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Isle Royale end-to-end loop hike part 4 – Minong Ridge & Minong Mine

In this 4th post on my Isle Royale end-to-end backpacking trip, I head out from McCargoe Cove on the Minong Ridge Trail, and make a stop at the Minong Mine.

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Morning in McCargoe Cove

I was up before the sun at McCargoe Cove and went down to the water, hoping to see a moose. There were no moose, but I caught the stunning colors of an amazing sunrise.

The water was completely still, holding a mirror image of each tree on the shoreline. The sky was streaked with pink and purple, and there was no one else around. I saw a turtle on a log and wondered if it was the same one from the night before, resting from her efforts.

I hit the trail around 7:45. As I left McCargoe Cove, I greeted two women having breakfast outside their shelter. There was no one else around.

Minong Mine on Isle Royale

Just a short way from McCargoe Cove was the Trail to the Minong Mine. In 1875, there were 50 men employed by the mining company. The deposits were dwindling by 1879, and the mine work ended by 1885, according to Jim Dufresne’s Isle Royale guidebook.

I ditched my pack at the cutoff, not wanting to carry it down and back up again, and went with just my cameras and my Garmin InReach satellite communicator (I was hiking alone, after all.)

The Minong Mine was definitely worth the side trip! There is a section of mine that has a steep trail down into it, like a cave. One side was very dark and filled with water, but the section straight ahead from where I entered had an old set of tracks that led out a short opening on the opposite side.

The mine area used to have a railroad and a wagon road that led down to the ore dock. There was also a blacksmith shop. You can still see large piles of “poor rock”, the waste rock piles left behind.

On the Minong Ridge Trail

After exploring the mine, I headed back to the main trail. The trail changed regularly from open, rocky ridge to shady forest. I loved the changes and variation.

The ridges had amazing views and the sky was a perfect blue. I felt like I was the only person in the world, and I LOVED it!

Eventually the trail became just forest – no more ridges. This was much easier on my feet, which had been hurting since day one. (I discovered later – after returning from Isle Royale – it was my boots.)

I had read that I would cross a creek, and from the creek it was only 1.5 miles to Todd Harbor. Reaching the creek sooner than expected, I decided I could make it to Todd Harbor for lunch.

I was wrong about the distance, though, and had farther than a mile and a half to go. That story, and my eventual arrival at Todd Harbor, will be in a later post!

Next: Isle Royale part 5 – On the Minong Ridge to Todd Harbor

Missed the beginning of the series? Read Isle Royale part 1: Planning & Training