Meyers Beach Articles

Discover the Park – Places

Meyers Beach accessibility project under way

Meyers Beach accessibility project under way

With a turn of the shovel, the long-awaited Meyers Beach accessible path project has begun. A partnership between the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, and Friends of the Apostle Islands, the $690,000 project will replace the 47-step stairway down a 23-foot sand bank with an accessible 3% grade pathway leading to one of the most popular beaches and kayak launching sites in the Islands and the starting point for viewing the famous Ice Caves in the winter.“The units of our national park system belong to all of us,” says Jeff Rennicke, Executive Director of Friends of the...

Roots, rocks, and ravines… the rigors of hiking the Lakeshore Trail

Roots, rocks, and ravines… the rigors of hiking the Lakeshore Trail

The most popular trail at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is the Lakeshore Trail. Starting at the Meyers Beach parking area off of Hwy 13, the Lakeshore Trail extends 6 miles through forests and along red sandstone cliffs high above Lake Superior and terminates at a reservable backcountry campsite.Lakeshore Trail map - NPSMost visitors walk the trail to enjoy views of the mainland sea caves. A crevasse with a spectacular natural bridge and the first glimpses of the sea caves is 1.8 miles from the trailhead. Traversing this section of the trail can be a challenging walk. Hikers must...

Upcoming tree removal and summer construction progress at Meyers Beach

Upcoming tree removal and summer construction progress at Meyers Beach

Visitors to Meyers Beach will begin to see important early stage work this spring as the National Park Service continues progress on the new accessible path and staircase. On May 12, contractors will complete scheduled tree removal activities in the project area. While no public closures are expected, visitors may notice active crews and equipment on site throughout the day.Why tree removal is occurring nowTree felling must happen within a specific seasonal window to protect migratory bird species during their nesting period and to avoid disturbing roosting bats. Completing this work in...

Busy season: Summer gears up in the Apostle Islands

Busy season: Summer gears up in the Apostle Islands

Summer is gearing up in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. It is going to be a busy season. Here is a rundown of important things to know to make the most of your island adventures.BAYFIELD HEADQUARTERS AND VISITOR CENTERThe main Visitor Center located in Bayfield will be open for the season beginning May 15th. Park staff will be available daily to provide information, issue camping permits, and sell interagency passes. The bookstore will also be open.ELECTRONIC PAYMENTSDue to a recent executive order, park fees will be moving to electronic forms of payment. Due to connectivity...

It’s happening at Meyers Beach!

It’s happening at Meyers Beach!

Thanks to the support of people like you, the National Park Service and Friends of the Apostle Islands are proud to announce the awarding of a construction contract for the accessible pathway at Meyers Beach. “As the access point for kayakers heading for the caves and to Meyers Beach, the new accessible walkway will be a kind of bridge to the beauties of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore,” says Jeff Rennicke, Executive Director of Friends. “It is another big and important step in our commitment to the idea that our Lakeshore belongs to all of us.”NPS graphic with diagram of Meyers Beach...

Tracking ever-changing ice conditions in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Tracking ever-changing ice conditions in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

At times it may seem like winter, with its short days and long dark nights, the bitter cold, and the snow and ice it brings, will never end. But spend even a week or two exploring the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and you'll discover it's simply not true. Winter, like the ice on Lake Superior, is ephemeral - freezing, melting, and changing by the hour. And watching the changes in the ice can become a compelling spectator sport.Consider the rare one day ice cave viewing season. Thousands of people trekked across 2 miles of ice to explore the mainland ice caves on February 16th. At the...

Fleeting beauty: Apostle Islands Ice Caves opened for one spectacular day

Fleeting beauty: Apostle Islands Ice Caves opened for one spectacular day

More rare than Yosemite’s annual Firefall, less predictable than the synchronized fireflies of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Ice Caves of the Apostle Islands are a truly ephemeral phenomena. Temperatures must plummet and stay down for weeks to freeze this corner of Lake Superior tight as a drum. Winds must be light to keep that ice from cracking and lay it down thick enough for people to walk more than two miles each way over deep, space-black water. In Alaska’s Katmia National Park, the brown bears return for the salmon run like clockwork every year. In the Apostle Islands...

ALERT: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore ice caves expected to open Monday, February 16th, 2026

ALERT: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore ice caves expected to open Monday, February 16th, 2026

For the first time in more than a decade, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is expected to open the ice caves near Meyers Beach to public viewing on Monday, February 16, 2026. The ice caves will remain open only as long as the National  Park Service deems conditions safe. View information you can use to plan your trip on the National Park Service website.The Park Service says, "The ice caves remain closed until Feb. 16. The Meyers Beach parking lot is currently closed to vehicle traffic and parking. Wisconsin DOT has prohibited parking on Hwy 13. Beginning Feb 16, visitor access is via...

Snowshoeing to the mainland ice caves for some spectacular views

Snowshoeing to the mainland ice caves for some spectacular views

It's been ten long years since the mainland ice caves in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore have been open for exploration from the lake surface. Conditions since then simply have not been safe enough for the National Park Service to permit access.What's the next best thing? Hiking the Lakeshore Trail that takes you from Meyers Beach to some spectacular views above the caves. Friends board member Neil Howk did just that on a sunny January day. Click on the photo gallery to see the spectacular photos that go along with Neil's poetic description of his adventure.[foogallery...

Government shutdown: what’s happening in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Government shutdown: what’s happening in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

As of 12:01 a.m. on October 1st, many parts of the federal government, including the National Park Service, entered a shutdown which will continue until Congress passes - and the president signs - legislation extending the funding of federal agencies. In an effort to serve park visitors, Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is providing periodic informational updates. Please note that available information is limited. It is based largely on first-hand observations in the Lakeshore, unless otherwise noted. Official updates from the National Park Service are available on the...