Located on the South Shore of Lake Superior between Cornucopia and Bayfield, the Apostle Islands are known for sea caves, sandy beaches, historic lighthouses, and sunken shipwrecks. On this adventure, you and your family will paddle through sea caves, hike scenic trails, and enjoy wide sandy beaches. Camp with your family among the tall hemlock trees at our cozy and well-outfitted Base Camp at Little Sand Bay. Our talented and caring staff will have activities to keep kids of all ages engaged and having fun. Your kids will love it. Because of special support for our family trips, children 17 and under go for half fee on this trip.

Sample Itinerary

The Apostle Islands offer many fun activities to choose from. We have many options for specific day activities that are dependent on the wind and the weather. On windy days, we will stick to the land and take some great hikes. On calmer days we venture out in sea kayaks or 24-foot Voyageur canoes. A sample itinerary includes:

DAY 1: Your trip starts in the early afternoon at Wilderness Inquiry's base in Little Sand Bay. Your family will learn how to set up camp, go over safety issues, and begin to explore this area full of beautiful hemlock and cedar trees. Your guides will provide an orientation to our 21-foot sea kayaks, or our 24-foot Voyageur canoes. After dinner you'll get to know your trip mates and make s'mores around the campfire.

DAY 2: After breakfast, weather permitting, we might paddle or hike to the view the Mawikwe Bay sea caves. As you eat your lunch on a sandy beach, feel the joy of this magical place. See if you can count how many breathtaking sights you see. Spend the evening back at base camp around the fire relaxing and listening to stories.

DAY 3: After enjoying a hot cup of coffee or cocoa with breakfast, set out for another day of adventure. Options include paddling out to explore the skeleton of the famous Fedora shipwreck near Buffalo Bay, or paddling to secluded Sand Bay. WI staff will lead structured activities for the children throughout the day and evening.

DAY 4: Spend the morning having a relaxed breakfast and wrapping up your Apostle Islands adventure. Everyone will leave our Little Sand Bay basecamp at 10:30AM.

Travel, Terrain, Etc...

TERRAIN/ROUTE CHOICES: Much of the time is spent along the beaches and shoreline of the islands, exploring the shipwrecks and sea caves. The islands are made up of red sandstone, covered with a mixed forest of birch, pine, oak, and maple. Except for a few cliffs, the terrain is gentle and rolling. We have several activities to choose from, each revealing a different dimension of this archipelago. Wind and weather largely determine the activities, and storms may delay paddling.

TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: You will be base-camping at WI's Apostle Islands camp on this trip, and taking day trips from there. An average day's activities consist of hiking, canoeing and exploring the immediate area. You will travel in either 24-foot cedar strip canoes, which hold 6-10 paddlers, or our 21-foot Grand San Juan kayaks, which hold three persons. No previous experience is needed to complete this trip. This trip is open to families with kids of all ages; however it is recommended for kids age 3 and older. Outings typically consist of 2-5 hours, depending on weather conditions. Be prepared for the possibility of a wind bound day. To protect the environment, WI uses "Leave No Trace" camping and travel techniques.

WEATHER: Weather in the area is strongly influenced by Lake Superior and can change suddenly. Since safety is always our top priority, the weather often dictates what we will do during the day. Temperatures in the summer months range from 45 F to 85 F. Rainfall can vary, but you should expect at least one day of rain.

YOUR GROUP: The group size ranges from 10 to 18 participants, plus 3 or more Wilderness Inquiry staff. Each group consists of people of various ages, backgrounds and abilities, including people with disabilities. Our trips are cooperative in nature. WI staff will assist you in whatever areas you need, however most people pitch in where they can.

ACCOMMODATIONS: At night you and your family will sleep in a comfortable 4 or 6-person tent at our Little Sand Bay Base Camp. Each tent is mounted on a platform. We have very nice composting toilets and full showers.

MEALS: The food we bring is plentiful, nutritious, and primarily vegetarian (because this keeps better than meat) and kid friendly! You can expect meals like burritos, pasta, and bar-b-que for dinner; bagels and sandwiches for lunch; pancakes, french toast, oatmeal, and granola for breakfast. If you have special dietary restrictions or preferences, be sure to list them on your registration.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: Wilderness Inquiry will provide all necessary kayaking, canoeing, and camping equipment. All you need to provide is your personal gear, such as clothing and a sleeping bag. A detailed equipment list will be sent to you upon confirmation of your participation. If you need to borrow personal gear, that can usually be arranged for no additional fee.

A note about the itinerary: Our trips are real adventures in the outdoors. While we'll make every effort to follow the itinerary listed here, elements may change due to weather or reasons beyond our control.

