Isle Royale - Helpful Area Information
Isle Royale National Park has a fine Houghton Visitor Center and Shop. (906) 482-0984.
By the dock of the imposing Ranger III, the Visitor Center in downtown Houghton accommodates both a bookstore and a year-round staffed information center. There park rangers with detailed maps can answer prospective visitor questions and provide some advice. The adjoining shop offers a tightly focused selection of books, maps, DVDs, and posters either about Isle Royale or about subjects pertaining to it, such as wolves, moose, nature field guides, Native American culture and Keweenaw history. Mail orders are welcome; call (800) 678-6925 or e-mail: irnha@irnha.org.
By the dock at 800 E. Lakeshore. From Shelden Ave./U.S. 41, look for signs, turn north just before entering downtown at the tall Magnuson Franklin Square Inn. From June 4 thru late August: open Mon-Sat 8-6 including holidays. For the rest of the year, open Mon-Fri 8-4:30. Closed holidays. Wheelchair-accessible.
PLANNING AN ISLE ROYALE TRIP: Careful budgeting and advance planning are essential for prospective visitors. The round-trip fare to the island is $126 from Minnesota and $114 from Michigan for adults. Schedules change with the seasons. Make reservations several months ahead, especially if you want certain days at busy times. Advance reservations are taken starting January 1. Then there's the $4 a day user fee.
Any backpacker or paddler should get Jim DuFresne's guidebook, Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails and Water Routes ($17, 4th edition, available for a discounted $11.53 at Amazon). A brief but complete guide to the island's human and natural history and to its hiking and water trails, it's recommended and sold by the National Park Service. Jim, an experienced outdoorsman, author, and newspaper columnist, has done a new map, Isle Royale National Park: National Geographic Trails Illustrated ($12).
All prospective visitors should request or download the National Park's free 12-page tabloid annual guide, The Greenstone, published in late March or early April. You'll find it at Plan your visit along with much more useful info. It is an essential planning tool, including a large map; planning, camping, and hiking tips; current fishing and other regulations; transportation fees and schedules to the island; guidelines for leave-no-trace wilderness use; fishing regulations; and schedules of sightseeing cruises. Furthermore, The Greenstone features interesting news about park happenings, the park planning process, and Isle Royale's role in scientific and environmental research. Request a separate information sheet or the concessionaire's website for current details about the lodgings, meals, and marina services it offers.
Backpacking and paddling logistics are also complex. Several books and a video also help first-time visitors plan. The National Park Service has prepared a very helpful DVD, Exploring Isle Royale: An Island Wilderness, well worth its $22 price. It doubles as a souvenir of scenic spots.
Superior Wilderness: Isle Royale National Park by Napier Shelton (173 pp., $17) gives a good overview of island wildlife and ecosystems.
The island is open to visitors from mid April through October. However, transportation to the island is more limited. From Minnesota it's available from mid May through most of October. Scheduled transportation from Copper Harbor is currently from mid May through September. The Ranger III from Houghton takes passengers from June into early September. Boaters are allowed earlier and later. Rock Harbor Lodge is open from June 12 or so through the first week of September. Cabins open in late May and close at the same time as the lodge. National Park Service visitor programming runs from June 14 or so through Labor Day.
Be prepared for cold, wet weather, especially near Lake Superior. Stores in Houghton and Copper Harbor sell winter clothing to layer for prospective visitors who hear just how cold July can be.
HANDICAP ACCESS: A few rooms in Rock Harbor Lodge and some housekeeping units are wheelchair-accessible. The sightseeing boat M.V. Sandy, while not officially accessible, has taken people in wheelchairs. Trails are not generally handicap-accessible. Call the Isle Royale National Park for advice about individual cases.
GETTING THERE: All plans are provisional and weather-dependent. If Lake Superior is too rough, vessels to and from the mainland may miss scheduled crossings, creating backups. Hikers and paddlers should take food for more days than they anticipate spending on the island. You may want to stay longer—and you may be slowed down by bad weather. You can't count on getting a space on the next vessel back to the mainland, either.
It's again possible to take the 4-person seaplane for $290 round trip, plus $100 for inter-island stops.
About the cost of transporting your gear: the Ranger III from Houghton allows 100 pounds free, the smaller Isle Royale Queen IV from Copper Harbor 70 pounds. The Grand Portage, Minnesota boats include 40 pounds per passenger and charge $32 for each 100 pounds extra. See The Greenstone for schedule and details for transporting other boats, fuel tanks, etc. Or call or consult the park web site, nps.gov/
FARES and MORE: One of the two smaller boats from GRAND PORTAGE, MINNESOTA goes to Windigo (2 hours) and on to Rock Harbor (7 hours), offering extra transportation options for backpackers and paddlers. In season the 60-foot Voyageur II leaves three times a week and goes all the way around the island, stopping at six smaller docks. For weight charges , for both boats, check GRAND-ISLE-ROYALE.com or call (651) 653-5872 (Nov.-April) or (218) 475-0024 (May-Oct.). Its season begins in mid-May and lasts through most of October. From late September on, it's the island's only commercial transportation. Round-trip adult fares are $126 to Windigo, $150 to Rock Harbor. Children 4 through 11 are $86 to Windigo, $102 to Rock Harbor. Canoes and kayaks are $64 to Rock Harbor. For a three-hour trip, the 63-foot Wenonah makes daily round trips from early June thru mid September. Round-trip fares: $126 (adult), $86 (children 4 thru 11), children 3 and under free. Most canoes and kayaks are $32. Same-day round-trip fares are $52, or $29 for children.
