Was anyone else in the campground last night and hear all the commotion? It was kind of frightening and we’re wondering if anyone knows what was going on.

The Keweenaw County medical examiner said murder-suicide is the suspected cause of death for two campers found in South Lake Desor Campground on June 8. An official cause and manner is pending results of the ongoing investigation.

I love Isle Royale, it's been my "happy place" for years. But I have to start accepting the inevitable: my aging body isn't up to the stress of carrying a heavy weight on my back. I'm exploring ultra-light options and water taxi, but the day is coming when I won't be able to do it any more.

What I love about the island is the solitude in nature. Can anyone suggest other locations that offer that, but are a bit more accessible? Somewhere with trees, water, and NO PEOPLE. 🙂

Prepping for my first backpacking trip (and first time ever to IR) and I’m only able to fit like 2/3 of my food in the bear canister. The packaging on these dehydrated meals take up a lot of space! The canister is meant to hold 4-5 days worth of food, which is the length of my trip.

My plan was to bring a dehydrated meal dinner for day 1 after making it to camp, 3 per day for the 3 full days, then one for my final day (hoping to to get lunch at the lodge). There are about 3 of these things I cannot fit in the canister. Also planning to bring about 10 clif bars, which obviously won’t fit at all either.

Is it a big deal if I can’t fit everything in there? What other options do I have?

Bonus question: will a 4oz fuel canister be enough for all the meals + coffee in the morning? Prelim research on that indicates I’ll be cutting it close… (I’m using a Fire Maple Fixed Star X1)

Can anyone tell me what the water situation is like on the island? I am staying in the east and at some of the more popular campsites. From what I understand there is no potable water beyond the lodge and I will have to purify my own water. Any recommendations on consumption/ water purification needs and requirements. Thanks

My goal is obviously to get a shelter but know it's not always possible. I know it's site-dependent of course, (less odds of getting a shelter at the more popular ones) but how often would you say you haven't gotten a shelter and needed your tent?

I have two tents and trying to decide between them. If I'm mainly bringing just an emergency/backup tent, I have my Eureka Solitare at 3 lb 3oz, but if I will need to use it more often than not, I'd prefer my Marmot Tungsten 2P at 5 lb 12 oz. Thoughts?

Posted this last year but given its length, updated and reposted here. What are your tier lists? What am I wrong about here?

(UPDATED 2025) The Isle Royale Campground Tier List. I've visited every terrestrial campground for your edification!

S Tier:

• Chippewa Harbor. This is a difficult site to get to for hikers, but is worth the trip. Positioned on the top of a bluff, a few shelters and a steep rocky grade go down to a concrete dock with a picnic table. Cliffs on the other side of the harbor, the calm waters at night, and the dark green brushstrokes of pines lining the harbor make this one of the best sights on Isle Royale. I like to think of this as an upgraded McCargoe Cove. At night, the stillness of the harbor combined with clear skies can make the most of Isle Royale's Dark Sky Park status: the streak of the Milky Way meets the water perfectly and can be reflected nearly under your feet. Breathtaking stuff. My word of caution here is this seems like a prime place for dayboaters to post up and ruin the vibe.
• Siskiwit Bay. This is down by Ozaagaateng in the "Feldtmann Loop" I love this campground because of the seclusion, some of the things that make Moskey nice, and the fact that the beach looks like the surface of Mars. The hike from Feldtmann lets you visit the coolest lookout tower on ISRO as well.

