Lake Superior has always been magical to me - it may as well be an ocean given its size and depth and dangers. When I was a child, I would visit Superior and Duluth with my best friend’s family, and seeing the commercial shipping docks and vessels made me realize just how massive the lake is. The history is so rich, and much of the area surrounding the lake is still total wilderness. And so are the other Apostle Islands except for Madeline Island, which is the only inhabited island of the 22. Whenever I’m on the island I like to drive along the accessible parts of the shoreline and gape at the homes right on the lake and their sandy beaches - I’m in awe of what a privilege it would be to have that access on a daily basis.

Big Bay State Park on Madeline is accessible by ferry and then a 7 mile drive from the ferry dock - it is certainly one of the most challenging to get to of all of our state parks, and that’s one of the reasons camping there is so magical. You have to really work to get there and everyone respects and honors the natural environment. Big Bay has crystal clear water and a soft sandy bottom that’s only waist deep for so far out. But despite the Bay’s shallow start and relatively calm waters, huge yachts and fishing and commercial ships can be seen from the mile-long beach and the hiking trail’s rocky ledges. Camping here was such a special experience.

Did you know Lake Superior is the largest lake in the world by surface area and third in volume? It holds 10% of the world’s fresh water volume! There’s a reason it is known as the greatest of the Great Lakes ❤️ My pictures don’t even come close to doing it justice!