{"id":"nps-apis","slug":"apostle-islands-national-lakeshore","name":"Apostle Islands National Lakeshore","designation":"National Lakeshore","category":"national-seashore-lakeshore","categoryLabel":"National Seashore and Lakeshore","agency":{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov"},"managedBy":[{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov","unitCode":"APIS","designation":"National Lakeshore","sourceId":"nps-apis"}],"states":["WI"],"stateNames":["Wisconsin"],"location":{"lat":46.96240467,"lon":-90.66045665},"bbox":[-91.054,46.6281,-90.3878,47.0855],"acres":{"value":70477,"kind":"gis-estimate","source":"Computed from the simplified boundary","note":"Approximate. The managing agency publishes official acreage."},"firstProtected":null,"established":null,"administrations":[],"designationHistory":[],"summary":"Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, located at the northern tip of Wisconsin's Bayfield Peninsula, features 21 stunning islands, a scenic 12-mile shoreline along Lake Superior, and is located within the ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe people. Established in 1970, the park showcases picturesque sea caves, sandy beaches, and the largest collection of lighthouses in the National Park system.","summarySource":"National Park Service","guide":{},"trConnection":null,"trConnections":[],"trTypes":[],"links":{"official":"https://www.nps.gov/apis/index.htm","social":{},"recreationGov":null,"alltrails":null,"alltrailsExplore":"https://www.alltrails.com/explore?b_tl_lat=47.0855&b_tl_lng=-91.054&b_br_lat=46.6281&b_br_lng=-90.3878","recreationGovSearch":"https://www.recreation.gov/search?q=Apostle%20Islands%20National%20Lakeshore","directions":"http://www.nps.gov/apis/planyourvisit/directions.htm"},"images":[{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/2E8C5E69-C194-1A0A-1DE7866FA06F95E1.jpg","title":"Stockton Island","alt":"Photograph of Lake Superior sandstone rock stack under a blue sky.","caption":"Stockton Island","credit":"NPS Photo / Billy Flynn","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/2E9C107A-B16A-51C0-56D38A61F9AE0F4F.jpg","title":"Sand Island Lighthouse","alt":"Photograph of rocky shoreline and steps leading to historic lighthouse.","caption":"Historic Sand Island lighthouse built in 1881.","credit":"NPS Photo / Billy Flynn","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/2EB3B193-A305-235E-B0763C472C87B0EE.jpg","title":"Piping Plover","alt":"Photograph of Piping Plover standing on sandy beach.","caption":"Piping Plover on Long Island beach after banding.","credit":"NPS Photo / Billy Flynn","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/2F1C950B-C5AF-097D-71693A8260754C0E.jpg","title":"Old Michigan Island Lighthouse","alt":"Photograph of historic lighthouse from above with Lake Superior in the background.","caption":"The first lighthouse in the Apostle Islands was built on Michigan Island in 1856.","credit":"NPS Photo / Billy Flynn","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/2F266113-B885-CCC5-FE97FEC5F1467F64.jpg","title":"Outer Island Sandspit","alt":"Photograph of sandy shoreline.","caption":"Sandspit on the southern tip of Outer Island.","credit":"NPS Photo / Billy Flynn","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/5405A96A-AE89-B2B4-29F5BE7AC095296A.jpg","title":"Outer Island Lighthouse","alt":"White lighthouse rising above colorful fall trees along a rocky shoreline under a blue sky.","caption":"The Outer Island lighthouse was built in 1874 to guide ships past the archipelago to the rapidly growing ports on Lake Superior.","credit":"NPS / Billy Flynn","source":"NPS"}],"activities":["Boating","Motorized Boating","Sailing","Boat Tour","Camping","Backcountry Camping","Canoe or Kayak Camping","Group Camping","Fishing","Freshwater Fishing","Guided Tours","Boat Tour","Hiking","Hunting and Gathering","Hunting","Paddling","Canoe or Kayak Camping","Kayaking","Junior Ranger Program","SCUBA Diving","Snowshoeing","Swimming","Freshwater Swimming","Wildlife Watching","Birdwatching","Park Film","Shopping","Bookstore and Park Store","Gift Shop and Souvenirs"],"topics":["Arts","Photography","Colonization and Settlement","Commerce","Trade","Farming and Agriculture","Industry","Logging and Timber Cutting","Maritime","Lighthouses","Ships and Shipwrecks","Native American Heritage","Social Movements","Conservation Movement","Ancient Seas","Animals","Birds","Fish","Caves, Caverns and Karst","Climate Change","Coasts, Islands and Atolls","Forests and Woodlands","Coniferous Forests","Deciduous Forests","Geology","Lakes","Natural Sounds","Night Sky","Aurora Borealis","Rock Landscapes and Features","Scenic Views","Unique Species","Endangered","Wetlands","Wilderness"],"fees":[],"passes":[],"hours":[{"name":"Entire Park","description":"The park is open 24/7 year-round. Visitor centers are open only in summer, with varying hours.