News Release

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Re-opens Storm Damaged Docks

Park staff making repairs on the Michigan Island Dock.

News Release Date: June 16, 2020

Contact: Julie Van Stappen, [phone]

Bayfield, WI – The National Park Service (NPS) is pleased to announce that the Michigan and Manitou Islands docks have been repaired and reopened.

Winter storms damaged these docks, causing safety hazards and the need for temporary closures. “The Michigan dock gets damaged every year because of its open lake exposure to all storms. When you consider the purpose of lighthouses, it is easy to understand that building a dock by them makes those docks subject to big storms,” said park superintendent Lynne Dominy. “Our innovative and skilled maintenance team has constructed a removable platform for this dock that we hope will enable us to bypass this problem next year. The Manitou dock buckled and has been repaired until it can be replaced in 2024.”

“We are still working on downed-tree and sand removal in other locations, and trying to the pump the full vault toilets,” added Dominy. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as we fix things as quickly and safely as possible. Our season has been shortened, our staffing reduced, and our safety precautions increased, and we are doing as much as we can daily to safely restore access to the park.”

For more information about Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, visit www.nps.gov/apis, email or call [phone]. Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website go.nps.gov/ApostleConditions and Facebook.