park map  more info about this area  back to parks top

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Bayfield, WI

Wisconsin's northernmost landscape juts out into Lake Superior as the scenic archipelago known as the Apostle Islands. The national lakeshore includes 21 islands and 12 miles of mainland Lake Superior shoreline, featuring pristine stretches of sand beach, spectacular sea caves, remnant old-growth forests, resident bald eagles and black bears, and the largest collection of lighthouses anywhere in the National Park System.

CONTACTS

Email - APIS_Webmaster@nps.gov

Fax- 715-779-3049

Write to
Route 1, Box 4
Bayfield, WI 54814

Phone
Visitor Information Recorded Message - 715-779-3398
Headquarters - 715-779-3397

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
The lakeshore is open all year. From 10/28/2001 To 4/30/2002, the headquarters visitor center is open Wednesday-Sunday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Getting There
CAR - The headquarters visitor center is one block off Wisconsin Route 13 in Bayfield.

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

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

Most other facilities are accessible only by water.

Weather & Climate
Summer temperatures average 75-80 degrees F. during the day and 55 degrees F. at night. Summer thunderstorms commonly create severe, rapidly changing wind and wave conditions. We recommend visitors bring layers of clothing and rain gear. Sea kayakers should use wet or dry suits. Winter temperatures of -10 degrees F. are not uncommon.

Accessibility
The headquarters visitor center, the Little Sand Bay visitor center, the Stockton Island visitor center, and the Apostle Islands Cruise Service tour boat are accessible to the mobility-impaired. An accessible campsite is located on Stockton Island.

Getting Around
Although Apostle Islands National Lakeshore features several points of interest located on the mainland, most people consider the islands themselves to be the most rewarding destination.

Excursion boat trips leave from Bayfield daily from late May to mid-October. The Apostle Islands Cruise Service offers a variety of excursion trips and a camper and hiker shuttle to several islands. Cruises provide views of most of the islands, as well as close looks at dramatic sandstone cliffs and historic lighthouses. The Cruise Service also operates a water taxi service between Bayfield and any island for up to six passengers per trip. Follow the "More Information" link above for additional details on tour boats and water taxis.

Area marinas offer rental sailboats and will arrange full- and half-day trolling trips for trout and salmon. Local outfitters also rent sea kayaks.

If you'd like to take your own boat out onto Lake Superior, or paddle a kayak to one of the islands, follow the "More Information" link above for essential information.

FEES/PERMITS

Activity Fee
CAMPING FEE
$15.00 for 14 Days
Permits can be obtained in advance, allowing campers to reserve the lakeshore's individual and group campsites. Permits should be obtained prior to departure for the islands. Each permit is good for up to 14 consecutive nights of camping. Individual campsites can be reserved up to 30 days in advance of the start of a trip. A $15 nonrefundable administrative fee will be charged for processing the camping permit. This fee must be paid (by credit card, check, or cash) at the time the reservation is made. The permit should be picked up at the national lakeshore's Headquarters Visitor Center in Bayfield or, from June to September, at the Visitor Center at Little Sand Bay. Campsites will be assigned when a reservation is made.

GROUP CAMPING FEE
$30.00 for 14 Days
A party of eight or more people is considered a group. All groups must use designated group campsites. These sites must be reserved in advance. A nonrefundable $30 fee for the group camping permit must be paid when the reservation is made. The park will be accepting group camping permit reservations for 2001 beginning on Tuesday, January 9, 2001, at 9:00 a.m. Central Standard Time. On that day through Friday, January 12, groups will be able to make reservations for one trip in 2001. Beginning the following week, on Tuesday, January 16, reservations will be accepted from parties wanting more than one camping permit for 2001. Please contact the national lakeshore if your organization plans to make 5 or more group camping permit reservations.

CAMPING

Island Campsites
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore offers the opportunity to get away from it all by camping on remote islands surrounded by the waters of Lake Superior. Camping opportunities range from developed sites near docks to minimal-impact wilderness camping. All sites are located on islands in Lake Superior; none are accessible by road. For detailed information on camping opportunities, permits, and reservations, as well as photos of all park campsites to help you plan your trip, follow the "More Information" link.

FACILITIES

MANITOU ISLAND FISH CAMP
Location - Manitou Island, accessible by boat only.
Closures - Closed for winter; will reopen summer 2002.
Special Programs - Visit the restored site of a historic fish camp to experience how commercial fishermen lived and worked.

RASPBERRY ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE
Location - Located on Raspberry Island; accessible only by boat.
Closures - Closed for winter; will reopen summer 2002.
Special Programs - Ranger-guided tours of historic lighthouse.

SAND, DEVILS, MICHIGAN, AND OUTER ISLAND LIGHTHOUSES
Location - On islands; accessible by boat only.
Closures - Closed for winter; will reopen summer 2002.
Special Programs - Volunteer lighthouse keepers provide free visitor access to historic lighthouses.

Visitor Centers
BAYFIELD VISITOR CENTER
Phone - 715-779-3397
Location - Located in the old Bayfield County Courthouse on Washington Avenue between Fourth and Fifth Streets, Bayfield.
Closures - Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
Special Programs - Monday evening "Around the Archipelago" lecture series, summer only.
Exhibits - A good place to begin your National Lakeshore visit, whether by car, afoot, or by private boat, is at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Visitor Center in Bayfield. Apostle Islands brownstone was used to construct this stately building, as well as many other elegant public buildings and residences throughout the Upper Midwest. At the visitor center you can view audiovisual programs and study exhibits about the park's history, natural history, and recreation opportunities.
Available Facilities - Rest rooms, information desk, exhibits, camping permits.

LITTLE SAND BAY VISITOR CENTER
Phone - 715-779-7007
Location - Located on Little Sand Bay Road, 13 miles north of Bayfield, WI.
Closures - Closed for winter; will reopen spring 2002.
Exhibits - Lakeshore exhibits, park film, Hokenson Brothers Fishery exhibit.
Available Facilities - Rest rooms, information desk, exhibits, camping permits, marina.

STOCKTON ISLAND VISITOR CENTER
Location - Presque Isle, Stockton Island.
Available Facilities - Staffed intermittently. Restrooms, exhibits, sales items.

RELATED BOOKS