From MICHIGAN to Rock Harbor there are two choices: making the 6-hour, 73-mile trip from Houghton on the U.S. National Park Service's 165-foot Ranger III or driving another 50 miles north to Copper Harbor and taking the Kilpela family's 100-foot Isle Royale Queen IV, a 3-hour voyage. (The boat is significantly bigger than the Kilpelas' earlier, 81-foot ferryboat.) Unlike the Ranger, the Queen makes a round-trip in one day, allowing for a day trip with limited sightseeing.
From Houghton, the Ranger III's Isle Royale passenger voyages begin June 1 and end September 15, leaving every Tuesday and Friday at 9 a.m., and stopping first at Mott Island before arriving at Rock Harbor. If kayakers wish, they can get off earlier. For reservations, call (906) 482-0984. Adults are charged $120 round-trip). Children 7-12 are $40 round trip. Ages 6 and under free. Both boats have lower fares in the off seasons. Check websites for group rates and for rates to carry visitors' canoes, kayaks, air tanks, and other gear. They need advance reservations.
Taking the Ranger III lets visitors see the towns of Houghton and Hancock and the western half of the Portage Waterway (not all that dramatic), before getting to open water. The big boat offers two decks for passengers, three staterooms, four lounges, a grill with hamburgers and more, handicap-accessible bathrooms, free parking, interpretive and educational programs, and onboard issuance of backcountry permits. The ship is the only one to carry boats larger than a canoe.
On the Isle Royale Queen IV from Copper Harbor, expect interesting commentary from one of the three captains, Kilpela brothers Don Junior, Ben, and John. There's a snack bar on board. Adult round-trip fares between July 15 and August 15 are $130, children 11 and under $66. Canoes and kayaks $50, $10/outboard motor. Fares are about $15 less other times. Canoes, kayaks, motors, etc. same as above. All canoes, kayaks, and excess gear must have advance reservations. $5/day parking to maximum of $20, $10/day to $40 for RVs.
FERRY SCHEDULES: Specific dates change, but seasons are stable. Check with ferry companies for boarding procedures, refund and cancellation policies, charges for taking outboard motors, and many details.
■ Isle Royale Queen IV (100') sailing schedule: Copper Harbor-Rock Harbor
Always leaves Copper Harbor 8 a.m., leaves Isle Royale 2:45 p.m. Advance reservations recommended. Call (906) 289-4437. Or see isleoyale.com
5/13 to 5/31 Mon & Fri only
6/1 to 6/11 Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat
6/12 to 6/30 Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat
7/1 to 7/31 Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun
8/1 to 8/30 Daily, one exception
9/1 to 9/4 Tues. Fri & Sat
9/5 to 9/30 Mon & Fri only
■ Ranger III (165') sailing schedule: Houghton to Rock Harbor
Always leaves Rock Harbor and National Parks Service Houghton docks at 9 a.m., leaves Isle Royale at 9.a.m.
Reservations: (906) 482-0984 or (866) 644-2003 or pasty.com/isro/nps3
6/1 to 9/11 Tues & Fri to Isle Royale
Wed & Sat from Isle Royale
■ Voyageur II (60'): Grand Portage MN to Rock Harbor via Windigo, other stops
Grand Portage-Isle Royale Transp. Company, Reserv. (888) 746-2305. Alternate phones, May into Oct: (218) 475-0024. From mid –Oct thru April: (651) 653- 5872. Or visit isle-royaleboats.com.
5/9 to 5/30 Thurs & Sun 8 a.m. Central
5/31 to 9/18 Mon, Wed & Sat 7:30 a.m. Central
9/22 to 10/13 Wed 7:30 a.m. Central
Voyageur II: Rock Harbor-Grand Portage MN
5/9 to 5/30 Thurs & Sun 8 a.m. Central
6/1 to 9/19 Tues, Thurs, Sat 8 a.m. Central
9/23 to 10/14 Thurs 8 a.m. Central
Windigo round-trip:
9/25 to 10/17 Sat & Sun 8 a.m. Central
■ Wenonah (63'): Grand Portage MN to Windigo
Contact info: see Voyageur II
6/18 to 7/10 Wed, Fri & Sat 8:30 a.m. Central
7/14 to 8/15 Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun 8:30 a.m.