A Tier:

• Washington Creek (Ozaagaateng). Make some time to spend a little time here at the end of your trip, especially if you're coming in late July/August. The swimming off the dock is great, having the store after a long trip can be refreshing, and the moose will graze in Washington Creek right outside the shelters. There are water spigots and hot showers, and (mostly) none of the same volume of annoying tourist stuff that is going on in Rock Harbor. Washington Creek changes direction of flow throughout the day and it makes a very cool wooshing noise. Don't feed the foxes.
• Moskey Basin. The views are incredible, the shelters are amazingly positioned, the sunrises are spectacular. The campground is so nice it makes up for its drawback, which is that it is boater-accessible and you occasionally get folks right off the cover of Yokel Sisterfucker magazine blaring music and smashing Twisted Tea. This will be a recurring theme for places to avoid on Isle Royale, but Moskey is great enough to make up for that. In 2025, it was cold and we caught some nasty wind off of Lake Superior that made the stay not so great. Only one of the tent sites has suitable wind blocking, so that is a big downside if you catch Moskey Basin on the wrong day.
• Malone Bay. This is another hard-to-reach site, but if you're an Isle Royale multi-tripper, its a must-visit. This place is like how I wish Rock Harbor felt: a demure ranger station and trail maintenance outpost, with a nice dock and dispersed facilities that give you a sense of inclusion with nature. There are several beaches that are great for lounging, the mouth of the little river from Sisikiwit Lake and its cedar grove around it is pretty, and the Rock Harbor light is at the mouth of the bay, blinking in the distance at night.
• McCargoe Cove. I struggle with this one being A or B. Its popularity makes it a place that groups like to gather and do a "Zero Day," and there is dock access for boaters. The cove is pretty, and it is nice place to resupply. The shelters are kind of far back without much of a view, and you gotta go down to the dock. The loons do mating rituals here which are cool to see. However, I feel like Daisy Farm and this place are linked in spirit, and Daisy Farm is a terrible place. So McCargoe executes "popular but still worth it" very well.
• N. Lake Desor. Isolated and on the Minong, but if it is seclusion you're looking for, this is the most secluded on the island. Breathtaking views of Lake Desor (my favorite lake on the Island), (somewhat) virgin forest running up to the water's edge, two nice islands in the middle of the lake (that I like to call the Cradle of the Moose God). No shelters or group sites, so you only have one outhouse. The hike out of here sucks because it is an unavoidable and difficult 12.6 miler down to Ozaagaateng.
• Little Todd Harbor. The superior of the two Todds, which matters, because when hiking the Minong, you have a choice of which to stay at, and if you're sane, you'll stop at one of them. The shoreline here is incredible and the views looking NE on the shoreline are stunning. You really get a sense of how secluded on a remote island you are. The campsites are not amazing, and there is some wind off of Lake Superior, but the views compensate for it. You won't get the same picturesque sunset as Todd Harbor, and you might miss the shallow, warm water of Todd Harbor, but this one is where I'll go if hiking the Minong again.

B Tier:

• Feldtmann Lake. Long grass, few people, and shelters nestled between the woods and open field near a lake, and a path to Rainbow Cove to see the sunset (watch out for crepuscular moose) all make Feldtmann an excellent place. If you are on this end of the island, I would still recommend Feldtmann over Huginnin because the hike in an out is beautiful and a cool geological history experience, where you can see polished lake stones up on the ridges, because you're walking on the ice-age lakeshore of Lake Superior.
  • Rainbow Cove is amazing. There are tiny rocks lining the beach that can form to your back like gimbals, and the expanse of Lake Superior in front of you, as well as a major chance you'll run into moose (I've run into five, its a 0.7 mile hike, and I've only been twice). This is probably the best spur-hike on the island, in my view.
• Todd Harbor. It has a nice rocky beach that you can sun yourself on and it feels like a sauna if you close your eyes. The water is warmer than in other places if you need to clean up. The dock is on the otherside near the group sites, but the sounds of group sites carry across the harbor. There is only one shelter, and be careful of moose here. I've had a number of close encounters here.
• Huginnin Cove. Look its fine, but I think its a little overblown. This place looks like it belongs in the tropics. It has teal water, plenty of nice rock formations, great view of the sunset. The foliage is kind of decaying, downed pines though, and its a hike-in-hike-out the next morning kind of place. I might be grumpy because it was kinda hot when I was there.
• Lane Cove. I ended up with next-to-no impression of this place. The campsites looked onto the cove, but you're exposed to the north side of Lake Superior, which does very little to keep the wind out of the campground. The hikes in are pretty, but this doesn't have the stunning shoreline of a Little Todd Harbor or the quiet, reflective serenity of a N. Lake Desor or Malone Bay. I can't think of a ton bad to say about it, but it is close to being in a C Tier.
• S. Lake Desor. Has a lot of the features of N. Lake Desor, but has group sites, but is also popular as a stop on the Greenstone. Can be very windy, and not a lot of cover. Quite a few fallen birch trees. Have seen the outhouses overflowing, which is pretty gross. But still has the views.