[ Dates & Fees ]      

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore lies in the northwestern Wisconsin waters of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. The town of Bayfield, Wisconsin, is the jumping off point for your adventure in the Apostles.

The unique geological features, rich cultural heritage, and diverse ecological system of the Apostle Islands have attracted visitors for centuries. One story says that early Jesuit missionaries, believing that there were only 12 islands in this 22-island archipelago, named the region after the twelve apostles in the Bible.

The history of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore predates these missionaries by eons, however, as the region’s bedrock can be traced to Precambrian times. Nearly a billion years ago, sand and silt were deposited in this region via northwesterly flowing streams and rivers. Under the weight of additional layers, the sediment slowly compacted and began to bond together.

These layers eventually experienced tremendous pressure as the ice age began and glaciers thousands of feet thick covered the forming sedimentary rock. The cycle of advancing and receding glaciers continued to shape the Apostles landscape until 10,000 years ago when the last of the glaciers finally receded. Although the glacial activity formed much of what we see today, other dynamic processes continue as differential erosion alters the islands’ beautiful sandstone arches, pillars, and caves.

These geologic wonders are partly responsible for attracting the native inhabitants and present day visitors. The Anishinabe (also called Ojibwe, or Chippewa) were the most recent native people to inhabit the islands. Hunting, fishing, and maple sugaring provided food and supplies, and were eventually traded with the Europeans. During the mid-1800s the islands’ resources attracted European settlers and for 80 years these resources were seriously exploited. Brownstone was quarried and used to construct buildings and lighthouses, some of the forests were cleared and turned into farmlands, commercial fishing increased, and mills and mines were established.

By the time of the Great Depression in the 1930s, the islands’ natural resources were scarce. While unfortunate for the people of the United States, the Depression saved the archipelago as it all but stopped development of the islands.

Congress designated the Apostles as a National Lakeshore in 1970; in 2004, Congress further designated 80% of the Apostles as the Gaylord Nelson Wilderness, named after Wisconsin’s great conservationist and former Governor and U.S. Senator. The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore encompasses 69,372 acres, of which 27,323 acres are submerged lands in Lake Superior. The National Lakeshore includes 21 of the 22 islands in the archipelago, plus a 12-mile-long narrow strip of mainland shoreline. The islands range in size from Stockton Island at 10, 054 acres to the tiny 3-acre Gull Island.

Visitors can find a variety of scenic features on the islands. These include pristine stretches of sand beaches and coves; spectacular sea caves; some of the largest stands of remnant old-growth forests in the upper Midwest; a diverse population of birds, mammals, amphibians, and fish; and the largest collection of national register lighthouses and lighthouse complexes in the entire national park system.

Today, the National Park Service manages the Apostles Islands. The rare combination of remote but accessible scenery, geography, and both open and protected waters affords unparalleled freshwater sailing, boating, sea kayaking, and fishing opportunities. Ecological succession has returned this system to a natural balance and visitors enjoy abundant wildlife, heavily forested islands, beaches, and geologic wonders worthy of the Park Service’s protection.

 

For more information, visit these links:

Forget the Hot Dogs and Beans! Great article on Taste of the Apostles

National Park Service - Official Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Website

"The Riddle of the Apostle Islands: How do you manage a wilderness full of human stories?" by William Cronon

Read about Beth Dooley

Support the Apostle Islands, join the Friends!

Bayfield Chamber of Commerce

Apostle Islands Nature and Science

[ Dates & Fees ]

2013 Dates		Fee	Youth Fee	Registration
05/24/2013 - 05/27/2013		$395	$195
06/20/2013 - 06/23/2013		$395	$195	Register Now
06/27/2013 - 06/30/2013		$395	$195	Register Now
07/04/2013 - 07/07/2013		$395	$195	Register Now
07/11/2013 - 07/14/2013		$395	$195	Register Now
07/18/2013 - 07/21/2013		$395	$195	Register Now
07/25/2013 - 07/28/2013		$395	$195	Register Now
08/01/2013 - 08/04/2013		$395	$195	Register Now
08/08/2013 - 08/11/2013		$395	$195	Register Now
08/15/2013 - 08/18/2013		$395	$195	Register Now
08/22/2013 - 08/25/2013		$395	$195	Register Now
08/29/2013 - 09/01/2013		$395	$195	Register Now
2014 Dates		Fee	Youth Fee	Registration
07/31/2014 - 08/03/2014		$395	$195	Register Now
Transportation We do not provide transportation. Please meet us at our Little Sand Bay base camp near Russell, WI, where parking is available.