Isle Royale National Park

Have hiked end to end twice. A wide range of experiences from tranquility to misery can change your outlook on life and make you appreciate the amenities we have at home. Experience raw wilderness unspoiled by humans, dark sky stargazing, gorgeous sunsets, and brisk swimming in Lake Superior. It can also be a rewarding social experience meeting friendly folks at the campgrounds.

Our family just got back from a 3 day trip on this amazing island. The island offers great amenities when close to the harbors but seclusion when you hike. The campgrounds were beautiful and clean. This was one of my favorite trips that our family has done. I am looking forward to going back!!!

Our 45th National Park. They say it the least visited one in the southern 48 states. There are limited ways to get here- ferry or seaplane. We booked a ferry 5 months ahead, for an ease of mind. Captain and crew were very friendly and helpful. We were lucky with no rain weather. But if it was rainy many people would get wet, as the main room on the ferry can’t fit all the passengers. I do recommend having layers, I had rain cover for backpack just in case, plus rain jacket, rain pants and waterproof boots/shoes. Weather is truly unpredictable here. We did 2 small hikes- Nature trail and Grace creek overlook. That’s pretty much what you can do in 4 hours on the island from Washington harbour. They have a nice restroom, a visitor center and a cafe near the port.

The Lodge has a million-dollar view! There were many challenges with a runny bathtub and a bathroom window that wouldn't open. For the cost of the room - 253.00 a night - I expected daily cleaning and prompt correction of the plumbing issue. Neither occurred. I was able to get garbage emptied and towels replaced. I am allergic to gluten, and I was counting on the many gf options that were on the menu. Unfortunately, there was a gap in planning over the 4th of July Holiday and many items on the limited menu ran out. I was given the wrong pizza and spent 2 hours of our precious time on the island screaming in the bathroom. I have given Aramark two opportunities to make this right and I was only told there would be retraining. Isle Royale is one of the most expensive parks to visit. It is as beautiful, if not more so, than Acadia. I do expect more value for the cost.

Least visited park in the lower 48 but the most re-visited. You can do a day trip, but this park deserves an immersive wilderness experience. Spent almost five days here and not a moment felt wasted.

A Hauntingly Beautiful Visit to Isle Royale. But Poor Timing and Unsettling News We unknowingly chose an unfortunate time to visit Isle Royale National Park. Persistent fog blanketed the island, causing the cancellation of all boat tours and water activities, except for the main ferry service. Even the seaplane, which usually offers a scenic and efficient way to arrive or depart, was repeatedly delayed due to the low visibility. Despite the weather, we still managed to explore some of the island’s beautiful trails. Hikes like Suzy’s Cave and the Scoville Point Trail offered stunning, if moody, views of the landscape. The rain and haze transformed the scenery into something more mysterious and brooding, an atmosphere that gave the park a haunting kind of charm, though it made certain parts feel more isolated and eerie than serene. Adding to that sense of unease, we later learned, days after we had already left, that two bodies were discovered at a remote campsite on the very same day we were in the park. The news wasn’t mentioned or made known to any visitors during our stay, which made the discovery all the more unsettling in hindsight. Overall, Isle Royale remains a unique and rugged destination, but the timing of our trip, coupled with the weather and the tragic news, made for a strange and somber experience. I’d love to return one day under clearer skies and calmer circumstances to truly appreciate all the park has to offer.

The ferry ride over was insane!! 90% of the passengers were puking, coffee machines were flying around, fans flying, and imagine the bathroom situation. They were reporting 14 foot waves. BUT 10/10 recommend for the “experience” 😂 The ride back off the island was uneventful. We took the ferry from Copper Harbor to Rock Harbor where we started our hike. Rangers were very informative and there were so many more options at the camp store than I would have thought. We had a wolf encounter while at the Rock Harbor Shelter, we had to shoo him away from taking our food bag, Mid breakfast.

Beautiful island. If you are looking to walk the Greenstone Ridge Tr. do so in the fall or early in the summer before all the plants grow too high as they can become quite a pain to walk through when hiking one end of the island to the other. Careful of leeches in Hatchet Lake, and Lake Desor is home to some Wolf activity so keep a look out for some cool sightings near the lake. MAKE SURE to travel from Rock Harbor to Windigo when crossing the island due to the elevation gain, if you start in Windigo it is nothing but uphill for many miles. Lastly, BRING BUG SPRAY, otherwise you'll be eaten alive before you even start your hike(s).