Sea Caves

Yesterday, we left at 5:30 a.m. and drove north to see the sea caves at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The last time the sea caves were accessible in the winter was five years ago (2009), but thanks to the cold temperatures, they have been open for a few weeks now. 

The early morning drive to northern Wisconsin was beautiful. 

The entry point to the caves is off Highway 13 at Meyers Beach.

We did some research ahead of time and knew to arrive early to avoid the crowds. The sea caves have become quite popular in the last couple of weeks. We arrived at about 8:50 a.m. and got a prime spot on the highway. According to the Apostle Island National Lakeshore Facebook page, there were 8,500 visitors to the park yesterday alone - a new record.

The lot (approximately 50 spots) and the road leading to the lot (below) were already full when we arrived. There is a $3 fee to park in the lot, but the road and highway are free. [Watch Matt's video later in this post to see what parking looked like around noon.]

At the far end of the parking lot, there is a staircase that leads down to the lake. It is a little slippery, but not bad.

Once on the lake, it is a 1.1 mile walk to the start of the mainland sea caves.

The sea caves continue for another two miles, so we hiked the full length, stopping often to take in the unbelievable beauty of winter along this stretch of shoreline. The colors against the rock formations were stunning.

Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! ... 

He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes. 

He casts forth His ice as fragments; Who can stand before His cold? 

He sends forth His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow and the waters to flow. 

Psalm 147:12-18

"All that looks like reality to us is dependent on God. 

There is creation and Creator, nothing more. 

And creation gets all its meaning and purpose from God." 

-John Piper

If you have a chance, go see these sea caves. They are absolutely incredible. Just make sure to call the ice hotline first before making the trip (715-779-3397 ext. 3).

We left just before noon, and it was amazing to see the parking situation on Highway 13. Matt took this video.

It had been a few years since our last stop in Bayfield. Even in the winter, this small, friendly town did not disappoint. If we had more time, we would have drove on the ice bridge over to Madeline Island. Instead, we settled for coffee/espresso/chai at Big Water Coffee Roasters and lunch at Maggie's Restaurant. We needed energy after the 7 mile hike and for an afternoon ski.

The day ended with a 10km ski on the famous Birkie hills. Great way to finish a beautiful winter day in the Northwoods.