Overview
Madeline Island is in Northwest Wisconsin near Bayfield.
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 78°F; winter lows dip to about 2°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jun and Jul. (climate data from nearby Duluth)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- DLH Duluth International Airport, Duluth — 71 mi away. Directions
- RHI Rhinelander Oneida County Airport, Rhinelander — 100 mi away. Directions
- MSP Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field, Minneapolis — 181 mi away (major hub). Directions
Getting to Madeline Island can be difficult depending on the season due to the need to cross Lake Superior.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Understand
Madeline Island is the only island in the Apostle Islands archipelago to be open for commercial development. It's officially part of the Town of La Pointe, the main community at the ferry terminal.
History
Get in
Getting to Madeline Island can be difficult depending on the season due to the need to cross Lake Superior.
By plane
The Town of La Pointe owns an airport on the island, Madeline Island Airport.
By car
During months in which the lake is not frozen over, the Madeline Island Ferry is the only way onto the island by car. During months in which the lake is sufficiently frozen over, an ice road is operated over the route of the Madeline Island Ferry.
By foot
During months in which conditions are not suitable for the ice road or ferry, an ice sled is used to carry passengers and packages across the normal route of the ferry or ice road.
Get around
Car is the suggested route for transportation due to the rural nature of the island; however, bicycles are a perfect choice for a more scenic and laid-back ride into town or around the island for sightseeing. For those intending to navigate the island by bicycle, it is important to note that the ferry allows for passengers to ride the ferry with just their bicycle.
Go next
- The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is the remaining part of the archipelago.
- Bayfield, the city the island is most easily accessed by, is worth seeing, as well.
- Washburn is near Bayfield on the mainland.
Nearby
Bayfield
City / town · 1 listings · 6 mi away
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
Park · 3 listings · 11 mi away
Washburn
City / town · 12 listings · 14 mi away
Ashland
City / town · 17 listings · 18 mi away
Cornucopia
City / town · 2 listings · 20 mi away
Ironwood and Gogebic Range
Rural area · 19 listings · 35 mi away
Porcupine Mountains
Park · 45 mi away
Two Harbors
City / town · 6 listings · 48 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.