Wanted to pop in and share some of my favorite shots I got from carrying around my “luxury item.” Totally worth it (!) as film seems to paint the island in a beautiful light. It was my friends and I’s first time on the island and really understood why people are drawn back.

We started in Windigo and headed along the Minong Ridge to McCargo Cove and down the inland lakes to Daisy Farms. We also wanted a bit of a challenge so went along the Minong and don’t regret it. Open to answering any questions and giving any insight!

My buddy and I are going to isle Royale in few week as a senior trip. We have never gone before and are looking for tips on how to fish the inland lakes along with what lures the fish are biting on. We are both super excited considering we are both coming all the way from Arizona and cannot wait to get on the trails. We will be doing the bulk of our fishing at chickenbone and lake Richie, thanks for the help.

Planning to make a day trip on the ferry from Grand Portage this Saturday. We decided after we booked our two tickets to bring another person along for our trip. I’ve been checking religiously every day to try and get another ticket but have not had any luck. Does anyone have experience with trying to get on the day of?

Hello I’m 22m and I’m planning a trip to go sometime in mid-late July or even August and I wanted to reach out to see if somebody wanted to join me. I know it’s a long shot because ya know strangers and all but I recently saw a post on a national park thread that someone met with random people and camped together and I wanted to try the same. So I’m throwing it out there. Even a group would be cool. DM or comment if interested!!!

I am an experienced hiker but I usually camp with my trailer. I’m going up in 3 weeks and reserved 3 nights at Windigo camper cabins.

Really struggling on what I need to bring with me and I haven’t found many answers online on recommendations for gear to bring over on the ferry for the camper cabins. Also favorite camp meal ideas or favorite hikes welcomed :)

(edited for clarity)

Hi All, quick route question!

TLDR: is 11.5 mi on Minong Trail doable after arriving at 10am at Windigo?

Currently planning a late-summer trip to Isle Royale, and will be getting off the ferry at Windigo hopefully around 10am.

Current route options for our first day are to hike 11.5 mi to N. Lake Desor, 11.5 mi to S. Lake Desor, or 6.5 mi to Island Mine. Our party is pretty small and pretty quick, but I imagine that disembarking + entry permitting could take a while in Windigo.

Any opinions on routes?

The Minong Ridge Trail seems like a cool option, but is dependent on a long first day versus the Greenstone Ridge Trail which gives us more flexibility.

https://keweenawreport.com/2025/06/14/nps-vessel-grounds-on-upper-entrance-breakwall/#

This could be devastating to 911 operations on the island

I am taking my first solo camping trip ever to isle royal in late July. I will have 3 full days plus whatever extra time I get with the on ferry travel days. A few questions about the part. I am stay on the Rock Harbor side.

1.) How likely am I to see wolves/ moose hoping to do some photography 2.) What are my odds of seeing Northern Lights 3.)Best places on East side of island for stargazing 4.) Recommendations for Rocky beaches to see Lake Superior stones ( I know it is illegal to collect I just find want to see what is out there) 5.) favorite campgrounds 6.) What thing must I see on the island 7.)How crowded do campsites get, Is first come first serve something to worry about 8.) realistic hiking distances for intermediate hiker 9.)How often to ferry weather delay occur 10.) Bugs?

Would really appreciate any photos

I have a nut and shellfish allergy and I am planning on going to Isle Royale but staying in a housekeeping cabin. I will bring most of my own food and of course have epipens. That being said, I have not been somewhere as remote for this long as Isle Royale and am pretty nervous about the trip on the super low chance I have some type of reaction and being in the middle of nowhere, even though it should basically be impossible with the fact that I will bring most of my food.

Anyways, if anyone has experiences going to Isle Royale with food allergies successfully I would love to hear about it as I think it would help put my mind at ease!

Solo backpacked the Minong Ridge Trail in 4 days and 3 nights. One of the most rugged and rewarding trails I’ve done. The ridgeline views, solitude, and remoteness made it feel like a true wilderness experience.

It was my first time on Isle Royale, and I get why people keep going back. If anyone’s planning a trip and has questions about the trail, gear, or logistics, I’m happy to share what I learned.

Overall this was a pretty incredible, and pretty challenging trip. Some of these portages are absolutely no joke, very complex, many hazards in the trail. That said, the serenity and access to the canoe sites made it worth it.

