Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Permit Information

NPS Special Use Permit required for any wedding or group ceremony at Apostle Islands. Submit NPS Form 10 930 to the Office of Special Park Uses at least two weeks in advance (longer for significant events). The $50 non refundable application fee is paid by credit card, cashier's check, money order, or personal check. Most island ceremony locations require boat access, and the park will coordinate with you on an approved landing site. Contact the Chief Ranger at 715 779 3398 extension 1801 to co…

Planning Your Day at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

One-Spot Day

Apostle Islands one spot days are realistically a full day commitment because most ceremony locations require boat access. Pick one island, one landing, and plan the ferry or charter around it. Madeline Island via the Bayfield ferry is the simplest no charter option, Big Bay State Park on the island has a lagoon beach and old growth forest trails inside a 13 mile drive from the ferry landing.

Ceremony + Portraits Split

The park covers 21 islands spread across Lake Superior, so combining locations in one day means multiple boat trips. Most couples pick one island and build the day around it. The sea caves at Meyers Beach are the exception, they are on the mainland and accessible by kayak or tour boat without an island landing.

A Note on Light

Lake Superior water clarity and color are best in mid to late summer when the lake has warmed and stilled. The sea caves glow emerald when sunlight filters through the water. Island beaches face every direction, so golden hour light depends on which island and which shore. Ice caves in winter form only in years when the lake freezes solid enough to walk across, roughly once a decade.

Ceremony Spots at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

• Madeline Island, Big Bay State Park — Island elopement with Lake Superior beaches, old growth forest, and complete seclusion