Apostle Islands National Lakeshore RV & Campground Guide
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Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, one of the most beautiful areas in the northern United States, can be found at the northern tip of Wisconsin. This park contains parts of the Wisconsin shoreline as well as 21 islands on Lake Superior. The Bad River Reservation and Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park are near this lakeshore. This 69,372-acre park is popular, with over 176,000 visitors each year.
Spring 30-72 F
Summer 47-77 F
Fall 12-55 F
Winter 5-37 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore offers camping on 18 of the 21 islands as well as an area on the mainland. The mainland campsite is only accessible by kayak or hiking the 6-mile Lakeshore Trail. The island campsites are only accessible by motor boat, water taxi, sea kayak, sailboat, or shuttle service. You cannot drive to camp anywhere in the Apostle Islands, but the surrounding areas offer a variety of camping options.
What to Do at
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is known for being remote; however, it does have a wide array of activities to enjoy, including the ever-popular sea caves. Some commercial services include island cruises, kayak tours, kayak rentals, water taxis, boat tours, sailing charters, and fishing charters. The area also has fishing, kayaking, hiking, boating, scuba diving, and hunting and trapping opportunities.
Fishing
The lakeshore area is well stocked with Lake trout, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and Coho Salmon. A fishing license and Great Lakes trout/salmon stamp are required to fish anywhere in the park. The National Park Service and Wisconsin officers strictly enforce season dates, line limits, closed areas, and fish limits. You can bring your boat, use a water taxi service, or use a fishing charter service to experience the best fishing.
Boating
The lakeshore’s boundary extends a quarter of a mile into Lake Superior, providing a wide area to explore by boat. You can easily access many islands with multiple boat launches and marinas. Some popular docks include Basswood, Little Sand Bay, and Oak.
Hiking
Of the 21 islands, 13 of them have walking trails. Basswood Island has a 5.5-mile loop trail that takes you to the campsite, the historical McCloud Brigham farm site, and a variety of water overviews. Another longer trail is the Sandspit Trail on Outer Island, which is 7.5 miles long. None of these trails are approved for bicycles.
Swimming
The best areas in the park are at Julian Bay on Stockton Island or Little Sand Bay and Meyers Beach on the main shoreline. You cannot swim within 100 feet of any public dock, harbor, or vessel secured to the pier.
Nature Watching
The lakeshore offers an assortment of wild animals ranging from game species to fur-bearers to small mammals.
How to Get to
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
The mainland section of the park is located about 20 miles north on Hwy 13 from Cornucopia, Wisconsin. Once you get to the mainland area, some mode of water transportation is required to get to any of the islands. Bring your sea kayak or take a shuttle or water taxi.
Entering Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
The only way to enter this park is by water, so you must find somewhere to park within Bayfield. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has two visitor centers, the Bayfield Visitor Center and the Little Sand Visitor Center near Bayfield, Wisconsin. Both centers offer auto parking, but the Bayfield Center is the only one with RV and bus parking. The park operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but the visitor center's hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. As of December 2023, Devils Island Dock and Campsite, the Ice Caves, and the West Bay Club on Sand Island are closed due to storm damage.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Entry Fee : $0.0
Frequently Asked Questions About Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
The park can be explored year-round, but many visitors prefer to visit during the fall. The weather is mild during this time, and the hiking trails come alive with colors. The treetops are lined with red, yellow, and orange hues.
Wildlife can be found in the park, including game species, fur-bearers, and small mammals. The game species in the park include whitetail deer, black bear, snowshoe hare, waterfowl, woodcock, and ruffed grouse. Visitors can also find red foxes, coyotes, beavers, shrews, mice, voles, chipmunks, and red squirrels.
Unfortunately, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore does not offer any RV camping spots within the park.
It is strongly recommended to reserve your spot up to 30 days before your visit. The available campsite amenities and access depend on the location of the park. The individual campsites allow one to seven people and cost $15 per site per night. If you choose a site within the primitive camping zones, it is also $15 per site per night, but these sites can only accommodate up to five people. If you have between eight and 21 people, a group campsite can be reserved for $30 per site per night.
Pets are allowed on trails, beaches, and campgrounds but not in park buildings. They must be on a leash shorter than 6 feet and cannot be left tied to any object.