Hermit Island
JOIN USAbout the Island
Most of Hermit Island slopes fairly steeply from its shorelines up to about 175 feet above the lake at the center of the island. According to legend, the island’s name may have derived from a man named William Wilson. As the story goes, he lived alone on the island after being forced into exile from the Madeline Island community of La Pointe in the mid 1800s.
An abandoned quarry lies about midway along the southeasterly shoreline of Hermit Island. Large blocks of sandstone still await shipment. Excerpts from Apostle Islands Water Trips by John C. Frank. Buy a copy here.
Proceeds benefit Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and the park.
Fast Facts
NPS Map – Click image to enlarge
Hermit Island solitude. Click image to enlarge. – Photo: Jeff Rennicke
Hermit Island – Eshkwegwindeg-minis
Location: 46.8862° N, 90.6880° W
Features:
- 733 acres
- No dock
- No hiking trails
- Primitive camping only
- Several beaches
- Historic quarry
NPS Hermit Island Information:
- On the Trail of the Island Hermit: https://www.nps.gov/apis/learn/historyculture/on-the-trail-of-the-island-hermit.htm
- How do I get there? https://www.nps.gov/apis/planyourvisit/commercial-services.htm
- Primitive Camping Zones: https://www.nps.gov/apis/planyourvisit/primitive-camping-zones.htm
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