apostle islands national lakeshore ice caves

LibbyUs

Worst part: the drive up if you live far away!Ice formations were incredible. A lot of people yes, but after a while they fade away as you engulf yourself into the natural beauty! Wear lots of layers - you can take them off as you go. Use cleats on your boots.Have poles to help. I used mine 1/4th of the time... But needed them for those few steps! Bring your camera.1.1 miles to the first ice cave... We dis about 4 there and back. Goes quick!Enjoy it! It was breathtaking!

ChuckL769

It was very, very cold when we walked out on the lake to see the caves (well below zero), but we dressed for it and we saw some absolutely awesome ice formations. It was amazing. It was also so cold that our cell phones froze and we couldn't take the pictures we would have like to have taken. The Ice Caves, however, are really spectacular.

richellen_13

The ice caves are worth the drive and walk!! First off, I recommend using a shuttle service to get there. We used one from the Red Cliff casino, easy pick off/drop off. However they didn't take prior reservations, so just know you might have to wait a little bit. Back to the caves...amazing wonders of Mother Nature!!! A good mile walk out to get to the caves and another mile worth of caves, we walked about 4 miles round trip. When we went the lake had snow on top so it wasn't too slippery, had there just been ice we would have used spikes. The walk out was great, when we turned around to head back - we quickly learned we'd be against the wind, made for a little tougher trek, but all in all so worth it!!!

233jenniferp

This is truly a must see place. Seeing the ice formations on the rocks and in the caves I the side of the cliffs are spectacular. There are a lot of people that go in all age ranges. There is about a mile walk to get to the ice caves and more miles of shoreline to walk down. This is s small walk and is worth it. Sometimes parking can be difficult and a lot of people park down the side of the highway. People are constantly coming and going and new spots are always opening. There is also a shuttle in cornucopia, a small town a few miles away.

Elymusicman

We drove by the miles of parked cars along the highway (4 mile line), on Sunday March 1st., to our hotel in Bayfield. Monday, was great because the crowds were gone and we got to park in the lot at Meyers Beach. The weather cooperated and the views were great. Check another off our bucket list.

573beckik

This was a wonderful family event. It won't happen every year and the crowds that came left the area and good condition. Highly recommend this in years to come!

503carlv

The Ice Caves along Meyer's Beach are very beautiful, but also very busy. Thousand of people flock to see them as soon as they are open (ice is thick enough). They have been hyped up on local and national media - so they are more popular than ever. Great for the park, but not if you like to get away and enjoy nature. I would still recommend going - just expect to share the experience with a 10,000 other people.

aprillyn

Perfect weather for the ice caves this weekend. Your opportunities are limited each year, so when you have a chance, make the trip. Be aware that you will have as much of a hike from your parked vehicle to the lake as you will to the caves themselves! Also, the National Park Service charges $5 per person, but it is of course worth it to help with the upkeep of our pristine natural resources.

tanya7619

Hiked the ice caves on March 6, 2015. Stunning! Great variety of ice formations-jack frost covered icicles, slender shining icicles, huge formations in white, blue, yellow, rust (they have red dirt up there). Lots of spots where one could slip under the ice formations and come out on another side of the cave. Even the ice trail to get there was interesting with the clear ice revealing various designs beneath the surface. Because of the clear ice, ice cleats on your boots are very helpful this year. Many found their ski poles helpful for balance. Long hike-I think we walked 6 miles-it just doesn't feel like it when stopping to wonder at so many points. The wind can be bitter-dress well covered. Sunglasses-very bright out there. Bring your camera. They were wonderfully different last year. This year they started charging $5 per adult. Make sure they are accessible before you leave- http://www.nps.gov/apis/mainland-caves-winter.htm Think about driving the ice road from Bayfield to Madeline Island afterward. The Beach Club is open.

madcitypaul

yeah sure, there are more people coming out than ever before, but for good reason! The ice formations are simply amazing! And always changing. They won't look the same if you go back again and again. There is always something new to see, and marvel at. Access to the caves is a bit of a hike, but on mine, I saw old, young, large, and small people making the trek. While it is a workout, it's nothing that you should shy away from. People of all ages seem to have no trouble making the hike. And it you keep going past the first couple of ice formations, the crowd seems to thin out. The further out you go, the more isolated you get. For $5, you get the chance to see a really spectacular natural phenomenon and the chance to walk across the surface of one of the great lakes.I suggest getting there as early as possible. If you arrive in the middle of the day, you will most likely have another 3+ miles to walk, just to get to the beach. I arrived before 7:00 AM and got one of the last remaining spots in the parking lot.

nursegina1972

A once in a lifetime trip to the Apostle Island ice caves is a must! Unbelievable sights. park rangers were quite helpful.

481peggyc

Definitely a bucket list item. Dress warmly and enjoy the hike. The natural beauty is breathtaking - definitely get ice cleats for your boots and take ski poles for added safety.

77amya

I loved the thrill (and danger) of walking out across the Lake Superior Ice to get to the shoreline where the Ice Caves are… didn't like that there were SO many people but found another day to go with fewer visitors so I had the pleasure of experiencing the quiet solitude and natural beauty without the crowds of the previous day.

279marthag

The ice caves are simply spectacular! There are amazingly huge ice formations to tiny delicate ice crystals. Each cave is unique in the ice formations hidden inside. Get down on your hands and knees and explore if you can, but if you can't, don't worry. You are surrounded by nature's beauty. There are plenty of large caves that are easily accessible while standing on two feet. Be prepared to walk. The walk from Meyer Beach to the caves is about a mile and you can easily walk another mile or more along the shore to see the caves. Plus on busy days you may have to park a mile or more from the beach access. Shuttles are sometimes available on busy weekends from Cornucpia, however.Walking on the lake can be slippery, uneven, snowpacked, ice packed, or a mix of all of these so be prepared for that. The caves do not open every winter so when they do open it is a treat and is absolutely worth the trip! A must see and something to look forward to during Wisconsin's coldest winters.

peterodl

The ice caves are a little bonus that happens in winter when the ice spray from Lake Superior freezes and makes interesting formations on the caves along the lakeshore. Occasionally you can visit them if the lake freezes thick enough to walk on.You need to drive to Meyers Beach and walk about 1 1/2 miles to the start of the caves. A good thing to bring are boot spikes for walking on the ice. Be sure to get good ones. I lost all the cleats on my right foot by the time I got there and half of the ones on my left foot by the time I returned to the beach.The NPS started a $5/person fee to visit the caves but they're worth it.Be sure to get to the beach early or you may have to park up to 3 miles away from the beach along the road.