Madeline Island

Madeline Island is located off of northwest Wisconsin's Lake Superior coast. Access for most of the year is by a 20-minute ferry boat ride from the Bayfield, WI, harbor. Madeline is the only one of the 22 Apostle Islands which has permanent full time residents. It is approximately 12 miles long and 3 miles wide, about 2.6 miles from Bayfield. Madeline is a well visited tourist area and is known for it's beautiful scenery and wildlife. Summer population can swell to near 2,000 in the summer while dropping to about 150 regular winter residents. Access in the winter months is provided by a windsled (for about 2 weeks after the end of ferry service) until the ice is safe enough for a road.

AERIAL PHOTO OF DOWNTOWN

MORE ISLAND PICTURES

The island has numerous shops, restaurants, a museum, golf course, marina and airport. There are also many lodging facilities available here. The city and state both maintain parks on the east side of the island. The local governmental jurisdiction is the Town of LaPointe. The town offers all traditional governmental services from its town hall which is located near the ferry docks. The island has full time police, volunteer fire and ambulance service. There are many ongoing activities all year long, so you always have a choice between solitude or a social event. For more information about Madeline Island, contact the Madeline Island Chamber of Commerce.