The America's National Parks Podcast is brought to you by L. L. L. Bine is a proud

partner of the National Park Foundation. L. L. L. Bine and N. P.S. Shera believed that every community should have the opportunity and resources to experience the joy of the outdoors together.

Through this partnership, they're not only helping people find their parks. They're helping protect,

restore, and improve parks across the US. If it's outside, L. L. Bine is all in.

Be an outsider with L.L. Bean. In the largest freshwater lake in North America lies an archipelago 15 miles off of Minnesota's north shore. The main island is 45 miles long and 9 miles wide and is surrounded by 400 smaller islands.

1.2 billion years ago, a great rift opened in the earth's crust in this area.

Known as the Portage Lake Volcanics, this momentous event produced volcanic rocks, sandstones, and conglomerates, or rocks that are made up of many other rock fragments.

During this event, the greenhouse lava flow formed the largest island's main ridge, and is one of the oldest, largest, and

longest lasting lava flow events on Earth. As we fast forward through time to the

most recent Ice Age, two miles of ice pressed down on top of the islands,

the glaciers began to recede 10,000 years ago, leaving behind enormous basins that filled with water.

Today this archipelago sits in the ecological transition zone

between the northern boreal forests and southern temperate forests.

Its name is Isle Royal.

Congress authorized Isle Royal

as a National Park in 1931,

and the park was established in 1940.

The park protects 893 square miles of land and water.

This includes all islands and any submerged lands within 4.5 miles of the islands,

making 80% of the park's protected area, water.

36 years later, 98% of the park was designated as federal wilderness, and later an International Biosphere Reserve.

The unique nature of this park doesn't end there.

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