Lakeshore Camp Overnighter
Backpacking at the end of July along the Bayfield Peninsula in northern Wisconsin, we stumbled out of the hot and still woods onto the sandy beach. A beach!
Quickly dropping our backpacks, we ran into the unseasonably warm waters of Lake Superior, cleaning off the dirt and sweat of the past miles.
We took in our private surroundings, amazed that this would be our campsite for the night.
The Apostle Island National Lakeshore along the southern end of Lake Superior and the short trail to our campsite.
Starting at a trailhead roughly 6 miles earlier, we made our way along Lakeshore Trail at Meyers Beach, part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Closely skirting the dramatic ridges of southern Lake Superior, hikers are wowed by the brilliant aqua waves crashing into the sea caves, creating arches, honeycombed passageways and vaulted chambers.
Before embarking on our adventure we parked at the small parking lot and grabbed lunch at one of the handful of picnic tables. A last minute stop at the bathrooms and we were on our way. For about a mile the trail follows a well maintained boardwalk.
About 1.5 miles later we felt the cool breeze of the lake and came to the first dramatic views of the sea caves below. A friendly park ranger was there of provide information and knowledge about how the caves are formed. For the next mile, we took our time at numerous points along the trail, stopping to take in the views, some of which were 180º.
Kayakers explore sea caves along the shore. Some of the caves are massive and crevasses punch into the landscape along the trail.
Occasionally, we saw guided groups of kayakers exploring the arches and caves along the shore. We decided that we’d have to come back to Meyers Beach and enjoy the caves from the water in the summer.
Further in, the trail is more rustic.
Once past the last viewable set of caves, the trail becomes more minimally maintained. There are many short ups and downs with creeks that have seasonal water. We’ve had a really dry summer and only saw a couple of good spots for gathering water. We had to go over, under or around very recent blowdowns that still had green leaves and late-summer brush over took the trail in places. The trail skirts around crevasses that are characteristic of the dramatic cliffs along the shore. The fall color deeper in the woods would be beautiful in the fall. Following patches of fern, moss and fireweed, the trail eventually takes a sharp left turn on a atv road.
We followed the signs as the trail became a mix of wide atv trail and single track. Initially stumped by the seemingly random latrine near the trail, we decided that the spot didn’t fit the description of the campsite we were hiking towards and kept going.
Following a few more helpful hiking signs, the trail began to head downhill towards the water, eventually flowing into a long, sandy beach. About 50 feet further we saw the iconic brown tent sign and couldn’t believe how scenic it was.
The campsite is tucked away.
Probably do to its remoteness, the campsite is in very good condition. If you go, please help keep it this way. It has a nice picnic table, sizable bear box for food/smelly storage, latrine, 2-3 tent pads and fire ring. While the site itself is situated about 20’ above water, there is a small pond nearby and it could get a little buggy depending on the season or wind direction.
After swimming around along the glorious sandy-bottom, we sunned ourselves along the soft-sandy beach, occasionally getting up to walk the long stretches pocketed with multi-colored rocks and driftwood. Facing west, the site provided a sunset view and the breeze kept majority of the bugs at bay. After setting up our two tents, we grabbed our backpacking stoves and dehydrated meals and cooked dinner on the beach, watching the peach-filled sun as it dropped below Eagle Island. During the night the wind steadily blew and provided some of our favorite night music to sleep by.
Taking advantage of the 60º weather and partly-cloudy skies, we slowly packed up and ate breakfast. Taking a last look over the campsite to make sure we didn’t leave anything, we headed back down Lakeshore trail. While we didn’t see any black bears that call this region home, we did see plenty of butterflies, songbirds and the random red squirrel. The journey out was about a half-hour shorter, likely due to the cooler weather and less stops.
Later running into all of the day-hikers, we felt a sense of wonder and thrill, knowing we had just experienced a magical place all to ourselves.
GOOD TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
We consider this a moderate hike. The trail is filled with brush, roots, mud and rocks. Further in, there are down trees that you need to go under, over or around.
There are plenty of short, steep ups and downs which may be challenging for some. Don’t cut corners or you could stumble into a crevasse.
The overlooks have no barriers, so be especially careful with young kids.
Some of the stairs and bridges are minimally maintained. Watch your step and be wary of rebar sticking out of the dirt.
For a late-season hike, carry at least 2 liters of water with a method of filtration.
Bring along a ultralight camp chair. We wish we’d have done this for beach enjoyment!
Bring along a small, ultralight, camp saw. There is plenty of firewood around, but you’ll need to process it yourself. Leave some extra kindling, tinder and logs for the next person - it is good woods etiquette.
Bring bug spray and/or head net. There is standing water nearby the campsite and we could see the bugs being worse.
Watch the trail signs and keep going. Our Garmin watches showed 5.6 miles from start to finish. The trail is mostly single track with a few spots of dirt road or grass ATV trail. You’ll know you’re close when the trail dumps out onto a sandy beach.
Water can be gathered and filtered from Lake Superior.
The parking lot is busy in the summer, so arrive early or plan on parking along the road into the park.
There are a few picnic tables and pit toilets at the trailhead. A fee box is available for overnight camping, but reservations are required.
The Lakeshore Trail is about 25 minutes west of Bayfield, Wisconsin.
Always practice “Leave No Trace” and pack out everything you carry in. Bonus points for picking up any trash you find along the trail.
Campsite is also accessible by kayak. Be sure to research current lake conditions before putting any watercraft in Lake Superior.
PLEASE KEEP THIS CAMPSITE AMAZING. Don’t cut live trees or brush. Avoid making new tent pads. Fully extinguish your fire and use wood that will fit within the fire ring. Place only toilet paper in the latrine as all garbage including feminine products should be packed out. Avoid making additional “social trails” in the woods or to the beach (it looks like some have been started). Bodies and dishes should be cleaned with biodegradable soap will away from the water.
SUMMERTIME CONDITIONS
We went late July during a hot, unseasonably dry summer. Our daytime average was 80º and mildly humid with a nigh time low of 59º. Wind averaged about 9mph though it seemed gustier at night. While we were not too affected, we did notice some haze and smelled smoke from Canadian wildfires to the north. The trail itself was mostly dry with some mildly damp pockets. Creeks along the route were mostly dry or damp-dry. There were a couple of creeks that you could fill your water bottle with a little creativity. Bug pressure was low and we sprayed a couple of times in the morning and evening around our heads.
RESERVATIONS
More information for this campsite can be found on the Apostle Islands webpage. Reservation can be made one month in advance for Mainland Campsite 1 at Recreation.gov.
Disclaimer: Some of the information in this article may not be accurate or up to date. You’re responsible for preparing for your adventure. Conditions may change suddenly.
