Bayfield Experiences

Take that moment to look out at the shining surface of Gitche Gumee, whose life giving waters make this region a bountiful habitat for all flora and fauna. Without the Big Lake, there wouldn’t have the unique growing conditions that allow the local berry and apple fields to thrive so far north. The farm endeavors to operate with the health of the land in mind as their primary concern. 

The farm firmly believes that small farms and locally produced food are critical for the ecological, economic, and personal health and viability of local communities, they have sold the development rights of the farm to the Bayfield Regional Conservancy and the Town of Bayfield, resulting in a place that is permanently protected from development.

Blue Vista farm allows visitors to pick their own fruit to purchase such as succulent raspberries, juicy blueberries and crisp apples seasonally. The farm cultivates 3 different varieties of Raspberries; focusing on plant health, environmental responsibility and sustainable land management practices. They also grow all of their blueberries using the same methods aswell as growing apples using sustainable production techniques. 

On the eastern side of Madeline Island, the largest of the Apostle Islands archipelago, Big Bay State Park features picturesque sandstone bluffs along 4 miles of Lake Superior shoreline. The park also has a 1-mile boardwalk, sandy swimming beach, hiking trails, large family campground and two group camps. A short ferry ride from Bayfield to Madeline Island is needed to reach the park.

The 2,350-acre park has a 1.5-mile beach, campground, picnic areas and more than seven miles of hiking and nature trails. Bayfield and Madeline Island also offer bus tours, golfing, art galleries, marinas and the old La Pointe Indian Burial Grounds. Ojibway (Chippewa) Indians were the original inhabitants of the area.

Centuries of wave action, freezing, and thawing have sculpted shorelines throughout Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Some of the Great Lakes' most spectacular scenery occurs where these forces interact with sandstone of the Devils Island Formation to create extensive sea caves. Nature has carved delicate arches, vaulted chambers, and honeycombed passageways into cliffs on the north shore of Devils Island, Swallow Point on Sand Island, and along the mainland near the Lakeshore's western boundary. People come to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in summer and winter to visit the sea caves and witness Lake Superior's ever-changing handiwork.

The caves' beauty varies dramatically with the season. In summer the red sandstone is sandwiched between sapphire blue lake and emerald green forests that grow right up to the brink of the cliffs. Large waves generate plumes of spray and thunderous explosions as they surge into the sea caves. While visitors must enjoy these scenes from a distance, such is not the case when the lake is tranquil. Under calm conditions, kayakers can explore the caves' deepest recesses while listening to the murmur of water against rock.