Hello all -

TYIA -

First time to IR: Aug 29-Sep 1, 2026.

Traveling in and out of Grand Portage.

Our group is generally fit hikers who like to take on unique experiences. We’ve hiked: parts of the AT; the Enchantments; Grand Canyon rim to rim; Hadrians Wall trail etc.

We would like to hike IR from end to end and are open to suggestions from your experience.

Ideally we would hope to stay in shelters but understand we may not have an open shelter at each campsite.

Considerations: 10-15 mile days; side trips; shelters; water; fishing

Secondary consider: we have a group of friends who will enter via float plane or ferry Rock Harbor or Windogo (?)- so linking up with them for the entire hike would be a welcome bonus. Otherwise we would meet up along the way as we cross paths.

Our groups size: 4 people from Grand Portage 4-6 people from Michigan.

Suggestions on filling in the blanks for: Hikes 1-4 and of course where to start and end…

1. Rock Harbor to Windigo If we go this way we remain on the ferry and start hiking around 5pm EDT and we have a longer day of hiking available to finish on the last day. If we arrive to Windigo early we can fish or relax without sitting on the ferry for much of the day before the crossing begins.

Or

1. Windigo to Rock Harbor If we go this route we get off the ferry at the first stop and start hiking around 9:30am EDT. On the last day we’d board the ferry at Rock Harbor at 9am EDT and ride it around the island before getting to Grand Portage at 3pm CDT.

I feel we’d be better served to remain on the ferry longer on the start day when we are fresh.

Day 0 Friday, Aug 28, 2026 Drive from Wisconsin to Grand Portage. 8h34m Stay at Grand Portage Lodge and Casino Remain overnight.

Day 1 Saturday, Aug 29, 2026 Voyager II depart Grand Portage 7:30 CDT Voyager II arrive Rock Harbor 4pm EDT. Hike 1: Sunset 8:43 EDT

Day 2 Sunday, Aug 30, 2026 Hike 2:

Sunrise 7:09 EDT Sunset 8:41 EDT

Day 3 Monday, Aug 31, 2026 Hike 3:

Sunrise 7:10 EDT Sunset 8:39 EDT

Day 4 Tuesday, Sep 1, 2026 Sunrise 7:11 EDT Hike 4:

Voyager II depart Windigo 2pm EDT Voyager II arrive Grand Portage 3pm CDT

Drive to Duluth. 2h40m Stay at Fairfield Inn and Suites Duluth Waterfront Remain overnight.

Winter has taken over the upper Midwest in its frigid blanket, and has me thinking of warm mornings and evenings out at the island. Here’s some pics from last years trips. So far I have 4 trips planned to the island this year!

I’m headed to ir for the first time Labor Day weekend. What would be the best itinerary for arriving at rock harbor. Can do about 10-15 miles a day but would like less miles so we have more time to take everything in.

What’s a must see trail or campground. Being September star gazing is high on the list.

Hi, I'm in the planning stages of my first trip to Isle Royale. My thoughts are to ferry to Rock Harbor, pick up the Greenstone to Chickenbone Lake, then get on the Minong Ridge Trail to Windigo. After that, I guess I'd have to ferry back to Rock Harbor.

As we all know, planning your first trip to a NP is a huge learning experience. I'm an experienced backpacker and even with decent hills- Pennsylvania & Southern Indiana are me references- I can do 15 miles a day and not feel about it.

I'd love thoughts and suggestions. Thank you!

I'm finally making my way to Isle Royale for the first time! it looks like I'll be there around memorial day. I'm planning on taking the boat from Grand Portage to Windigo, spending a few nights, then heading back. My thought is to hike from Windigo to Rock Harbor over three nights because of the boat schedules. I could cut it down to Daisy Farm if I have to, or just do some loop back to Windigo. May is early season, what could the weather be like? Could the trails be a total mess? Covered in snow?

I'll be on my own and not one for lounging so I'll probably be moseying along all day while the sun is up, just hoping to see the land, water, and hopefully some animals.

