Apostle Islands Kayak and Create Series: Reader’s Retreat with Diane Wilson
Price
Activity Level
Between 2-3
We rate trips on a scale from 1 (leisurely) to 5 (avid), with a range of activity levels in between.
Overview
Join us on a kayak tour and multigenerational women’s Reader’s Retreat in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore with acclaimed author Diane Wilson. Experience a series of sea kayaking and hiking day trips, book discussions, and journaling from our Apostle Islands Base Camp. Enjoy delicious food, experience breathtaking sunsets over Lake Superior, share your reading reflections, and listen to waves crash along the shore — an outdoor adventure great for beginning sea kayakers and seasoned paddlers alike.
The trip allows women of different generations to deepen their relationships through kayaking, hiking, camping, and sharing a love of books and stories. Our lives as women are deeply shaped by our relationships with our mothers, aunts, daughters, and grandmothers, and this trip allows time to appreciate those special people in our lives. Diane’s novel, The Seed Keeper, is ultimately a book about relationships between women, and also between women and the earth. Book discussions and light journaling will encourage reflection on the changing roles we play as we age, our own relationship with the earth, and the resilience and strength we share with generations in our families.
About Your Host
Diane Wilson is a Dakota writer, educator, and bog steward, enrolled on the Rosebud Reservation. She has published six award-winning books as well as essays in numerous publications. Her novel, The Seed Keeper, won the 2022 Minnesota Book Award and is a selection for the 2026 NEA Big Read. Wilson’s work explores seed sovereignty, cultural recovery, and environmental stewardship. She lives on 10 acres near the St. Croix River in Minnesota, her favorite place to kayak, and cares for an Indigenous seed garden, native perennials for pollinators, and a Tamarack bog. She is currently working on a memoir, Mapping My Way Home: A Story of Love, Loss, and a Bog.
Included/Excluded
- Skilled Outdoor Leader guides
- Bountiful meals prepared together in base camp kitchen
- Equipment for all outdoor activities
- Shared, spacious tents
- Park permits & fees
- Transportation to & from trip activities
- Transportation to and from trip start and end location (including airfare)
- Optional trip insurance
- On-your-own activities, food, and shopping
Location Map
Day 1 – Arrive at our Apostle Islands Base Camp and get to know your host
Your trip starts in the early afternoon at Wilderness Inquiry’s Apostle Islands Base Camp. Get settled into your campsite, participate in a sea kayak orientation, and begin to explore this area’s beautiful hemlock and cedar trees. Return to camp and enjoy a hearty meal cooked camp-side. After dinner, join your peers for a welcome talk by Diane followed by a fireside book discussion and your first writing prompts.
Day 2 – Embark on a paddle tour of Bark Bay Slough and begin journaling
Review paddling skills with your guides and embark on a kayak tour of the Bark Bay Slough to paddle through the vibrant wetlands. Return to base camp for lunch, then dive into more book discussions with Diane. Afterwards, find a place that draws you in for some quiet journaling.
Day 3 – Paddle to Sand Island and share stories around the campfire
After breakfast, paddle out to Sand Island. Visit sea caves and the historic lighthouse on the northeast shore of Sand Island. Weather permitting, paddle in and out of the caves’ sculpted rock chambers. After a picnic lunch on a sandy beach, we’ll experience some sensory-focused invitations to widen our views on your natural surroundings and its complicated history. Enjoy one last night at base camp in conversation with Diane, bonding and sharing reflections together.
Day 4 – Enjoy one last wander in the woods before saying farewell to your trip mates
After breakfast and one last quiet journaling session, hike in the cedar-hemlock forest surrounding the base camp before departing after lunch.
Our Approach to Accessibility
Wilderness Inquiry takes a creative and multifaceted approach to accessibility on trips and programs. Understandably, an ADA-level accessibility may not always be available in wilderness and even international settings. That is why we utilize Wilderness Inquiry’s Universal Program Participation Model (UPPM) to guide our approach to accessibility by leveraging key resources such as adaptive equipment, support personnel, itinerary and activity choices, and weighing in unique environmental factors to create experiences that can be accessible to many individuals. While our trips may not follow a one-size-fits-all approach, our team does its best to ensure a variety of travel and program options that offer differing levels of accessibility for a variety of needs and abilities. If you have questions about your ability to participate on a Wilderness Inquiry trip or program, our team is always willing to explore options and solutions that suit a traveler’s interest and ability – don’t hesitate to reach out!
What is included in the trip price?
Trip fees cover all of your needs while you are traveling with us — including equipment, food, guides, permits, etc. You are responsible for bringing personal clothing and hygiene supplies. Gear such as sleeping bags, pads, and cots can be checked out during the booking process for no additional fee.
Could the itinerary change after I sign up?
Your trip is dependent on weather, availability, and potential other unforeseen circumstances. All itineraries online are “sample” itineraries that are subject to change. Please check your confirmation packet for the most up-to-date information.
There are many different route choices available within our trip locations for hiking and paddling. The routes will be chosen by Wilderness Inquiry Outdoor Leaders based on availability and the strength of the group.
What type of food will I eat during the trip?
Typical menus for overnight camping trips include pesto pasta, burritos, stir-fry, avocado caprese wraps, brats and burgers, apple cobbler, and plenty of snacks. The exact menus vary trip-by-trip. On longer wilderness expeditions, we bring more nonperishable foods that keep well for days without refrigeration. On international trips, we tend to eat the local cuisine. We can accommodate most dietary restrictions and preferences — please note this information on your registration form.
I or a member of my family has a disability. Can I/they still participate?
We strive to put accessibility at the forefront of our programs so that individuals of all abilities, including people with disabilities, can successfully participate in our trips. If you or a member of your family has a disability, you will have an opportunity to confidentially share more during the registration process for your trip. A member of our team will connect with you further over the phone to make sure we are able to provide the appropriate support or accommodations you need to have a safe and rewarding experience on your trip.
Do you offer scholarships or financial aid?
Yes! We believe the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors should be available to everyone. To keep our programs as financially accessible as possible, each year we raise funds to support need-based scholarships. Certain restrictions apply. Financial aid is available for a select number of trips and is typically not available for international trips. Visit our Financial Aid page to learn more and apply.
What is your cancellation policy?
Trip deposits are due at the time of booking and are generally non-refundable.
- Within five weeks prior to trip departure (0-34 days):
- You are responsible for 100% of trip fees. No refunds issued.
- Five to ten weeks prior to trip departure (35-70 days):
- We will refund up to 50% of your trip fee, minus your deposit.
- Ten weeks or more prior to trip departure (71+ days):
- We will issue a refund of all trip fees paid, minus your deposit.
- The deposit may be credited to a future trip.
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