March 7, 2014 Updated Mar 7, 2014 at 1:53 PM CST

Bayfield, WI (NNCNOW.com) --- Apostle Islands National Lakeshore has provided an updated Ice Caves Fact Sheet with questions and answers:

What are the Ice Caves? There are intricately carved sea caves along the Mainland Unit of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. As ice was forming on Lake Superior, waves splashing against the rock began to freeze on the sandstone cliff. In addition, water seeping between sandstone rock layers froze to form a variety of features similar to limestone caves. There are large icicles and formations hanging off of the cliffs, curtains and columns of ice, and abundant ice crystals.

Is the ice safe? Ice is never considered completely safe. Ice conditions can change rapidly, so keep safety in mind at all times. Temperature, high wind speeds and direction can quickly change ice conditions. Images of the ice can found on the Sea Caves Watch website by clicking here. Satellite imagery of ice cover on Lake Superior can be found by clicking here. For the latest information, call the Apostle Islands Ice Line at 7157793397 ext. 3.

How long will the ice caves be accessible? This is impossible to predict. Wind, waves, and/or warmer temperatures will eventually break up the ice, but we don't know when that will happen. The park checks ice thickness at least once a week on the route from the parking lot to the midpoint of the caves. Make sure to call the Apostle Islands Ice Line at 7157793397 ext. 3 for the latest information.

Do the ice caves close? No. Meyers Road and the parking lot do not close. However, travel to the ice caves in the dark is not recommended.

Where can I find additional information? Is the Visitor Center Open? The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau websites provide uptodate information. There are regular postings on the park's Facebook page as well. The Apostle Islands Visitor Center in Bayfield (415 Washington Ave.) will be open every day 8 a.m. 4:30 p.m. as long as the ice caves are accessible.

When should I visit? If possible, come during the week and carpool. The weekends, especially Saturdays, have been extremely busy with the highest numbers of visitors we've ever had to Meyers Beach cars have been parked along Highway 13 for more than 1.5 miles in either direction, greatly increasing the roundtrip distance to the caves. Keep in mind the sun sets early this time of year (March 7 6:03 pm) and you should give yourself 23 hours to get out to and enjoy the caves. This time is from the parking lot. Add additional time if you take a shuttle or need to park along Meyers Road or Highway 13. If you are a photographer, the most dramatic lighting occurs late in the afternoon on sunny days. The setting sun highlights the colors of the rock and ice. Darkness descends quickly after the sun sets, so allow time to get back to your car while it is still light.

Where are the ice caves? The ice caves are located at the western end of the Mainland Unit of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in far northern Bayfield County in northwestern Wisconsin. There is a parking area and stairs to the beach/ice at the end of Meyers Road. The turnoff for Meyers Road is 18 miles west of Bayfield and 4 miles east of Cornucopia along Highway 13. The GPS address is: 90500 Meyers Road.

How far is it to the caves? From the Meyers Beach parking area, the roundtrip distance is 2.5 to 6 miles, depending on how far you walk along the caves. 3.5 miles is typical. Keep in mind that if you need to park along Meyers Road (which is .4 miles long) or along Highway 13, your distance will be greater. For example, if you are one mile down Highway 13 from Meyers Rd., that would increase your roundtrip distance by nearly 3 miles.

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Apostle Islands National Lakeshore wants to inform the public of these updates