C Tier:

• Hatchet Lake. Could be a B, but it is swampy, with foilage being mostly scrub brush, birch, and grass. Campsites are close together and not much space to hide from the elements. The lake gets algal blooms and is buggy. That said, it does have nice swimming. The real drag is the hike down into it and the hike out of it (to the Greenstone). Really gets you going in the morning, I suppose.
• W. Chickenbone. People give Chickenbone a hard time, but I think E. Chickenbone deserves most of that smoke. W. Chickenbone is a nice campground! The wolves all live around there! You can hear them at night! There are nice big trees at W. Chickenbone, close to the water. I think W. Chickenbone gets avoided because you can just keep going for 2 miles and be at McCargoe, but I don't think you would hate your experience if it made sense to stay here for a night. Be warned early in the season, traversing the planks around Chickenbone can be dicey.
• Three Mile Campground: This is a tough call between C and D Tier. Everyone who comes to the island for a 3-day trip and stay in Rock Harbor and wants to imagine they are backpacking will come here, or is very slow getting off the ferry. I was here a couple years ago where people started a campfire in violation of the very-clearly-communicated fire ban (after the Horne fire the year before). However, what one could do is load up on supplies from the store in Rock Harbor and hike down here, where getting a shelter is not super hard, and you can have a quieter night than in Rock Harbor.
• Lake Ritchie. I mean, like, its fine, but you're 2 miles from Moskey Basin. Just go there instead.

D Tier

• Daisy Farm. It is hard to put into why this place is so bad (in my view), because it seems like it should be good. This might be the most unpopular opinion I have in this list. First, the beavers have serious f'd this place up, so you have to take circuitous routes to get around the campground. This place is busy, because it is the most common place people come before heading up to the Greenstone. It is also a place boaters, kayakers, and Rock Harbor water taxi-ers will go. Once I saw a group of four people with a picnic blanket and a cooler make a goddamn charcuterie board and have crystal glasses of chardonnay. Personally, I'd put your head down and go the extra miles to Moskey.
• Rock Harbor. Its difficult to put this somewhere on a list because staying here feels much more like staying at an RV-accessible state park than anywhere else. You have all the amenities, which is nice after being on the trail for a while, but you have to deal with the day trippers and above-mentioned sisterfuckers, the blatant disregard for Leave No Trace, and a crowded and loud campground. Do not recommend. I would almost not recommend:
• Island Mine. I had to go here to check it off a bucket list. Main problem is the water, which is fed by a small creek and can be a pain to filter. All the campsites can see each other and there is not much of a distinction between group sites and individual sites. No shelters. Forest is fairly open without much new growth. Unremarkable views.
• E. Chickenbone. I mean, the place is a meme. Its like they designed it to be unloved. Its literally nestled in a swamp, where the bugs are the worst of anywhere on the island, with terrible planking all around the campground, no shelters, and difficult water access.

Changelog (2025): Moskey Basin demoted to A Tier. I had a whole different experience here the last couple of years that made enjoying its beauty more complicated. Chippewa Harbor added to S Tier, but my limited experience might color that view. Malone Bay added. Feldtmann Lake moved to B Tier.

Changelog (2024): Added Lane Cove and Little Todd Harbor.

