Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Isle Royale

Anybody been? Worth the trip?

Yes, No, not unless by boat. Good native Lake Trout fishing out there. If you are a backpacker, it’s okay. Nothing interesting to see IMO except woods and rocks and moose. Wolves are gone mostly. A few lakes.

Went way back in 2006. Took the Ranger out of Houghton, had a rough ride with heavy seas. I was down below b.s.ing with a couple guys and went "upstairs" to check things out. Lots of sick passengers tossing their cookies, it caught me by surprise however...I thought it was well worth it. Backpacked from Rock Harbor to Moskey Basin with some side trips included. Only saw one moose, well that and the fox at Daisy Farm that stole my spoon when I left my campsite. Want to go back and have talked about going on a friend's sailboat and seeing the west side of the island but work and family obligations have not allowed that trip to happen.

It's a unique place.
It's great if you enjoy secluded hiking or kayaking. Sucks if you expect to drive around and look out a window.

Went there as a kid with the folks. Then it was just a walk in the woods that a kid could have done in any northern National park. Buddies tell me that the thing to do is tuck in behind the ferry with your own boat, camp and get after the big lake trout and the northern pike in closer to shore.

Decades ago, so I'm not sure how relevant my experience is today. We went hardcore - Windigo to Rock Harbor (end to end), mostly on the Minong Ridge which is the path less traveled. All up about 75 miles worth.

Its been decades for me too. Used to go with friends and take canoes. We would fish lake trout in a lake on the island. They had some shelters in a campground that we could stay at. There were very few people around then. I don't know what it is like now. Probably a lot busier. Lake Superior is always cold so the temperature on the island varies a lot depending on which way and how much the wind is blowing. Great scenery. It is only about 25 miles across the lake from Grand Portage if you go from Minnesota.


Jerry

Thanks. Looks like the charters are full on the dates we could make it. Rats.

I’ve boated out twice—good laker fishing but no better than Vien and Salter,Simpson or St Ignace.
I’ve never been to Superior Shoal or Stannard Rock although I know guys who have—would love to go but that’s a long boat ride.

15 miles from The hole in the wall (Grand Portage) to McGinty Cove.
It's a good day's paddle in a sea kayak.
Taking your own boat or kayak can mean staying on the island for a extended period of time because of weather.

It'd be a cool trip in a sea kayak. Bucket list material.

I checked that one off. Both ferried out and back and open crossing. Two complete circumnavigations.
The next one I want to check off is complete circumnavigation of Lake Superior. Nice way to spend a summer.

Outstanding.

We were far enough into a backpacking trip on the island to be half-starved and staring into the campfire when a big pleasure boat pulled into a nearby harbor. Soon we could smell steaks cooking on the grill and hear the 'pop' of beers opening. We would have died of hypothermia, but the thought of swimming to the boat with knives clenched in our teeth might have been worth it.

My Grandpa used to run a passenger charter there from Copper Harbor... million years ago... Dad told lots of stories... half a million years ago. Still, I'd love to see it someday.

My comment does not exactly pertain to your question, but been there done that in the mid 70's. Me and a buddy drove my Dodge Challenger from the Detroit Suburbs straight through to the Keweenah Peninsula and chartered a de Havilland Beaver Float Plane out of Copper Harbor to Isle Royale ( out first time in an airplane) and hiked the length of Isle Royale. That year they warned of heavy Moose tape worm infestation so drinking water had to be boiled. Beavers had damned many streams and several trails were flooded and so we had to detour more than planned. Packed a spinning rod but we lost time on the trails and didn't fish. One of my regrets... A Kelty Pack carrying too much gear and gen one dehydrated food got me through the hike and camps. If I only knew then what I know now...
One of many good memories...

Been there twice. Both times we rented canoes and portaged them to the inland lakes. Amazing fishing, lots of mosquitos, sounds of wolves at night, and close encounters with quite a few moose.

I am not big on backpacking just to backpack. Hence renting the canoes and fishing, with a little bit of backpacking in between if necessary.

Taken the barf barge once and float plane the other time. Would definitely choose float plane if I go again.

Great trips.