Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - Britannica

Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics Images Quizzes National Parks and Landmarks Quiz Contents Geography & Travel Nature Reserves & National Parks CITE verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/place/Apostle-Islands-National-Lakeshore Feedback External Websites Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites Britannica Websites Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

• Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore national park, Wisconsin, United States Ask Anything Homework Help Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Feb. 21, 2026 •History Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

News •

‘Rare And Remarkable’: Lake Superior Ice Caves Reopen • Feb. 17, 2026, 11:20 PM ET (The Weather Channel) Show less

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, scenic archipelago in extreme northern Wisconsin, U.S., at the southwestern end of Lake Superior. Established in 1970 with 20 islands (another was added in 1986), the national lakeshore now consists of 21 islands and a 12-mile (19-km) strip of the adjacent Bayfield Peninsula, covering a total land area of 108 square miles (281 square km); including water, it encompasses some 720 square miles (1,865 square km). The islands are noted for high cliffs of reddish sandstone with many wave-formed arches and caverns that develop magnificent ice formations in winter. Sandy beaches also meet the cold, clear lake waters. The islands were probably named by 17th-century Jesuit missionaries for the Twelve Apostles. La Pointe, located on Madeline, the largest of the Apostle Islands, was formerly a fur trade settlement; it houses a year-round population and is not part of the national lakeshore.

Mixed conifer and northern hardwood forests cover the islands; logging was once an important activity. Wildlife includes white-tailed deer, black bears, coyotes, river otters, and beavers, but these animals are rarely seen. Birds such as bald eagles, loons, cormorants, ducks, and gulls are abundant. Six lighthouses were built in the archipelago, and all have been automated; the exterior of the Raspberry Island light station has been restored to its early-20th-century appearance. Some old-growth forest of white pine, hemlock, cedar, and birch remains where it was once reserved for the use of lighthouse keepers.

Other relics of the islands’ history can be seen in late-19th-century brownstone quarries on three islands and at the Manitou Island fish camp, where commercial fishermen built temporary housing near fishing sites. Headquarters of the national lakeshore are in Bayfield along the eastern shore of the peninsula. Private boating, fishing, kayaking, and diving are popular activities. A reservation of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians adjoins the mainland part of the national lakeshore. The islands can be reached in summer by private boat or kayak, excursion boats and shuttles from Bayfield, or a car ferry from Bayfield to Madeline Island. In winter some of the inner islands can be reached on foot across the lake when ice conditions are favourable.

Britannica Quiz National Parks and Landmarks Quiz