Hey all, taking the sea plane tomorrow at 10am to go to Rock Harbor and realized I'm missing my water filter and bladder. Tried calling the lodge and I am just getting the voice mail. Looks like there are plenty of outfitters in the Houghton area but they are closed or don't open till 10. Does anyone know if the camp store at Rock Harbor sells a water filter? I'm gonna check a few more options but figured I'd ask here as well.

********** Update

Morning all. Fate was in my favor today and the sea plane was delayed due to fog. If anyone else ends up in this stupid mess and finds this while Google searching here's a few tidbits that will hopefully help.

Surplus Outlet - Houghton only has tablets Walmart - Houghton only had a life straw Dunham Sports - Houghton had a Sawyer Mini. Down Wind Sports - Houghton had a 1 liter Katadyn filter and various accessories for $56 - ultimately what I went with. Isle Royale Visitors Center - Houghton Does not sell anything for filtering water.

I'll probably update this while I kill time and check out more shops.

Thanks everyone for jumping to my rescue with various tips and advice.

Last week Thursday night 8/7 we were camped at Three Mile and had a wolf go through our packs and attempt to get our bear canisters. We saw her four different times throughout the night and was told by a ranger that her name is Spencer. She was too elusive for us to photograph but I was wondering if anyone else was able to get a picture of her. Very scary but beautiful experience! EDIT: Saw a news article today that the National Park Service had to euthanize two wolves today. Very sad 😔. I wonder if there was any true way to avoid this even with following all the rules and regulations or with the increase in park visitors it was only a matter of time.

Hi! Planning a trip out and looking for route advice. Will be taking a seaplane and going from one end to the other 6 days 5 nights. Late June into Early July.

Route A : Day 1. RH to Daisy. Day 2. Daisy to Lake Richie Day 3. Lake Richie to Hatchet Lake Day 4. Hatchet to S. lake Desor Day 5. S. Lake Desor to Windigo Day 6. Fly back

Route B : Day 1. RH to Daisy Day 2. Daisy to McCargoe Cove Day 3. McCargoe to Todd Harbor Day 4. Todd to N. Lake Desor Day 5. N. Lake Desor to Windigo Day 6. Fly back

Route C : Day 1. RH to Daisy Day 2. Daisy to West Chicken Day 3. West Chicken to Hatchet Lake Day 4. Hatchet to S. Lake Desor Day 5. S. Lake Desor to Windigo Day 6. Fly back

Arriving August 1st and leaving August 6th with my son and my gf and this is our first time on the island. We're coming into Rock Harbor and I'm looking for any suggestion on MUST check out places during the time we're there. I'm still finalizing the plan (do I take a water taxi and then hike back?) and we're not looking to do more than 7 miles in a day. TIA

Hi everyone. Me and my two boys are heading to the Windigow side for one night next weekend. We’re hoping to camp at the Washington Creek Campground but not sure if we should be concerned about availability since it’s first come first serve. Anyone have any experience camping on the island this time of year? Also, I’d love any general recommendations as far as an itinerary goes (my sons are 13 and 11). Our plans are pretty simple….one night on the island, arriving and leaving Windigow. Thanks in advance!!

Curious if anyone has any mosquito reports from late August or early September. Headed up for the first time a week after Labor Day, Rock Harbor to Windigo. Wondering what our group should expect for biting insects as this is our first time on Isle Royale.

I am taking my first solo camping trip ever to isle royal in late July. I will have 3 full days plus whatever extra time I get with the on ferry travel days. A few questions about the part. I am stay on the Rock Harbor side.

1.) How likely am I to see wolves/ moose hoping to do some photography 2.) What are my odds of seeing Northern Lights 3.)Best places on East side of island for stargazing 4.) Recommendations for Rocky beaches to see Lake Superior stones ( I know it is illegal to collect I just find want to see what is out there) 5.) favorite campgrounds 6.) What thing must I see on the island 7.)How crowded do campsites get, Is first come first serve something to worry about 8.) realistic hiking distances for intermediate hiker 9.)How often to ferry weather delay occur 10.) Bugs?