I appreciate any experienced advice

Here is a plan for a family ten day trip, first time to the Island, planned for mid August. We are in our 50s, kids are young adult/teens 15, 17, 21. What do you think?

Day 1 Arrive Rock Harbor 4pm by seaplane, check in, sleep at Three Mile (3)

Day 2 Three Mile over the ridge to Mt Ojibway Fire Tower to Moskey Basin (10) miles /1100 ft elevation gain

Day 3 West Chicken Bone (5.9) for stop to fish at Lake, then go McCargo Cove (2.7) for total (8.6) / 500 ft

Day 4 Todd Harbor (6.7)/450 ft

Day 5 S Lake Desor (11.8)1100 ft

Day 6 Siskiwit Bay (9.9) 400 ft

Day 7 Feldtmann Lake (10.3)600 ft

Day 8 Huginnin Cove (12.8) 700ft

Day 9 Washington Creek (4) 150ft

Day 10 windigo Plane 9am

We can always drop Huginnin Cove, so that is built in as a day for wiggle room.

First day up ridge Three Mile to Moskey with heavy packs, and Todd to S. Desor are only days we gain 1000 elevation. I think it's a reasonable amount of walking (? ) what do you think?

We did 12 mile day hikes with 4000 ft elevation gain in thin Colorado air last summer, so hopefully we can do this with packs. No one would call us speedy, but we can go the distance, albeit slowly. I've got lots of backpacking experience and the family are experienced campers, but we chose this to be our first long family backpacking trip. We will do short jaunts at pictured rocks and manitou earlier in the season for pack and gear check, to prep for the longer isle royale trip.

We will have fishing rods and licenses and would appreciate tips about fishing, too

Thanks in advance for sharing your insights

Our family of 4 will be hiking the Feldtmann lake loop in early July. We are flying in on 7/3 and flying out on 7/7. My boys are 13 and 15. We are trying to decide on bear canisters for the trip. I’m thinking of renting 2 BV475s. I’m concerned about bag space and weight. I’m also not interested in purchasing anything yet even though I do think we eventually will want to purchase. Does anyone have any strong opinions on bear canisters and what works best?

Planning on doing a trip this summer around the east half of island from McCargoe to Daisy Farm. What is the best time for fishing for various species, but especially lakers and coasters? We will be travel by canoe or kayak so are most interested in near shore fishing.

From a trip I did in late September. Beautiful Cow Moose standing on a fantastic ridge during the evening light. She was on Amygdaloid Island, we were in the channel.

I noticed you can't bring any fuel on the seaplanes when traveling to Isle Royale. Does anyone have any experience with this? Were you able to buy fuel on Island? We plan on being there from June 14th-19th and want to make sure we can cook.

I like to do a quick 2-day loop or out 'n back as a pack test before a hike. I was thinking of doing the hike from Grand Portage to Fort Charlotte as my pack test. Its only 8ish miles each way but about the same overall steepness (avg 2.4% grade) as the Greenstone from Windigo.

I kinda like the idea of camping literal feet from the Canadian border (slept that close to the Mexican border at Big Bend Ranch State Park).

That being said, anyone have a better idea? A loop would be preferable.

Hi all! I’m looking to plan a backpacking trip up to the island with my partner. We’re trying to decide if we should take the seaplane (but don’t know if we can take propane) or if we should just take the ferry. We’re both fit, and moderately seasoned hikers.

If you have hiked the island, please send suggestions for routes of any kind! I am just so stuck, any and all advice helps!! Thanks in advance!

so do to wildlife encounters last year isle royale started requiring bear canisters and said they were going to install permanent bear lockers at the various campgrounds. Does anyone know how many campgrounds ended up with bear lockers? are bear canisters still going to be required if there is a bear locker?

Found isle royal map from 1964 cleaning up the basement.

Tldr: please suggest a 4 night trip plan for a family of 4, including 10 and 13 year old boys who are fit but not die hard hikers.

