10 things I love about Isle Royale National Park

January 28, 2020

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Isle Royale National Park is one of the least visited national parks, but also one of the most re-visited. It has a rugged beauty to it, and a feeling of isolation that is hard to find elsewhere. It works its way into your soul and calls you back for another visit.

The park is an island (an archipelago, really) in Lake Superior. It’s part of Michigan, though closer to Minnesota. I spent two weeks on the island, doing an end-to-end loop hike. I went from Rock Harbor to Windigo on the Minong Trail, and returned from Windigo to Rock Harbor on the Greenstone Trail.

10 things I love about Isle Royale

1. Remote

It’s remote! Isle Royale gets fewer visitors in a year than Yellowstone gets in a day. But it also gets a lot of return visitors – it draws you back. While you will see people, it’s not crowded the way some trails are.

2. Beauty

There is a rugged wildness to Isle Royale. The jagged rocks, the colored lichen, the green of the trees against the shimmering blue of Lake Superior – it has a beauty you can feel in your soul.

3. Sunrises

I’m not a morning person, but I don’t miss a sunrise on Isle Royale. The colors are intense, and you can see the sun bring the trees to life.

4. Sunsets

I don’t miss a sunset on Isle Royale, either! Some of the most beautiful sunsets of my life have been on the island.

5. Shelters

When I’m backpacking, I’m generally staying in a tent. Isle Royale has shelters – three walls with a screened-in front. It feels luxurious! You can escape the bugs while still enjoying nature. And some of them have AMAZING views!

6. Moose

Coming across a moose on the trail is exhilarating. You can watch them graze, and wade through the water. I once had one wandering around my campsite all night long, feeding!

7. Wolves

The long, sad howl of a wolf will send shivers down your spine. Isle Royale is the only place I’ve ever heard that.

8. Wildflowers

Ladies slippers, lilies, irises, and more – flowers are everywhere on Isle Royale. And of course there are the daisies at Daisy Farm, and the blooms of the thimbleberry!

9. Thimbleberries

I’ve never seen this fruit anywhere else. A bit like a cross between a cranberry and a raspberry, I love this tart fruit. It’s perfect during a long day on the trail!

10. Choices

There are so many different routes to take. For a few days or a few weeks, you can create a route to fit your timeline. You can decide how many miles you want to do in a day and create a route around that.