Apostle Islands Sandscapes State Natural Area | park

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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. The southernmost point of Outer Island features a 1½-mile long sand spit and associated beach and low dunes. Beach grass, wormwood, creeping juniper, and beach pea are among the plant species stabilizing the sand. The spit encloses a large lagoon with shrubby margins that grades to a rich, open bog dominated by sedges, rushes, and ericads. The interior of the point supports semi-open dry forest of red, white, and jack pines with a blueberry-sweet fern understory. Migratory birds make extensive use of this 232-acre natural area in spring and fall.