Apostle Islands ice cave visitors will have to pay $5 fee

Updated 3:30 p.m. | Posted 8:34 a.m.

Visitors to the Apostle Islands ice caves will have to pay a $5 fee this winter.

• Photos: Inside the majestic ice caves

The National Park Service will charge the fee for visitors ages 16 and older, assuming the caves form again this winter. A $10 season pass will also be available.

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Superintendent Bob Krumenaker tells Wisconsin Public Radio the fee will pay for increased staffing, portable toilets and medical needs. He says 138,000 people came from all over the world to see the ice caves on Lake Superior last winter.

The park service spent more than $450,000 dealing with the visitors. Staff were brought in from other parks. Rangers had to monitor ice conditions and assist an average of 21 people per day who had problems due to the cold.

Julie Van Stappen with the park service says emergency funding won't be available in the future.

"We just want to make it sustainable, and want to make sure people have a really enjoyable and safe visit."

Last winter was the first year since 2009 the ice was safe enough to walk to the caves.

The park service was not prepared then when news of the caves spread so quickly through social media.

"People that got out, they would Facebook their friends, send pictures, people were able to see pictures now," Van Stappen said. "It just went viral, really."

MPR News reporter Dan Kraker contributed to this report.