and broadcast that wastewater on the ground at least 50 yards from camp. Do not keep food, garbage, or toiletries (such as toothpaste or soap) in your tent.

Food must be locked in the food lockers except during meals. Where food lockers are not provided, hang the food cache in a tree away from the tent and at least 12 feet from the ground and five feet from the trunk. Do not bury, scatter or try to burn food scraps. Bag garbage and pack it out. If you encounter a bear near a dock, campsite, or picnic area, use tone of voice and body posture to show you are in charge, yell and make noise until the bear leaves the area, then report the encounter to park staff. For further information please check out the Wildlife Precautions page.

Individual or undesignated camp site, per night are $10 and group site is $ 20 per night.

Overnight docking, boats less than 40 feet are $10 per day. A Six-night ticket book is $50.

Overnight docking, boats 40 feet and greater are $20 per day. A Six-overnight ticket book is $100.

Interpretive Programs:

Regularly scheduled on or off-site per person is $3 and per family is $8.

A More in-depth tour fee per person is $5 and per family is $12.

Custom/specialized/immersion programs (up to 2 hours), per person $5

Per person per hour for each hour over 2 hours (min charge $100) $5

Camping in the Apostle Islands offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience a landscape that is wild, yet rich in human heritage. On the thickly wooded islands, the shoreline clearings that appeal to modern campers are often the same spots that provided convenient stopping places for prehistoric Indians in their bark canoes and fur traders in their sturdy bateaux. Later on, many of these sites became homes and workplaces for pioneer farmers, fishermen, and lumberjacks.

Camping opportunities on the Apostle Islands range from developed sites near docks to minimal impact wilderness camping. In addition, several public and private campgrounds are located in the area. There are no developed National Park Service campgrounds accessible by road on the mainland unit of the National Lakeshore. However, there is one primitive site on the mainland, accessible to hikers and kayakers.

Camping permits are required for all camping in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. A nonrefundable administrative fee is charged for processing a permit. The permit system allows campers to reserve campsites in advance. Careful planning is essential for a successful and enjoyable visit to the islands.

Campfires must be built in fire rings or in grills where provided. Please burn only dead, fallen wood. Cutting of standing (living or dead) trees is prohibited. Campfires are not allowed at Julian Bay beach on Stockton Island, on Raspberry Island beaches; and on beaches adjacent to campsites where fire receptacles are provided. Open fires will be prohibited during times of high fire danger. In order to insure a quality camping experience, quiet hours are enforced from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Some sites are provided with outlined tent pads. Please make use of them where provided.

Camping is available outside of individual or group campsites on all islands except Devils, Eagle, Gull, North Twin, and York. Camping zones have been established on the rest of the islands for visitors seeking a remote backcountry experience. Camping zone maps are available at the headquarters visitor center. A fee of $10 per party, per night will be charged. Only one camping party will be allowed per zone per night. Parties camping in designated camping zones are limited to a maximum of five campers and two tents. They should use backpacking stoves for cooking and practice.

Areas excluded from designated camping zones and closed to camping to protect sensitive natural and cultural resources will be posted. This is to protect bird nesting areas and threatened or endangered species.

Black bears may be on several of the Apostle Islands, but are most common on Oak, Sand, and Stockton Islands. Seeing one is a treat, unless it is in your campsite. To avoid an unpleasant encounter, follow bear-country safety measures.

Biting insects can be prevalent on the islands from June to September. Wearing long pants and long sleeved shirts will provide some protection from mosquitoes, flies, and ticks. Insect repellents are helpful. The tick that transmits Lyme disease is found in the park. If you notice a rash, flu-like symptoms, or pain in the joints following a tick bite, call your physician.

There are many attractions to see when visiting the Apostle Islands. Yes, there are 22 different islands to visit and a large selection of lighthouse’s to view as well. But that is not all there is to do while vacationing in Wisconsin.

Amnicon Falls is located about 15 miles east of Superior, Wisconsin a short distance off US Highway 2. It offers 36 nicely spaced and wooded campsites and some attractive hiking and walking trails. It is more oriented towards tent camping. If you are traveling through the area, the park would make a nice stop for a picnic and an easy hike around the falls. While the water levels for the falls were down in the fall, the color of the fall foliage added scenic compensation.

Waterfall enthusiasts will want to take a short side trip south of Superior to visit Pattison State Park, a Wisconsin state campground with hiking trails and the state’s highest water fall. Returning to Superior and US 53 and heading east, you’ll intersect with Wisconsin highway 13, the preferred scenic route to the Bayfield Peninsula where several quaint villages are located along this route.

Beyond Bayfield, the Lake Superior tour offers several interesting Wisconsin attractions to discover. Among them are: some great lakeside campgrounds in Washburn, the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland, and the Bad River Lodge and Casino at Odanah along US highway 2. Travelers willing to make a little side trip detour south can find some worthwhile waterfalls and hiking opportunities at Morgan Falls/St. Peter’s Dome, Copper Falls State Park, and Potato Falls. Returning to US highway 2 heading towards Hurley, take Wisconsin Highway 122 for a scenic drive along the lakeshore and see the impressive Superior Falls at the Wisconsin-Upper Peninsula border – best viewed from the Michigan side.

The visitor center is one block off Wisconsin Route 13 in the city of Bayfield.

The visitor center and fishery exhibit at Little Sand Bay is accessible by road or lake access, 13 miles north of Bayfield.

Meyers Beach Road, off Highway 13 about 5 miles east of Cornucopia, offers lake access and a trailhead.

Island facilities are only accessible by water.

Apostle Island National Lakeshore
415 Washington Ave
Bayfield, Wisconsin 54814
Headquarters Number (715) 779-3397
To Report Emergency (715) 779-3398 ext. 100
Fax (715) 779-3049

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