Apostle Islands National Lakeshore: Lakeshore Trail to The Bowl (Blog Hike #648)

Trail: Lakeshore Trail

Hike Location: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Meyer’s Beach

Geographic Location: northwest of Bayfield, WI (46.88323, -91.04812)

Length: 4.2 miles

Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)

Date Hiked: July 2017

Overview: An out-and-back, easy at first but harder toward the end, featuring sea caves along Lake Superior.

Lakeshore Information: https://www.nps.gov/apis/index.htm

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=733352
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Bayfield, take SR 13 north 17 miles to the national lakeshore’s signed Meyer’s Beach access on the right.  Turn right and drive down the paved access road to the parking lot.  Pay the day-use fee and park in the parking lot near the beach.

The hike: Consisting of 22 islands in Lake Superior off the north coast of Wisconsin, the Apostle Islands have been both a crossroads and barrier to travel for centuries.  The islands’ first full-time inhabitants were the Anishinaabe, who arrived in 950 A.D.  French traders arrived in 1640, and an official trading post was established on the archipelago’s largest island.  The islands became part of the United States in 1816 under a treaty between the United States government and the Ojibwa (Chippewa) people.  This treaty also established the Ojibwa’s Red Cliff Reservation, which still comprises much of the Wisconsin mainland near the islands.  The islands were named by French historian Pierre Francois Xavier de Charlevoix after Jesus’ 12 apostles.

            As mining and lumber activity picked up during the mid 1800’s, a series of lighthouses were constructed to guide ships first through and then around the Apostle Islands.  These lighthouses are popular tourist attractions today, and since 1970 they have been protected as part of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.  The islands are only accessible by boat, so fishing and rustic camping are also popular activities on the islands.

            Another of the islands’ popular attractions is their sea caves.  Formed by wave action and repeated freezing and thawing, the sea caves feature a colorful blend of blue water and red sandstone in summer and magnificent ice formations in winter.  While the sea caves are best seen by boat or kayak, people wishing to keep both feet on land can look down into the mainland sea caves by hiking the 4.5 mile one-way Lakeshore Trail, which connects Meyer’s Beach with a backcountry National Lakeshore campsite.  The western 2.1 miles of the Lakeshore Trail are described here.  Note that Meyer’s Beach and this trail are very popular during the summer, so try to plan a weekday visit to minimize the crowds.

Trailhead at Meyer's Beach

            The hike starts at a signed trailhead on the right (northeast) side of the beach parking area.  The first 0.7 miles follow a 2-plank boardwalk that passes through wet birch forest, so the going at first is quite easy.  Most of the planks lay lengthwise over 3 supporting logs, and natural settling has turned some of the planks into low teeter-totters.  Just past 0.3 miles, you cross a small bridge over the first of many small streams.  A nice bench just beyond this bridge makes a nice place to sit and rest, but it may be too early in the hike for a rest.

Hiking the boardwalk

            At 0.7 miles, the boardwalk ends where you reach a junction with dirt Mawikwe Road.  Turning left here would take you to the northeast end of Meyer’s Beach and therefore provide a short loop back along the beach to the parking area.  To get to the sea caves, continue straight as the trail surface turns to dirt.

            The next 0.9 miles pass in and out of a seemingly innumerable number of small but steep ravines.  The difference between the maximum and minimum elevations on this hike is only about 100 feet, but many short, steep ups and downs will need to be negotiated.  Log steps built into the ground help in some cases, and short boardwalks carry you over wet areas.  Overall, the trail climbs more than it descends when you are hiking in this direction.  The forest consists of the ever-present birch but also some white cedar, hemlock, and spruce.  Blueberries grow in the understory during late summer.

First Lake Superior view

            At 1.6 miles, you get your first view of Lake Superior from high atop a lakeside bluff.  0.2 miles later you reach the first sea cave, a deep nearly vertical groove labeled “Crevasse.”  The groove is nearly 50 feet deep, and the waters of Lake Superior can be heard sloshing around in the caves at the groove’s base.  Several small natural arches have formed in Crevasse’s walls.  Take some time to admire the stark, rocky scenery.

Crevasse

            Many people turn around at Crevasse because they have fulfilled their desire to see a sea cave.  However, the Lakeshore Trail’s best view lies only another fairly flat 0.3 miles ahead at a place called “The Bowl.”  To get there, keep following the dirt trail northeast as it passes around Crevasse and crosses it on a wooden footbridge.  Vegetation now starts to crowd the trail, but the route remained discernible on my visit.

Red cliffs at The Bowl

The Bowl

            After passing two more small sea caves, you reach the southwestern end of The Bowl.  From this point, you get a fantastic view of the red sandstone cliffs, some tiny caves at their base, and the clear blue/green waters of Lake Superior.  The Lakeshore Trail continues another 2.3 miles to a backcountry campsite, but 9 miles round-trip is a bit long for a comfortable dayhike.  Therefore, the best view of the hike is a good place to turn around.  For a little variety on your way back, try taking the beach access trail to the right at Mawikwe Road and walking back along Meyer’s Beach.