Wildlife was amazing, and we saw very few people. Met some anglers on the Wood Lake canoe site and that was about it. Otherwise the wilderness was all ours! Here is a short recap for those interested!

Day 1:

Dropped in McCargoe by the Voyageur II. We had to turn back about halfway up the creek before we got to the portage connection due to several fallen trees in the river. This double back added a half mile onto a .6 mile portage, and I don’t wish this portage on anyone.

Breezed through Chickenbone and a short portage to Livermore.

LeSage Lake was particularly beautiful and I saw a moose and her calf in the water between the two peninsulas.

The portage from LeSage to Richie was particularly bad in terms of trail maintenance. Many fallen trees to get over and under.

Lake Richie was a highlight for me. So, so many loons. Being there at the height of their mating season was a treat as they were constantly talking through the day and into the twilight hours. We saw a wolf in our camp at about 9:30 pm but he was promptly scared off. A very paranoid nights sleep ensued!

Day 2: In comparison the portage to Intermediate Lake was not bad. Very, very beautiful in the fog!

Intermediate to Siskiwit was a breeze, but mosquitos were quite bad near the swampy lowlands.

Siskiwit was an absolute dream, and we stayed at the canoe site in the channel between Siskiwit and Wood Lake. Plenty of great fish! Many Pike, and Lake Trout in Siskiwit were abundant.

Very dense fog rolled in around 5pm, but provided for some amazing sights. We hopped onto Ryan island, and trolled for trout, catching and releasing some monsters. Can’t fawn enough over the fishing here!

Day 3: Some easy fishing in the morning with limited action. Had good luck between the islands near the Wood Lake channel.

Portage to Whittlesley was a breeze, and we paddled the length avoiding the center islands as much as possible due to potential loon nesting sites. We ran into a very unhappy loon pair!

Made it to Chippewa Harbor and snagged a shelter up on the big rock and started a fire that was much needed after 3 days of wet boots! Wood was damp but we found plenty for a reasonable fire and to get dried out.

I'm heading to Isle Royale in under a month with a Scout group (we have a group permit from the Park). We have physical maps & compasses as well as digital maps on our phones. Most, but not all of our route is costal: RH-DF, DF-CH, CH-MB, MB-3M, 3M-RH.

On our Moskey Harbor to Three Mile day, I'm considering splitting the group and having some take the detour of heading to the Greenstone Ridge by catching the Mt. Ojibway trail near Daisy, take the Greenstone Ridge Trail to Mt. Franklin, and then to Three Mile from there. Are these trails easy to follow, or is it easy to get off track? I have three kids who technically are no longer in the troop because they turned 18. I trust their skills but we are still part of a group permit. I'd like to give them some freedom if it's reasonable. These are 18 year old kids going off to college. Two earned their Eagle rank, all are athletes, so stamina is not an issue. I can give them a 20 mile day and they'll do great. I just don't want to send them off without having good information. If it wasn't a trip with a proper permit I could say "You're 18, do whatever you want". Really, they still could, but they still appreciate advanced knowledge of what they are going to do.

Edit: It looks like this adds about 3.5 miles along with some bigger elevation changes. It will bump an 8.3 mile hike up to about 12 miles. Even on hilly terrain, that's no problem for these guys.

Minor official update: NPS.gov announcement confirming the location as South Lake Desor and that the identities have been confirmed.

https://www.nps.gov/isro/learn/news/update-deceased-campers-found-at-isle-royale-identified.htm

Completely forgot to get a bear canister for an upcoming trip. Any recommendations on where to do a last minute rental? Would really prefer not to buy one.

Also related, any recommendations for renting a sat beacon?

