Sailing to Splendor

The Midwest is full of treasured places. The Great Lakes and their watersheds offer some of the finest freshwater experiences in the world, and the Mississippi basin contains more hidden treasures than I could explore in a lifetime. Of the myriad places I have explored in the Midwest, however, one stands out—Lake Superior’s Stockton Island.

Stockton has more to offer than any of its sibling islands in the Apostles archipelago. Stockton is wilderness, but it’s a wilderness with fourteen miles of hiking trails, some of the most luxurious beachfront campsites around, a world of ecosystems teeming with wildlife, and the greatest beach I have walked north of Florida.

I’ve sailed to Stockton a few times, and every time I go, I deepen my appreciation for the place. The last time I sailed there—during the peak of the colors in late September 2006—I managed to glimpse all the wonders of the place in an all-too-short weekend. Of course, the crimson maples, reflected on the water and set against spruce and pine backgrounds, grabbed my attention. But subtler sensations tie me to the place, binding my thoughts to the sweet-smelling leaves on the trails, the hoots of owls in the night woods, and the shimmering northern lights amid a galaxy of stars. Years after my last visit, my mind wanders to a place of resplendence and pure joy.

When To Go Summer is peak season in the Apostle Islands, while spring and fall are typically short this far north. The practical kayak and boat charter season runs from May to October. Apostle Islands Cruise Service operates from mid-June to Labor Day.

Long before the first French fur traders established a Northwest Company trading post at La Pointe on Madeline Island, Stockton was actually two islands. The large bear-shaped body of Stockton has one leg that extends to the southwest, the foot of which was once a second smaller island. The French called it Presque (“almost”) Isle because it is nearly an island. The small rocky foot of the leg is connected to the body by a tombolo, or sand bar that is no longer submerged connecting two islands. It’s only a few hundred feet across and contains its own pond and marsh. Standing on the edge of the marsh, it’s easy to imagine a time when only a shallow sand bar connected two rocky islands. But the lake is relentless. Wave by wave, it deposited sand onto the shallows, until, eventually, two islands became one.

The tombolo contains two of the finest sandy beaches on Superior. Julian Bay and Presque Isle Bay form its two sides, and each welcomes anchoring boats with the thrill of sand and surf. Most of the campsites and the island’s main marina are on Presque Isle Bay, facing Bayfield. Camping is prohibited on Julian Bay, but the wonders of Julian Bay Beach—the full expanse of Superior and thirty-foot dunes—are but a short hike across the tombolo from the campsite. The beauty of Julian Bay’s beach is unmatched in all my Midwestern wanderings.

During my fall trip, we sailed past Quarry Bay Beach, which is also quite lovely, especially in autumn when it’s on fire with maples. It’s called Quarry Bay because it once was the base of operations for a red sandstone quarry, the remains of which can still be seen on the island’s southwestern tip.

Much of the reddish brown sandstone needed for the colossal Romanesque revival architecture of the 1870s and ’80s in Midwestern cities came from the Apostle Islands, especially Stockton. (The Lumber Exchange Building in downtown Minneapolis and Johnston Hall on the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus are examples.) Quarry Bay is the start of a trail that leads to the remains of the quarry, which looks like a series of fifteen-foot steps overgrown with boreal forest. We sailed past it and noted the places where the barges once docked next to the island to haul brownstone blocks to Ashland and onto railways leading to Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Duluth.

Hiking Day hiking is available for the periods the ferry is docked in the Stockton Island marina, roughly 2 to 4:30 p.m. That is time enough to hike Quarry Bay Trail, which is especially pretty in the fall. Carry something to scare bears off, such as a whistle. Ask the Park Service for bear information before departure, as trails may be closed because of them. If you want a short hike and time on the beach, the Presque Isle Trail is about a half-hour loop with beautiful Julian Bay Beach in the middle. Both trails start at the dock.

On a previous trip, I hiked the trail that connects Quarry Bay with Presque Isle and Julian Bays. Much of that trail traverses a man-made logging clearing and a diversity of ecosystems uncommon in such a small space. But it’s Presque Isle and its peculiar lakeshore, beaches, and forest that captivates me all these months after my last visit.

