These 21 forested islands and 12 miles of mainland Lake Superior shoreline feature pristine stretches of sand beach, spectacular sea caves, remnant old-growth forests, resident bald eagles and black bears, and the largest collection of lighthouses anywhere in the National Park System. The lakeshore covers 69,372 acres, of which 42,140 are above the waterline.

Centuries of wave action, freezing, and thawing have sculpted shorelines throughout Apostle Islands National Lakeshore to create extensive sea caves with delicate arches, vaulted chambers, and honeycombed passageways into cliffs. Entering the old growth forests of the Apostles, one can glimpse what once spread across the northern part of the state: shadowy, thick forests, soft with duff underfoot; the sweet smell of decaying leaves and cedar; snapping twigs with every footstep. Hikers can enjoy more than fifty miles of maintained trails on the islands of the National Lakeshore, providing access to lighthouses, abandoned quarries, old farm sites, historic logging camps, beaches, campsites, and scenic overlooks.