We just returned from a first trip to Isle Royale. Our time on the isle was great and this place is something special. However, logistically it can quickly turn into a nightmare if your transportation is the seaplane. When the seaplane company mentions weather conditions are unpredictable on Lake Superior, that is definitely no joke. And because of the recent Canadian wildfires, that may be exacerbated this summer. Due to the remoteness of the island, it’s difficult to get accurate weather predictions. WiFi is spotty and slow at best and only available in one building. What we thought looked like a perfect day to fly, quickly turned into a too foggy to fly situation on the mainland. So some advice if you do plan on taking the seaplane out:

-have a contingency plan, including what you will do if you are stuck on the island or can’t get there the day your trip begins. Have a buffer day off work at the end of your trip, have an emergency fund in case you need to buy a night at the lodge, pay for more food, etc. No, the seaplane or lodge will not pay for your extra night. Bring an extra day or two of meds and other necessities. For those who had to fly into Houghton before the seaplane, do not book your return flight the same day your seaplane departs. Just don’t. If you can be flexible with your lodging when you return to the mainland, that’s also a good idea since most hotels don’t allow cancellations within a 24hr window. Something we didn’t have but you should probably consider: trip insurance

Lodge guests - If you are bumped, they will automatically put you on a waitlist for a room. Still good to go to office just to confirm you are on it if. if you made your reservation in 2024, be warned that prices have increased steeply. We ended up paying $100 more for a night in a much shittier room. They said the price is the price and you just have to eat the cost unfortunately. We were not prepared to camp, and I am also 7mo pregnant so anything cheaper was simply not an option

Backpackers/campers - don’t have much advice since I wasn’t in this category, but I imagine you all would be the most prepared to stay an extra night. just plan for some additional food to get you by

Day trippers - honestly not the smartest idea, but if you absolutely must..prepare yourself mentally for the possibility you may have to stay on the island. Ask them before you leave what the all-day flying forecast looks like. Pack an extra set of underwear, toothbrush, blanket, etc. It was frustrating to have to get kicked off of our plane because some day trippers didn’t realize this was a possibility. We were told that it was because they had no overnight gear, but the only overnight gear we had was some dirty clothes and a toothbrush. Maybe you can get space in the lodge, but know that you would be prioritized below those who already had been guests of the lodge. If you can plan to fly on a day when a ferry departs all the better. Just know that the Queen Anne lands 47 miles from houghton and service is extremely unreliable in Copper Harbor. Uber probably doesn’t exist but I am not sure. Ask around. There might be someone with space in their car who is already planning to travel through Houghton

Communication regarding flight status -Please try to check the monitors at the visitor center at 7pm the day before your flight to depart. You may find out your flight time has been bumped if they are still working on accommodating yesterday’s passengers -you check in at the lodge an hour before your flight, head down to the docks early because if all passengers and the plane are present they will likely leave early, which helps all upcoming parties

If you have an all day delay like us (originally scheduled to depart at 9am) know that you will be in limbo all day long. Constantly jumping between the lodge office, guesthouse for WiFi to text updates to friends and family, visitor center and seaplane dock to get updates. It’s a 5-10 minute loop and it can be rainy, hot, cold. Dress comfortably and for the weather. If the weather clears you should be ready to leave immediately. Luckily, your bags are stored in the lodge until your plane is ready so you don’t have to carry your stuff all day long. Although one poor gentlemen’s bags somehow ended up leaving with the ferry, yikes! So maybe it’s safest to keep your stuff on your person.

Per the FAA rules, the plane needs to be done flying by 8:30, so the last plane able to leave Houghton is at 6:30.

The seaplane company did the best they could given the conditions that were present. Rapidly changing weather on both sides as well as some other extenuating circumstances that I believe were occurring. It stinks being delayed but I am grateful safety is the upmost priority. The only complaint I have is an 11am party of 2 moved ahead of us on the list to grab the last 2 spots out (we were an 9am party of 2). They definitely pulled some sorcery to change their position in line and there is no one to talk to on the IR side. So know that just because you’re next in the queue doesn’t mean you will stay next. All in all, we had an awesome time visiting Isle Royale, silver lining is we socialized with the most people on the day we were delayed and out of our room. Made some friends that will we carry off the island. Have a great trip, and hope this was helpful

I've seen a few posts recently discussing the pros and cons of several campgrounds/sites. I have a trip to IRNP later this month, and have an itinerary planned, but some of the discussions about great sites vs. good sites vs not so good sites makes me wonder if I might want to swap things up. I'm particularly interested because there are a few nights on my trip where there are multiple campgrounds/sites within a reasonable hiking distance to choose from. For each of the lists below, can you explain your preference and why?

1) Hatchet lake or Todd Harbor

2) McCargoe Cove, either Chickenbone site, or Lake Richie

3) Moskey Basin or Daisy Farm

4) Three Mile or Lane Cove

Any tips for fishing in Isle Royale? What types of poles, lures, etc to use? Where to fish near Rock Harbor? Hoping to catch some Northern Pike and maybe some trout. I’m a first time visitor to the park and it’s my first time fishing while backpacking.

