Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Rock Island's historic boathouse
On the east side of the island are the remnants of a former fishing village and a historic
watertower;don'tlaugh—it,too,isontheNationalRegisterofHistoricPlaces.Thevillage
dwelling foundations lie in the midst of thickets and are tough to spot; there are also a few
cemeteries not far from the campsites. These are the resting spots of the children and fam-
ilies of lighthouse keepers and even Chief Chip-Pa-Ny, a Menominee leader.
Otherwise, the best thing to do is just skirt the shoreline and discover lake views from
atop the bluffs, alternating at points with up to half a mile of sandy beach or sand dunes.
Near campsite 15, you'll pass some carvings etched into the bluff, done by Thordarson's
bored workers.
Recreation
With more than 5,000 feet of beach, you'll find somewhere to be alone. (Remember,
though, that these waters are chilly and currents are dangerous.)
At one time a sawmill buzzed the logs taken from the island; the wheel-rutted paths to
the mill turned into rough roads. Thordarson let them grow over during his tenure on the
island,buttodaytheyformthebasisforafewmilesofthepark's9.5totalhikingmiles.The
