Wisconsin Islands Wilderness

Three small limestone outcroppings in Lake Michigan — Gravel Island, Spider Island, and Hog Island — make up Wisconsin Islands Wilderness. These islands provide important nesting grounds for colonial birds, especially herring gulls, ring-billed gulls, and double-crested cormorants. Because human contact could easily destroy these fragile and threatened communities, the public is not permitted to set foot on the islands. Boaters are asked to stay at least a quarter-mile offshore so as not to endanger the nesting areas. Bring your binoculars if you want to take a peek. Hazardous shoals surround the Wilderness trio, which further protects the safety of the birds and preserves the wildness of the islands.