At first, we pronounced the Royale in Isle Royale like two first names – Roy + Al. But, despite the spelling, the actual pronunciation is royal, like the Royal Family. Now that that’s out of the way, the hard work to actually get to Isle Royale can begin. And it ain’t easy.
We visited Isle Royale in July 2018
Getting There
With Isle Royale sitting pretty much in the middle of Lake Superior, you can only get there via ferry or a seaplane. Depending on where you want to land, there are a few different ferry options. We reserved a cabin for the family in Rock Harbor for two nights. So we drove to Copper Harbor on the far northern end of Michigan’s upper peninsula to catch the 3+ hour Isle Royale Queen ferry. Another option is to ferry from Grand Portage, Minnesota, but that would drop you at the other end of the island at Windigo. Regardless, our home for the next two days was a quaint “housekeeping cottage” in the woods between the landing at Rock Harbor and Tobin Harbor (where the seaplanes land). Strangely, there is no housekeeping service in the housekeeping cottage, be we knew this going in, so no big deal. There’s a lodge at Rock Harbor which is where most people stayed, but the cabins were a better option for our family – the kids each got their own beds. If you go to Isle Royale, reserve your lodging and ferry well in advance as there’s not a lot. And be sure to stay at least 2 nights or you’ll be rushed or miss out on some good adventures.
Getting Around
Rock Harbor
After stepping off the ferry in Rock Harbor, it’s pretty clear that it is not a modern transportation hub. No roads or cars, just trails and lots of opportunities to put some miles on your hiking shoes. They recommend that shortly after you land, you get reservations on any excursions that you want in the area. They have several and they fill up quickly once the ferry lands. Other than the handful of hikes directly from Rock Harbor, you’ll need to take a semi-organized trip on the boat (MV Sandy) to your destination. Our first outing was a short trip across the harbor to Cranberry Island. Not strenuous by any means, but this was a good way to see the magnificent shorelines and the enormity of Lake Superior. Make sure you stay to the path as it’s very mushy/boggy if you venture away.
We took two good hikes from Rock Harbor during our stay. The Suzy’s Cave trail winds through the forest then along the shore, taking you by a neat sea arch and then a peaceful return along secluded Tobin Harbor which has calmer waters and is good for kayaking. It was a little chilly when we were there, but it looked ideal. We did see some moose tracks in the mud, but no actual moose or any other wildlife. We really enjoyed the hike to Scoville Point. It was an easy 4 miles, including history/geology signage as well as lots of interesting flowers. It all leads to an elevated point, sitting 30 feet above the waves hitting the rocks below. It was a spectacular day, with just enough clouds to make for a magnificent view.
Rocks and
Flowers and
Lighthouses
Isle Royale is truly unique. It’s not just that it’s so remote and hard to get to, but many of the things we saw, we’d never or rarely seen before in our National Park travels. Acadia has a rocky shoreline, but the angles at Isle Royale are especially cool as they tilt into the water from prehistoric years of geologic activity. The park is about 70 miles long with the Greenstone Ridge Trail running along the main spine of the island. All along the trail are primitive campsites for backpackers. And we saw several groups that had hiked for days from one end of the island (Windigo) to the other (Rock Harbor). I’m sure the views are breathtaking. Maybe in our younger days, this would have been a viable option for us. As we hiked around Rock Harbor, we saw a lot of dramatic flora, certainly nothing like our San Diego desert landscapes. Lots of oranges and purples in interesting shapes and sizes. I’m sure it’s heaven for botanists. Back to the rocks – the whole area seems like a shipwreck mecca. Which I guess explains the lighthouses around the park. And if a park has a lighthouse (Acadia, Biscayne, Dry Tortugas, and Isle Royale that I know of), we always seek out a photo op. Touring the Rock Harbor Lighthouse was a highlight.
Wolf-Moose
Study
On our tour to visit the Edisen Fishery and the Rock Harbor Lighthouse, we were able to hike to the Bangsund Cabin where scientists continue to study the relationship between Isle Royale’s moose and wolves. It’s a small cabin in the woods and during the summer, the hosts will answer questions from visitors and you can walk through the premises, see literally hundreds of moose racks (they shed them annually), and learn about the history of the study. On our visit, they also had some wonderful homemade bread and jam. Anyway, years ago, Lake Superior froze over enough to form an ice bridge that wolves were able to get to Isle Royale and live with the moose population there. Over time, the respective populations varied up and down due to weather, genetics, and of course, the wolves eating the moose. Since 1958, researchers have studied various aspects of both species in a unique and controlled environment. Now, the Wolf-Moose Study at Isle Royale is the longest continuous running predator-prey study in the world. Bne of the best sunrises in the park. Don’t miss it. And did I mention, they had fresh homemade bread and jam. Delicious. To learn more, go to https://isleroyalewolf.org/overview/overview/at_a_glance.html
A trip to Isle Royale is a cool wilderness adventure. If you’re into longer backpack hikes, this would be a fantastic place. Even so, this is a fun and educational 3 day trip to explore in relative solitude. Set your expectations accordingly, plan ahead, and have a great trip.
