US Edition‘Fleeting natural wonder’: Chance to see rare Great Lakes ice caves has come and gone
- On Tuesday, February 17, the National Park Service closed the Apostle Islands Ice Caves due to an expected storm, suspending public access until park rangers assess conditions.
- The National Weather Service warned of a winter storm from 6 p.m. Tuesday to noon Thursday, expecting 5 to 8 inches of snow in northern Bayfield County with 50 to 60 mph gusts along the Lake Superior shoreline.
- After reopening Monday, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore saw filled parking lots and used shuttle service plus a $5 ice-caves event fee for visitors 16 and older.
- As a result, the park will honor visitors’ paid fees and emphasized safety, with closures possibly lasting days while ice conditions are assessed, and shuttle services remain available.
- Rarely accessible, the caves form when waves and water seep through sandstone cliffs along Lake Superior, attracting large crowds during brief openings. Park officials note they open on fewer than 2% of days since 2000.
28 Articles
28 Articles
Apostle Islands ice caves open for first time in 11 years, then close after one day
CORNICOPIA, Wis. — The Apostle Islands ice caves were open for the first time in over a decade to the public and people came from across the region to get the experience first hand. “We woke up early at 6 a.m., got our snacks, got our snow pants, got our coffee,” Jackie Hanson, visitor from St. Paul said. Located along the South shore of Lake Superior, when conditions are just right, ice formations cover the sandstone cliffs of the Apostle Isla…
Wisconsin's Apostle Islands Ice Caves are now open
BAYFIELD, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) - Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is expected to open the ice caves near Meyers Beach for visitation beginning on Feb. 16, 2026, if current ice conditions remain stable. This rare winter event occurs only when conditions meet minimum safety thresholds. The last time conditions allowed access was in 2015. Park officials stress that [...]
Duluth News Tribune
Superior TelegramApostle Islands ice caves open for a day
Thousands of people flocked to northern Wisconsin on Monday to get a glimpse of the ice caves within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, which officials closed to the public after a single day. Many people waited in long lines for their first chance to take in the rare winter phenomena in more than a decade. People came from all over the Midwest, including Minneapolis, Madison and Grand Forks, North Dakota. Others who happened to be living i…
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