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The most popular features in the park.

Park Headquarters – Mainland

Park Headquarters – Mainland

About this LocationThe main visitor center and headquarters for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is located at 415 Washington Avenue in Bayfield. The historic building, built in 1884 features brownstone harvested from local quarries. It served as Bayfield County Courthouse until 1892 when Washburn became the county seat. The building served at various times as a school, as a community center and even a prisoner of war camp during World War II.The National Park Service started leasing the building in 1976. You can get information about the park, as well as camping permits. You can also...

Oak Island

Oak Island

About the IslandOak is the tallest island in the archipelago, rising about 480 feet above the lake level. The Ojibwe used the island prior to Europeans for gathering maple syrup and other purposes, according to historical sources. Fishing and lumber attracted the European settlers in the mid 1800s.There are over 11 miles of trails to hike on Oak Island. All of the Oak Island campsites have vault toilets, food lockers, and picnic table. Besides the designated campsites, Oak Island offers a single primitive camping zone outside of the designated campsites. Excerpt from Apostle Islands Water...

Basswood Island

Basswood Island

About the IslandBasswood Island is located about 1.5 miles east of the mainland. Because of its location and accessibility, Basswood Island may be the first of the Apostle Islands visited by most novice paddlers.The southerly half of the island was used for several farms. The island has two stone quarries. The northwest corner is the location of a former fish camp. Basswood is the fifth largest island within the national lakeshore with an area of 1,917 acres. Excerpt from Apostle Islands Water Trips by John C. Frank. Buy a copy here. Proceeds benefit Friends of the Apostle Islands National...

Meyers Beach – Mainland

Meyers Beach – Mainland

About this LocationAs the primary launch point for kayakers wanting to explore the mainland sea caves, Meyers Beach is a very popular place in summer, and when conditions are just right for ice caves, in winter. Meyers Beach is also the trailhead for the Lakeshore Trail. Hike the trail for 2.5 miles and you’ll see the caves from above.For now, kayakers must carry their boats up and down a long staircase to the beach. The stairs are also challenging for people with mobility issues, but Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is working with the National Park Service and supporters...

Little Sand Bay – Mainland

Little Sand Bay – Mainland

About this LocationLittle Sand Bay is part of the mainland unit of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, 13 miles west of Bayfield. It is the gateway to nearby Sand Island along the park’s western boundary and is within the Red Cliff Reservation. You’ll find interactive exhibits outside of the seasonal visitor center, which offers orientation and information, camping permits, kayak safety guidance, and the America's National Parks bookstore. Camping is available nearby.The historic Hokenson Brothers fishing dock and facilities are currently being restored. If you’re planning a visit to the...

Stockton Island

Stockton Island

About the IslandStockton is the second largest island (after Madeline) in the Apostles. It is about 7.25 miles long and 2 to 2.5 miles wide. Its terrain includes a sandy lake level lagoon and bog along the tombolo. There is also sandstone on the island, producing sea caves and majestic rock ledges and towers.Throughout the 1990s and the first decade in the new millennium, Stockton Island was known as the island with the highest density of black bears. With 14.5 miles of trails, Stockton provides hiking opportunities through the most diverse ecological backgrops in the national lakeshore....

Raspberry Island

Raspberry Island

About the IslandRaspberry Island is one of the smaller islands in the archipelago, only about 1 mile long from southwest to northeast and less than 0.5 mile wide. The history of Raspberry Island centers on the lighthouse, which served to guide steamships through the West Channel between the lighthouse and the mainland. It was built at the insistence of Bayfield’s founder and influential St. Paul politician, Henry Rice.There are no designated campsites on the heavily used Raspberry Island, but primitive camping is limited to areas outside of the lighthouse grounds and sandspit area....

Sand Island

Sand Island

About the IslandSand Island is the most westerly usable island in the National Lakeshore. The southwest corner of Sand Island is a bit over 2 miles northwest of the mainland launch site of Little Sand Bay. The Sand Island Lighthouse is perhaps the most beautiful in the Apostles. The keeper’s house and the tower for the light were built in 1881 using local sandstone.The population of Sand Island, mostly Norwegian immigrant farmers and fishermen, reached one hundred permanent residents in 1918. The Sand Island shoreline has it all - rock shelves, sea caves and long beaches. There are more than...

Devils Island

Devils Island

About the IslandThe north tip of Devils Island is the northernmost point in Wisconsin and the temperature and wind conditions at the lighthouse site reflect the conditions of the open lake. Devils Island’s name probably originates from the ungodly compression noises produced when the rollers off the lake trap air in the cavities in the sea caves.On September 30, 1901, a third-order Fresnel lens, manufactured in France, was placed into service in the Devils Island lighthouse. Now, a solar-powered light flashes red every ten seconds, 100 feet above the lake. Excerpts from Apostle Islands Water...

Michigan Island

Michigan Island

About the IslandMichigan Island stands alone as the southeasterly sentinel of the Apostle Islands. It is about 3 miles east-northeast of Madeline and just under 3 miles southeast of Presque Isle Point on Stockton Island. There are two lighthouses on the southeasterly shore about a mile from the sandpit. Michigan Island’s first lighthouse (and the first in the Apostle Islands) was built in 1856. The second lighthouse, a taller steel structure, was built in Pennsylvania in 1880 and moved to Michigan Island in 1929. The light still flashes at 6 second intervals, 170 feet above the surface of...