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Design and create a Little Sand Bay trail network and ABA access at Meyers Beach
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore » Design and create a Little Sand Bay trail network and ABA access at Meyers Beach » Document List
The Environmental Assessment (EA), "Create Accessible Ramp at Meyers Beach and New Trail Network at Little Sand Bay Project", evaluates a proposed accessible beach ramp at Meyers Beach and a new trail network at Little Sand Bay. The EA was available for a 30-day public review starting April 12, 2023, and will include a virtual open house on April 26, 2023, at 7:00 pm CST.
If funding is approved, the accessible beach ramp will be on the west side of the park's Mainland Unit. Meyers Beach provides the only kayak access to the park's popular Mainland Sea caves. Currently, the only access to the beach from the parking lot is a single, steep stairway. The proposed ramp will allow more people to access the beach and improve kayak transport to and from.
Little Sand Bay, located on the east side of the park's Mainland Unit, is a popular area that includes the park's only shoreline visitor center, historic fishery, and National Park Service marina. Next to the Town of Russell's Recreational Area and within the Red Cliff Reservation, this highly visited area currently lacks any defined trails. The proposed trail network will focus visitor use, improve accessibility, increase visitor safety, and protect fragile wetland resources from trampling. The project, if funded, will include a fully accessible boardwalk with bilingual Ojibwe wayside exhibits, a coastline trail with island views, and a trail that provides access to a historic site and increases safety by providing an alternative to walking down the road. These trails will also increase interpretive and educational opportunities for youth, residents, and other area visitors.
The EA has been prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The EA evaluates and considers potential impacts and effects of the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative.
The Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was signed by the Park Superintendent on July 20, 2023, and by the Midwest Regional Director on August 1, 2023. The FONSI was posted for a 30-day public review on August 2, 2023.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Attn: Julie Van Stappen, April 2023 EA Comments, P.O. Box 770, Bayfield, Wisconsin 54891.
If funding is approved, the accessible beach ramp will be on the west side of the park's Mainland Unit. Meyers Beach provides the only kayak access to the park's popular Mainland Sea caves. Currently, the only access to the beach from the parking lot is a single, steep stairway. The proposed ramp will allow more people to access the beach and improve kayak transport to and from.
Little Sand Bay, located on the east side of the park's Mainland Unit, is a popular area that includes the park's only shoreline visitor center, historic fishery, and National Park Service marina. Next to the Town of Russell's Recreational Area and within the Red Cliff Reservation, this highly visited area currently lacks any defined trails. The proposed trail network will focus visitor use, improve accessibility, increase visitor safety, and protect fragile wetland resources from trampling. The project, if funded, will include a fully accessible boardwalk with bilingual Ojibwe wayside exhibits, a coastline trail with island views, and a trail that provides access to a historic site and increases safety by providing an alternative to walking down the road. These trails will also increase interpretive and educational opportunities for youth, residents, and other area visitors.
The EA has been prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The EA evaluates and considers potential impacts and effects of the Proposed Action and the No Action Alternative.
The Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was signed by the Park Superintendent on July 20, 2023, and by the Midwest Regional Director on August 1, 2023. The FONSI was posted for a 30-day public review on August 2, 2023.
Contact Information
Julie Van Stappen, 715-209-2804Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Attn: Julie Van Stappen, April 2023 EA Comments, P.O. Box 770, Bayfield, Wisconsin 54891.