READ MORE FROM OUR APOSTLE ISLAND FEATURE HERE.
How to Get There
The Apostle Islands lie off the Bayfield Peninsula, which is about a six-hour drive from Milwaukee. State Highway 13 splits from US Highway 2 just west of Ashland, becoming the 70-mile National Scenic Byway, the backbone of the peninsula.
The headquarters for the National Lakeshore is in an 1884 brownstone courthouse in the city of Bayfield, where you can stop and get information. Boat tours to the islands depart from Bayfield, as does the car ferry to Madeline Island.
The Lay of the Land
The archipelago is situated in a triangular area about 30 miles on each side with Bayfield near the southernmost point. There’s usually about 2 miles of open water between each island and the next, or the shore.
For the 12 miles of mainland lakeshore, you have two options for access points: a visitor center at Little Sand Bay, 12 miles north of Bayfield; and at the far west end of the park at Meyers Beach, 16 miles from Bayfield and 4 miles from Cornucopia, a fishing town and worthy visit to the west. At both beaches, you will find very long stretches of sandy beach with scattered driftwood. Sea cave paddling tours depart from Meyers Beach.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Rules
The park has no entrance fee, but parking at Meyers Beach – but not Little Sand Bay – has parking fees, and boaters must pay overnight docking fees throughout the islands. Wilderness campsites require permit purchases.
Stay away from cliff edges; they are eroding! Stay on trails and boardwalks, and don’t damage fragile plants along the beaches. Pets must always be on a leash.
Experiencing the Islands
The easiest way to see the islands is by scheduled boat tour with Apostle Islands Cruises sailing out of Bayfield. The Grand Tour, a roughly three-hour cruise, narrated by the captain, covers a 55-mile route among the islands, with views of some sea caves and lighthouses. The same company offers a hop on-hop off shuttle service to Stockton and Oak islands so you can plan a day hike, tour a lighthouse or go camping.
Stockton Island features about 14 miles of trails with dunes and lagoons, carnivorous plants and “musical” sands that whistle as you step through them. In total, the islands have more than 50 miles of trails, only accessible by boat tours and shuttles.
The Anishinaabe people called the big lake Gichigami, meaning “Great Water.”
Experienced sea kayakers may venture out from Meyers Beach on their own (with strong advice to check with park officials for safety information and observe the wave monitor at the beach parking area). But for the rest of us, it is recommended to go with a professional guide on a tour. Outfitters employ tandem sea kayaks (with a three-seater option for an accompanying child).
Trips last from two to six hours. You get some basic skills and safety training, and the outfitter shuttles you to Meyers Beach. From that launch point, it’s a 2-mile paddle to where the sea caves begin. Waves permitting, you can venture into crevices and caves. Longer outings typically include a picnic lunch on the beach near the caves.
You may paddle out there to find the waves too high for a safe approach. On the right tour, a good guide will change the lunch break and try again later – conditions can change pretty quickly out there. And even foggy weather can have a beauty all its own. Whatever the lake offers you, accept it! Outfitters include Trek and Trail (Bayfield), veteran-owned Apostle Islands Rustic Makwa Den (Bayfield), and Lost Creek Adventures (Cornucopia).
In 1901, the Fedora, a wood-hulled screw steamer, caught fire on its way to Ashland to pick up iron ore. The crew abandoned it near Red Cliff, and 241 feet of the hull remains in 10 feet of water. Apostle Islands Rustic Makwa Den runs night kayaking tours to see it.
The Apostle Islands are home to eight lighthouses – the largest collection of them in North America. Guided lighthouse tours are available for the retired 1856 Old Michigan Island and 1862 Raspberry Island Lighthouses, and two that are still active: the 1881 Sand Island Lighthouse and the 1898 Devils Island Light Tower.
The 1874 Outer Island Lighthouse is closed for repairs; and Long Island features two light towers only reachable by private boat. Scheduled tour boats do not usually stop at Devils Island, but Apostle Islands Cruises sail past for views.