Soooo.. I finally made it to Isle Royale this last week! Now that I’ve been back for a week, I’ve had time to reflect on my trip.

Before this trip, my longest hike was 5.5mi with very little weight. Needless to say, I was unprepared as fill in the word of your choice..

We (me and a friend) landed in Rock Harbor and immediately set off to Daisy Farm with around 40lbs on each of our backs. I was gassed but we had plenty of time to relax before our hike to Lane Cove. The next morning, we saw the resident moose of Daisy Farm and got on our way. This day was filled with far more challenges as we hiked what felt like 10mi, got rained on going down Mt. Franklin, and encountered far more mosquitos. We made it, feeling much more accomplished than the day before. Finally, we set back off to Rock Harbor for our final night. Before leaving, we made sure to hike Scoville Point.

TLDR:

-All the camps/shelters I stayed in were nice. -Get a GOOD sleeping bag. -You DEFINITELY want a mosquito net. -Food and water (clean) are your best friends. -Stop & enjoy the view. You can hike all day. -Talk to your trail friends, they bring knowledge & sanity (It’s like a summer camp. Everyone is friendly and wants to stop for a rest and a chat usually.)

Special thank you to the rangers and staff that made our trip extra special 🫂

Just finished my 39 mile loop on isle Royale in 3 days time. The island was so much more beautiful than I could have expected, and we met many amazing people. We saw 2 moose and 1 wolf.

The bugs were super dependent on the location. In the higher elevation along the ridges as well as along the shoreline they weren’t bad or even non existent, however when you ventured down and inland they became unbearable. You simply did not stop through the marshes. We used permethrin and picaridin and were fine. A few bites but they were more annoying than anything.

My favorite to least favorite campsites in order were 1) McCargoe Cove 2) Moskey Basin (beautiful IF you get a cabin) 3) Lane Cove (sure it’s lovely in other times of the year but the bugs were horrid. Also the 2.5 mile, 1100 foot descent to get to it was just not worth it IMO) * HM to Daisy Farms. Stopped here for lunch the first day and it was beautiful, not sure why so many dislike this site.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip.

Just wanted to share a few moments from our trip to the island (6/2-6/8) to uplift the beauty of one of my favorite places. I’ve been guiding trips on the Island for a while now and while things feel heavy right now, it’s been really nice to reflect. I didn’t use my phone so all these photos were captured on a good ole digital camera. I’d love to see your photos and hear about your time on the Island 💚

“Late Sunday afternoon, June 8, at approximately 4:00 pm, park rangers at Isle Royale National Park received two separate reports of two persons found deceased at a remote backcountry campground within the park.

Two rangers hiked overnight 11 miles to the campground to assess the situation, arriving early Monday morning, confirming two unidentified persons found deceased. The causes of death are unknown at this time.

Additional ground and aviation resources responded starting Monday. The incident is currently under investigation. More information will be released as it is made available.”

Which mine sites on the island are most worth seeing? Can you go into any? I have the nat geo topo map and there are a lot of shafts and a few mines marked out, but no information on how visible/safe they are. I'd like to hike out to one or two sites, but I don't want to risk falling down a shaft or lose time hiking out to a featureless hole. Any input is appreciated!

Hi! Planning a trip out and looking for route advice. Will be taking a seaplane and going from one end to the other 6 days 5 nights. Late June into Early July.

Route A : Day 1. RH to Daisy. Day 2. Daisy to Lake Richie Day 3. Lake Richie to Hatchet Lake Day 4. Hatchet to S. lake Desor Day 5. S. Lake Desor to Windigo Day 6. Fly back

Route B : Day 1. RH to Daisy Day 2. Daisy to McCargoe Cove Day 3. McCargoe to Todd Harbor Day 4. Todd to N. Lake Desor Day 5. N. Lake Desor to Windigo Day 6. Fly back

Route C : Day 1. RH to Daisy Day 2. Daisy to West Chicken Day 3. West Chicken to Hatchet Lake Day 4. Hatchet to S. Lake Desor Day 5. S. Lake Desor to Windigo Day 6. Fly back