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Love Our Lakeshore: How you can help keep Apostle Island National Lakeshore privies open

Love Our Lakeshore: How you can help keep Apostle Island National Lakeshore privies open

Aug 5, 2025 | ,

We Love Our Lakeshore for so many reasons, including the natural beauty, the multicultural history and the remoteness of the Apostle Islands in the vastness of Lake Superior. While that remoteness is a blessing for campers, boaters and other Lakeshore visitors, it is also a big challenge for the National Park Service team tasked with keeping island facilities, including 36 privies on 19 islands clean and open for public use. In this Love our Lakeshore report, learn how you can do your part to keep the privies open and get a behind-the-scenes look at the logistics and hard work required to...

Love our Lakeshore: Why I wore my water shoes to work as a Sand Island volunteer

Love our Lakeshore: Why I wore my water shoes to work as a Sand Island volunteer

Jul 25, 2025 | , ,

During this challenging time of change for our nation and for our national parks, Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore wants to shine a bright light – a lighthouse beacon if you will – on this very special place and on the people dedicated to protecting the national lakeshore for future generations. That's the goal of our series entitled “Love our Lakeshore." In this report Friends of the Apostle Islands board member and former NPS ranger Neil Howk tells us what it's like to be a volunteer for the National Park Service, stationed on Sand Island or Waabaabikaa-minis. Sand Island...

Bear encounters in the Apostle Islands: safety tips to help campers and visitors minimize the risk

Bear encounters in the Apostle Islands: safety tips to help campers and visitors minimize the risk

Sep 5, 2024 | , , , , ,

When visiting the Apostle Islands, it's important to understand that these islands are wild places and to be bear aware. Oak and Outer Islands are currently closed to camping and day-use because bears have been escalating their encounters with humans and have caused property damage. The current National Park Service advisory (as of September 5, 2024) says,"These closures are necessary to ensure visitor safety and bear well-being." As background, the park service adds, "Black bears are an important component of the native wildlife community within Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and park...

Sam’s first camping trip to Stockton Island

Sam’s first camping trip to Stockton Island

Jul 29, 2024 |

First-time visitors often wonder... what's it really like to camp on one of the islands in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore?  And how can you do it, if you don't have the desire, equipment or expertise to paddle a kayak and all of your gear to the campsite? To answer that question, we asked Samantha Howk, daughter-in-law of Friends board member Neil Howk, to tell us about her first camping experience at Presque Island Campground on Stockton Island, which is served by a hiking and camping marine shuttle service.Hi, Friends! My name is Samantha Howk, and I am very fortunate to be the...

A first look at new mainland campsites in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

A first look at new mainland campsites in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Feb 27, 2024 |

Normally, in late February, Friends board member Neil Howk would be planning cross country ski outings across the frozen lake to the old brownstone quarry at the south end of Basswood Island, to Honeymoon Rock at the north end of Basswood Island, or from Frog Bay Tribal National Park to the Oak Island sandspit. This year not only is the lake unfrozen, but there has been very little snow for cross country skiing anywhere in the Bayfield area.NPS Map of Lakeshore Trail (Click to enlarge map as well as photos below)Instead, Neil took advantage of two prematurely spring-like days to hike to the...

Nearly a quarter million people visit Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in 2023

Nearly a quarter million people visit Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in 2023

Feb 26, 2024 |

Visitation to our national parks grew by 13 million or 4% over 2022. The long-term trend line for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is also up.  However, a new report from the National Park Service says visits to the national lakeshore in 2023 fell slightly to 247,167 from 254,952 visits in 2022. Some of the decrease may be related to the summer closure of park headquarters in Bayfield for construction and an issue with the counter at Meyers Beach. The park service also noted that mainland campsites 2  and 3 (along the Lakeshore trail) were opened in 2023.The new park service visitation...

Abnormally dry conditions in the Apostle Islands prompt cautions about fire and potential bear encounters

Abnormally dry conditions in the Apostle Islands prompt cautions about fire and potential bear encounters

Jun 20, 2023 |

As drought-like conditions continue in much of northern Wisconsin, users of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore are urged to be very careful with fire and to be vigilent about potential interactions with hungry black bears. As of June 21st, the Wisconsin DNR says the fire danger in Bayfield, Douglas and Ashland Counties is high, meaning "wildfires ignite easily, spread rapidly and can be challenging to control." The number of northern Wisconsin counties classified as "high danger" increased dramatically from June 20th. As the DNR graphic below also shows, the fire danger in the blue...

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore reopens island camping for summer 2021

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore reopens island camping for summer 2021

Apr 1, 2021 | , , , ,

Bayfield, WI – (National Park Service) Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local public health authorities, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is reopening access to island camping, including group, individual, and primitive zone camping today.   To protect the health of those who work and visit national parks, face masks are required on NPS-administered lands where physical distancing cannot be maintained and in all NPS facilities. With the support of public health professionals, park operations will be regularly evaluated and adjusted...

And the sky danced – northern lights put on a show in the Apostle Islands

And the sky danced – northern lights put on a show in the Apostle Islands

Mar 15, 2021 | , , , , , ,

CRACK! The lake ice is restless tonight, crackling out in the darkness like old bones, weakened by wind and warm spring days. But I am safely on solid ground along the mainland portion of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. It is nearing midnight. The stars overhead are as bright as sparks from a campfire. But it is not lake ice or campfires that have me out this late, alone and in the cold. It is what is happening just above the ice: here in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore the northern lights are out.    Northern lights over York Island with a meteor tail on the left - Jeff...

New National Park Service app features Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

New National Park Service app features Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Feb 26, 2021 | , , ,

Curious about the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and more than 400 other national parks? The National Park Service just launched an app that includes an interactive map and current information about the park we love. The app is called “National Park Service.” You can find it in iOS and Android app stores. According to the app description, ” The app was created by National Park Service staff—people who know national parks—to help you make the most of your visit. With all of these parks and a brand new app, it will take some time to finish creating content for each park. If you don’t find...

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