Apostle Islands Sandscapes State Natural Area

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Five of the 21 islands in Lake Superior’s Apostle Islands archipelago comprise this State Natural Area. The Apostle Islands Sandscapes SNA was established in 1992 to recognize and protect a variety of unique sand-based landforms, including dunes, beaches, sand spits, cuspate forelands, and tombolos. Sand spits are long, narrow sand deposits extending outward into the water from a tip of land or at the mouth of a bay. Cuspate forelands are similar to sand spits but are wider and wedge-shaped. Sand deposits that connect an island to the mainland or connect two islands are called tombolos. Stockton Island contains the largest (622 acres) and most diverse unit of the sandscape natural area. The southeastern tip of the island, Presque Isle Point, was once a separate island. After the glaciers receded, shore currents deposited ridges of sand forming a sand bridge, or tombolo, between Presque Isle and Stockton Island. The tombolo, the only one in Wisconsin, consists of dry, sandy ridges, low dunes and a wide beach. The ridges feature an excellent red pine barrens. The east side of the tombolo contains open wetlands with bog, sedge meadow, and emergent aquatic vegetation. Several rare plants are found here, including three state-threatened species: Michaux’s sedge (Carex michauxiana), lenticular sedge (Carex lenticularis), and English sundew (Drosera anglica).