8/18 to 9/4 Wed, Fri, Sat 8:30 Central
Wenonah: Windigo to Grand Portage MN
6/18 to 7/10 Wed, Fri, Sat 2 p.m. Central
7/14 to 8/15 Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun 2 p.m.
■ Seaplane to Rock Harbor, Windigo
35-minute flight on 4-passenger plane with pilot's commentary. 50 lbs gear/person. Between May 15 and mid September it leaves daily from the Houghton County Airport a few miles up U.S. 41 from Hancock. Reservations required: (877) 359-4753 or royaleairservice.com Round-trip fare: $290. Inter-island fare: $100. Children under 2 free.
SOLITUDE VERSUS CONVENIENCE: If solitude is definitely your goal, it's possible to adopt strategies to reduce the frequency of encountering other people. Get away from the main harbors to less-used trails and campgrounds. To get to more isolated campgrounds, you need to leapfrog to get started past each boat's wave of backpackers. There are only a few "on-ramps."
You can hike longer and farther than most backpackers to reach more remote areas. Consult Jim DuFresne's Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes for more tips on finding less-used places. Or ask the ranger who issues your permit. Rangers have a good idea of current use patterns.
Another way to reach less-frequented areas is to have the Voyageur II drop you off at McCargoe Cove, Malone Bay, Belle Isle, Daisy Farm, or Chippewa Harbor or points in between. (This will cost an extra $46 to $58 and will require schedule coordination.)
There's also a water taxi from Rock Harbor, which can take you and your canoe or kayak to shoreline places including campgrounds on smaller islands, subject to weather and lake conditions. Here are some sample one-way rates: one to five miles (to Caribou or Tookers Islands or Three Mile Dock), $61for one or two people, up to $77 for six. (A canoe or kayak counts as a person.) Eleven to fifteen miles (to Chippewa Harbor campgrounds), $179 for one or two, $210 for six. A much cheaper alternative is the "water bus service" that's offered in conjunction with M.V. Sandy scheduled cruises (see below and in The Greenstone). The Sandy can drop off day-hikers or backpackers at its various destinations. Fare is $16-$26 per adult depending on destinations.
You may find that the advantages of staying close to the main visitor center at Rock Harbor outweigh the attractions of solitude. The typical Isle Royale visitor is a fairly quiet nature-lover willing to forgo TV and other amenities. Staying near Rock Harbor spares you the planning logistics and physical work of carrying all your food and gear on steep trails or taxing portages. Even the nearby trails aren't crowded. Furthermore, they're the island's most varied. The Rock Harbor area is nowhere near as crowded as a summer visit to Tahquamenon Falls or Pictured Rocks.
Especially if you're over 40, you may find that sleeping in a bed is much more restful than a tent, which is why Rock Harbor's housekeeping cabins are so popular. Hotel rooms at Rock Harbor Lodge are the ultimate in convenience.
Interpretive programs are based both in Rock Harbor and Windigo. At Rock Harbor, the National Park Service's interesting free evening interperetive programs about the island's natural and human history are usually held at 8:30 or 8 p.m. from early June through Labor Day. They have never been disappointing, says one woman who visits the island yearly with her geologist husband. Occasional programs are held at Windigo, and twice-weekly programs at Daisy Farm as well. Check with the Visitor Center for times and locations.
Sightseeing cruises on the 50-passenger M.V. Sandy out of Rock Harbor ($38/half day, children half off) can show you new areas and sometimes give you the option of hiking back. You can also expand your range by renting a kayak or canoe ($57/full day), or especially a boat and motor ($76/full day).
TIPS FOR VISITING ISLE ROYALE
■ At Rock Harbor and Windigo, island stores are expensive and limited in their selection of groceries and trail food. Plan on buying your supplies on the mainland.
■ Children who aren't already experienced backpackers will enjoy Isle Royale much more if their family stays in a cabin and less hiking is expected.
■ Renting a boat and motor ($47/half day, $76/day) lets you get out to distant islands, a real plus for visitors interested in geology and botany. (Browsing by moose reduces the number of plant species on the main island.) Canoe rentals are $39 a day, but a canoe won't take you as far.
■ No pets are allowed within park boundaries, which extend 4 ½ miles out into Lake Superior. Pets have introduced disease to wolves. Special arrangements can be made for seeing-eye dogs.
■ Mountain bikes or wheeled portage devices are not permitted in this designated wilderness.
■ Isle Royale is a damp, misty place. The fog is beautiful. Come prepared for rain. Get beyond the limitations of a fair-weather mentality.
■ Don't overdo it! Isle Royale backpackers commonly overestimate the number of miles they can hike in a day. Five miles a day over Isle Royale's rugged terrain is plenty of exercise even for hikers not packing gear and food.
■ Come prepared for insects, though they're not necessarily as bad as you might expect. "The bugs we've found annoying are the stable flies on rocks by the shore," says a frequent visitor in late July. Gaiters to keep stable flies away from your ankles are a good investment. On trails through bogs like Raspberry Island, mosquitoes can be fierce.
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