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"All Day","monday":"All Day","thursday":"All Day","sunday":"All Day","tuesday":"All Day","friday":"All Day","saturday":"All Day"},"exceptions":[]}],"directions":"Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is located in northern Wisconsin along the shores of Lake Superior. The Lakeshore has several entrance points, with much of its area accessible primarily by water.","weatherInfo":"Lake Superior is renowned for its cold temperatures, rough seas, fog, and sudden squalls. Boaters and paddlers should monitor marine weather forecasts and be constantly alert to changing conditions. Average daytime high temperatures range from 60 degrees Fahrenheit in May, to the upper 80s in mid-summer, to the mid-60s in September. Average lows vary from 40 degrees in May, to the upper 50s in mid-summer, to 50 degrees in September. Average water temperatures in May and June are only in the 40s.","contacts":{"phone":"7157793398","email":"apis_information@nps.gov"},"visitorCenters":[{"name":"Bayfield Headquarters","description":"The park's headquarters is located in the Bayfield, WI in the old Bayfield Courthouse Building. This iconic, brownstone building is easy to recognize from Washington Ave. Headquarters offers orientation and information, camping permits, museum exhibits, a park film, and the America's National Parks bookstore. The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Headquarters is open seasonally.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/apis/planyourvisit/hours.htm","lat":46.812314,"lon":-90.819953},{"name":"Little Sand Bay Visitor Center","description":"The Little Sand Bay Visitor Center will be closed throughout 2026 due to construction associated with the Little Sand Bay Marina Rehabilitation Project. We appreciate your patience as we work to improve infrastructure and visitor access.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/apis/planyourvisit/hours.htm","lat":46.94650256533929,"lon":-90.88957902689309}],"campgrounds":[],"thingsToDo":[],"nearby":[{"slug":"whittlesey-creek-national-wildlife-refuge","km":48},{"slug":"north-country-national-scenic-trail","km":71},{"slug":"chequamegon-national-forest","km":83},{"slug":"superior-national-forest","km":114},{"slug":"ottawa-national-forest","km":121},{"slug":"grand-portage-national-monument","km":133}],"hasBoundary":true,"boundarySource":{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division","url":"https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2224545"},"sources":[{"name":"NPS Data API","url":"https://developer.nps.gov/api/v1/parks?parkCode=apis"},{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division boundaries","url":"https://services1.arcgis.com/fBc8EJBxQRMcHlei/arcgis/rest/services/NPS_Land_Resources_Division_Boundary_and_Tract_Data_Service/FeatureServer/2"}],"editorialStatus":"draft","synced":"2026-11-09T02:12:45.603Z","alerts":[{"source":"NPS","kind":"Caution","title":"Hunting Season Safety","text":"Hunting is allowed in parts of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore from mid-September through early January. Wear blaze orange to stay visible and keep pets leashed and in bright vests. Make noise while hiking so others can hear you. Stay aware and enjoy a safe visit. Click the link below for more information on hunting and trapping in the Lakeshore.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/apis/planyourvisit/hunting.htm","updated":"2026-09-28 00:00:00.0","id":"nps-B6383EB2-7031-4126-A1A9-A5144A653025"},{"source":"NPS","kind":"Information","title":"Stockton Island Trail Access","text":"The trail between Presque Isle Bay and Quarry Bay on Stockton Island is open, but a footbridge on the western portion of the trail was washed out in a 2024 storm. Visitors must wade through shallow water or take an alternate route.","url":null,"updated":"2026-07-20 00:00:00.0","id":"nps-814A1150-8BC2-4A64-816A-7DF0DEBED4A3"},{"source":"NPS","kind":"Information","title":"Ongoing Closure Notices","text":"Devils Island dock and campsites and West Bay Club on Sand Island are closed. These closures affect only a small portion of the Lakeshore. Enjoy your visit.","url":null,"updated":"2026-07-20 00:00:00.0","id":"nps-168CEA1E-8250-4E61-8650-8211CD945931"},{"source":"NPS","kind":"Caution","title":"Bear Alert","text":"Black bears inhabit many of the Apostle Islands. Follow safety guidelines: store food and scented items properly, hike in groups, stay attentive, and make noises if you encounter a bear in a visitor area.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/apis/planyourvisit/bear-safety.htm","updated":"2024-07-01 16:40:27.0","id":"nps-0D5AED6B-D54E-488B-82BB-D34AF1679929"},{"source":"NPS","kind":"Information","title":"Private Inholdings: Sand & Rocky Islands","text":"There are privately occupied residences and docks on the southeast corner of Sand Island, as well as just north of Group Site A on Rocky Island. These areas are closed to the public. Please respect their privacy and do not trespass in these locations.","url":null,"updated":"2024-06-25 18:03:30.0","id":"nps-D30BFE4C-BA35-4F41-9B1D-9FCC6B6C54EA"}],"url":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/sites/apostle-islands-national-lakeshore/","boundaryUrl":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/boundaries/apostle-islands-national-lakeshore.geojson"}