Located in Lake Superior just off Wisconsin's North Coast, Madeline Island is the largest of the Apostle Island Archipelago. It is 14 miles long and 3 miles wide and is the only one of the islands with commercial development.
WELCOME!
To reach Madeline Island, board one of the four steel-hulled car/passenger ferries that ply the waters between Bayfield, Wisconsin and the Island. It is a 20-minute, 2.6-mile trip over crystalline waters to the Town of LaPointe, on Madeline's southern shore. Not only is the ferry ride necessary to reach the island, it is a great scenic cruise on Lake Superior! During mid-summer days, the ferries run every half hour. Check the schedule for early morning, evening, and off-season hours of operation. Ferries typically operate from March to mid-January depending on weather conditions.
ISLAND LIFE
The year-round population of the Island is approximately 220, but swells to between 2500 and 3000 when the summer residents arrive - many of whom are descendants of early Island settlers who came to log, fish, and farm, while some came just to establish a summer retreat.
ADVERTISEMENT
While school is in session, the Island's two-room, K - 5 school has between 15 and 20 students, while the older students travel to the mainland to attend other schools.
Islanders must adjust to seasonal changes in the mode of transportation between the Island and the mainland. The ferries operate from March through mid-January; the windsled (air-propeller driven boat, shown above) during freeze-up and break-up periods, and the "ice road" is available to travelers during the heart of winter.