The mile-long hike around Presque Isle offers a 360-degree view of the lake peeking through a mix of birches, pines, balsam, and spruce with the occasional maple. As we walked, the sound of the lake was never far from consciousness. The brown stones overhanging the water cavitated at each new wave, creating a low rumbling sound. At times, the lake drew us nearer through numerous side trails. After hearing and seeing countless waves gurgle under, around, and through shoreline rock formations, it was easy to see how the sea caves in other Apostle Islands were created over the eons.

When the trail diverts from earshot of the lake, abundant wildlife fills the silence. In the half-hour hike, I noted a dozen species of birds, all with calls that are common to the northern boreal forest, but fresh to ears trained for birds of the great prairie and big woods of Minnesota’s southeast. After my friend Fred and I returned to his boat, we were treated to numerous loon and owl calls that kept us connected to the wildness of the place, reminding us that all humans are visitors here.

Camping You need a permit to camp in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Reservations can be made thirty days in advance ($10 per night). Stockton offers some of the finest camping on Superior. Each beachfront spot has a bear-proof box and offers plenty of room to stretch out, build a driftwood fire, and pick blueberries in season.

As lovely as my hiking experience was, the night sights and sounds easily eclipsed those experiences in my memory. After a supper of pasties heated on the grill and a nice Monterey County syrah, Fred turned in and I stayed out on the dock to take in the sounds of owls and loons and watch the half-moon set. As the undulating orange streak stretched across the lake from the south, the northern sky grew alive with a green halo of northern lights. The Milky Way overhead connected the moon and its resplendent beam with the aurora borealis, decorated by a billion stars that waved subtler streaks across the water. The owls and loons were silent, leaving my mind to imagine the music that made this spectacle sing. The fourth movement of Beethoven’s Ninth came to mind.

I stood there for hours, not wanting to miss anything and turning this way and that trying to take it all in. After the moon was just a faded memory and the green glow hid behind the trees, a shiver reminded me that it was time I returned to the guest cabin of the boat to be rocked asleep.

The next day, we sailed back to the Ashland marina and returned to civilization. After years of deep wilderness experiences attained only through long days of paddling and hiking, it always seems like cheating to me to simply sail to such splendor. On the other hand, there is a certain satisfaction in knowing that you can use wits and technology to get there in comfort. And sailing provides a more satisfying journey than any power-boat experience I’ve ever had.

The joy of the journey mingles with the delight of the destination to make Stockton one of a handful of spots on a map of the Midwest that I will continue to visit no matter how far away I might live. It is a small world of a dozen ecosystems performing the eternal dance of life, surrounded by the most magnificent lake in the world.

Getting There From Bayfield, there are three ways to get to Stockton Island: The Stockton Island Shuttle, a private charter sailboat, or in a rented kayak. The shuttle, operated by the Apostle Islands Cruise Service (800-323-7619, adults $40, kids $24) departs from the Bayfield public dock at 1 p.m. and returns at 5:30 p.m. Chartering a sailboat is the most exhilarating and comfortable way to visit the island. Several companies operate out of Bayfield and nearby Port Superior, including Superior Charters (800-772-5124). Two-day rates are $500 and up, not including captain fees. Ordinarily, you would anchor and use a dinghy to go ashore, which is free. Dock space is limited; if you get there after 1 p.m. on summer weekends, plan on anchoring. Rent kayaks in Bayfield from Living Adventures (866-779-9503) or on Madeline Island from Apostle Islands Kayak (715-747-3636). It’s a sixteen-mile paddle from Bayfield and about half that from Madeline’s Big Bay State Park. Getting to Madeline is $25 per car round-trip, but your arms will probably thank you. One-night kayak rates start at $54 per person. Several packages, guided trips, and group rates are available.

Learning More The National Park Service (715-779-3397) manages Stockton Island, books camping reservations, and offers all sorts of information and advice about the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.