Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It is served (but not daily) by a round-trip boat ride for campers from Bayfield with
Apostle Islands Cruise Service
(800/323-7619,
www.apostleisland.com
,
$55).
Raspberry Island
Small at only 296 acres, Raspberry is one of the most popular islands. Its 1860s
lighthouse
isthesecond-tallestintheregionand,afterreopeningin2007afteraneededface-lift,oneof
the prettiest, too. The cliffs here include uncommon clay-lined sandstone. Sand spit camp-
sites are now closed because of the establishment of an 11-acre protected Sand Spit Natural
Area. This is the one tour where the National Park Service really pulls out all the stops,
down to the period-costume detail and a re-creation of the lighthouse keepers' gorgeous
gardens. Docents lead tours on site constantly late May-late September.
Sand Island
On the western fringe of the chain and fully out of any peninsular windbreak, Sand Island's
ecosystemsupportsathriving,oddballflora.It'salsogotacommandingstretchofseacaves
on the east side. Sand Island, almost 3,000 acres, was the only island besides Madeline to
support a village, this one a community of 100, mostly fishing families—big enough to
have a post office. Sand Island was also home to a thriving resort, in operation 1885-1910;
historically significant structures are still visible. One trail runs along a one-time Bayfield
County Road, past a rusted auto hull to an 1881 Norman Gothic brownstone
lighthouse.
A
State Natural Area is predominantly northern wet mesic forest, holding 250-year-old white
pine. Still more black bears live here.
Manitou Island
This 1,300-acre island is one of the flattest and least enthralling topographically. The is-
land's fishing camp rivals the one on Little Sand Bay in its exhaustive renovation. A short
trail leads from the dock past archaeological excavation sites of Woodland Indians. At the
time ofwriting, Manitou haddroppedoffthe radar (andtransport schedules), socontact the
headquarters to see what's what.
Basswood Island
Basswood Island was the granddaddy (from 1868) of this archipelago's brownstone quar-
ries, shipped around the country for major construction projects. The nearly 2,000-acre is-
land was also temporarily populated by homesteaders and fishers in semipermanent camps
up through the late 1930s. Seven total miles of trails wend through the island. Along the
coast you'll see hoodoo-like rock formations.
