Where in the park is Neil? The week 15 answer is Raspberry Island

A visit to the Apostle Islands provides a recreational and rejuvenating experience for people seeking relief from the stresses of their everyday lives. 

As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, we’re going on a virtual tour with Neil Howk, a man who has spent decades exploring the islands and teaching people about what makes them special. He knows the islands like the back of his hand.

At the fifteenth stop on our digital tour, Neil is on Raspberry Island.   Raspberry Island is a great place for many of the activities that visitors enjoy in the Apostle Islands.  Hiking, birdwatching, picnicking, boating, sailing, paddling, cross country skiing, sightseeing cruises, playing croquet, and lighthouse tours are all popular ways of enjoying the island. Raspberry Island is relatively close to the mainland, at 44.9422° N, 93.0905° W.

 The island has trails from the lighthouse to the beach and from the lighthouse past the West Bay.  The lighthouse grounds feature a picnic area, a swing, a garden, and an area to play croquet.  

During most summers, park rangers offer guided tours through the furnished lighthouse keeper’s quarters and up into the lighthouse tower.  This year the lighthouse is closed to the public due to the pandemic.  The island’s dock is popular with sailors and boaters.

Neil is photographing someone doing one of the most popular activities that visitors enjoy in the park…walking on the beach.  This beach is on a cuspate foreland about 3/4 of a mile from the lighthouse on this island. A cuspate foreland is a beach formed by waves hitting the shoreline from two dominant different directions.

Due to the pandemic, the National Park Service is operating with limited operations. Overnight camping is not currently permitted. However, overnight docking for self-contained vessels and day use of the islands is permitted.

You can find updates about NPS operations on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. For more information about Apostle Islands National Lakeshore,  call (715) 779-3398 or visit go.nps.gov/ApostleConditions.

Virtual video tour by Jon Okerstrom

Look for another digital adventure next week. To play along, simply like the Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Facebook pageand check back next Wednesday for the clue to next week’s location. Make a guess in the comments and we’ll post the answer on Thursday. Click here to view the entire series.

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