Photo: William Wadas, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Isle Royale National Park
Lake Superior island; ferries from Houghton, Copper Harbor and Grand Portage · Houghton, MI
Why you should go…
Isle Royale is a remote island wilderness in Lake Superior, 45 miles long and surrounded by about 400 smaller islands. You arrive by ferry from Houghton, Copper Harbor or Grand Portage, or by seaplane from Hubbell, and then travel on foot or by water, since there are no roads and wheeled vehicles are not allowed. About 165 miles of trails cross the island, including the 40-mile Greenstone Ridge Trail. Moose and wolves both live here, and pets are not permitted.
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Good to know
General sport & outdoor guidance
Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.
Weather calls the shots
Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.
Shoes, water, sun cover
The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.
Parking and launches fill early
On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.
Daylight shrinks in shoulder season
Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.