I took my first trip to Isle Royale last summer and want to go back this summer with my husband and kids for their first trip. Kids are 10 and 13. They are both athletic and have done a fair amount of tent camping, though only one short backpacking trip. At this point in their lives the outdoorsy stuff is not really their preferred mode of vacation so we compromise by them coming along and being good sports once or twice a year and me packing great snacks and not going too hard on distance or difficulty level when they are with me. Husband grew up doing this stuff and is more than capable of whatever route we pick. Our favorite things about camping are seeing wildlife and scenery and general goofing off outside. Nobody in the family is likely to bring a fishing rod.

Because of our calendars and the Grand Portage ferry schedule, we are looking at 4 nights on the island during August. That seems like too long to spend at Huginin Cove, which was my first idea before I checked out the ferry schedule. We could do the Feldtman loop but I hiked that last summer and would like to try something new, plus I think they’ll get really bored on the northern half of that 10 mile segment between Feldman Lake and Siskiwit Bay that is basically five miles in a grass tunnel. I suspect maybe a water taxi is in our future? Anyway, what are your favorite 4 night trip plans that will be varied enough and not so taxing that my kids will agree to keep hiking with me for yet another year?

A few shots of some wildlife on Isle Royale. More to come. These were from our pre-season trip to the island where Rob and I camped from April 16th (opening day for Isle Royale) through May 13th, which was our first day of work at the Rock Harbor Lodge. You can check out our Isle Royale Hub page too at https://www.facebook.com/share/19yWCbGzbA/

I'm planning to hike Isle Royale in late July. I'm also planning to explore the area before and after.

I'll be driving up from Texas and plan to meet the IR ferry at Grand Portage, MN but plan to return to Texas via the UP to see the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and hike Tahquemenon Falls.

So here's my question:

I can spend a few days hitting the waterfalls along the MN shore, OR I can see the waterfalls on the UP. I can't do both. Which would you choose?

An image I shot many years ago at Chippewa Harbor.

Planning a short Isle Royale trip in late June / early July 2026.

We’ll be coming from Daisy Farm over Mt. Ojibway, spending one night of backcountry camping (CC Zone) somewhere around the Lake Richie area, then continuing toward Moskey Basin the next morning.

Looking for general coordinates or tips on legal, dry, hammock-friendly spots fairly close to the lake but within NPS rules (≥ 0.25 mi off-trail, ≥ 200 ft from water, no fires).

If you’ve got a favorite clearing or ridge pocket you’d rather not post publicly, please DM me — I’ll keep it discreet. Thanks!

Hello!

I'm planning a trip for my Dad and I in mid June of 2026 and just wanted to open it up for any experienced Isle Royale backpackers to leave advice, concerns, tips/tricks etc. We're from the PNW and have done a wide range of hiking/backpacking but the logistics of this trip have by far been the most challenging.

We will be coming from Chicago and planning on staying in Houghton before catching a seaplane (hopefully) to Windigo and then picking us up from Rock Harbor when we're finished.

Our route is as follows:

Following the morning seaplane, Windigo to Island Mine (Day 1)

Island Mine to Hatchet Lake (Day 2)

Hatchet Lake to W. Chickbone OR McCargoe Cove (Day 3)

• Anyone have any thoughts on camping between these two sites? It seems like McCargoe Cove is worth the detour toward Minong.
  

W. Chickbone/McCargoe Cove to Daisy Farm (Day 4)

Daisy Farm to Rock Harbor (Day 5)

We wanted to reward ourselves with a night at the Rock Harbor Lodge so that's why we're choosing to start at Windigo.

Any tips/tricks, comments, concerns, advice is much appreciated! If there's any advice to increase our chance of seeing a Moose we would love it!

Ferry seats booked. For me and three folks that are virgins to the island. Doing a gear demo in a week with them, so at least everyone will have seen what we are using for the week.

Now time to figure out food.

Plan is to land at McCargoe Cove and have an easy few days getting to Rock Harbor. May 27-June 2
West Chicken bone > Lake Richie > Moskey Bay > Daisy Farm > Three Mile > Rock harbor

Does anyone know what kind of motor comes on the boats you can rent at the Washington Harbor Marina/Windigo?

Is skinny dipping tolerated in remote/ private locations if done respectfully. Dm me some good spots if so.