Would really appreciate any photos

Hey everyone. I have a question I think I know the answer to, but want to confirm with folks who have been there. Since you cannot take gas canisters on the seaplane, do they have them for sale at the lodge?

I have heard they have pretty much anything you may need for backpacking for sale there, is that true? (Not counting on buying supplies there, but ya never know.)

Thanks!

Heading to IR late September for 4 nights. I realize we could get anything weather-wise. I want to prioritize securing a shelter each night but have had trouble finding a definitive list of what campsites have them and in what number. Simply googling it suggests not many sites have them—but other posts/reviews I’ve seen make them sound rather plentiful. Can anyone point me to an accurate listing? Thanks!

Had the chance to backpack the island and got home a week ago. This was truly one of the most cool and rewarding things I’ve done in a while. The island is so beautiful. Never have I backpacked an area so untouched and clean. I saw maybe 5 prices of trash on the whole island. Anyways, down below will be a breakdown of each day and highs and lows.

Day 1: ferry from Houghton to Windigo: The ferry was super cool, Ranger 3 was an awesome boat and the ranger that orientated us was super cool. This was when the reality set in that the fun vacation in houghton was over but I was super excited We got off the ferry and started hiking at about 3pm. We had 12 miles to cover to South Lake Desor via the Greenstone ridge trail. The hike started flat and we were moving quick. The first rain came and went quickly but still enough to soak us, spirits were still high and we were making great time. Second rain came and we slowed down as we neared our stop. We were soaked head to toe. We got into the campsite and unfortunately we had to pitch our tents right next to each other as some one decided to poop right where you would put ur tent, right in the grass and left the toilet paper. Going to bed wet kind of sucks but we had to deal with it.

Day 2: South lake desor to hatchet lake: Woke up with no rain however it started soon after we started hiking. The lake was nice and we got to filling up water. The rain continued for about half of our 8-9 mile day. We passed a cool ranger tower and the trail was so cool, nice marshes, thick forest. Rocky ridges. When the rain stopped, our stuff dried quick and a relatively flat day meant we got to our site in about 4 hours. Hatchet lake was beautiful. The site had plenty of space and we could set up a clothes line and dry everything. Spirits were high and we enjoyed our long afternoon. Day 3: Hatchet to east chickenbone This was a great day, ten miles ahead of us. The original plan was to go to west chickenbone as it was on the lake but we wanted to cut down that extra 1.6 miles. It never rained this whole day so we hung wet socks on our packs to dry. We crossed some streams, walked on top of the hot ridge while the sun beamed down. To be able to hike in dry weather and wear shorts after getting soaked is awesome. We had no navigation needed this whole trip but this time we had to take a guess. We intersected with a portage trail halfway between west and east chickenbone, there were other unmarked trials going other ways so we guessed which way to go. Luckily we got it right as we quickly got to east chickenbone. Best campsite yet. Our site not only had a bear box, but also a log table and plenty of space. Enjoyed another long afternoon as we hiked fast. Day 4: east chickenbone to rock harbor I was worried about my legs coming into this 14 miles ahead day as I had foot, calf, shin, and hip pain the day before. However, waking up early and hiking quick felt fine. We stopped at a nice scenic overlook to take Floria and continued down the ridge where eventually we went south off the ridge towards daisy farm. Walking along the inlet was super cool and we stopped to take a dip in the water(freezing btw) we then continued towards three mile with the sun shining bright and spirits high. We finished up the 14 miles in rock harbor. We really hoped to get to stay in a cabin but we had to settle for a site downwind from the bathroom(our tent stunk). But we were able to explore rock harbor and take photos

All in all: a great experience. Nothing like I’ve ever done. The trails are super cool with marshes, ridges, and thick forests all in the Same area. The bugs were ok, i used a bug net and it haloed but I thought they would be worse. The 4 day trip could have been extended to check out more areas but we struggled to line up the ferry dates and that would mean carrying wait. If I ever go back I’ll be sure to stay in other areas. We met some great people in the trail and it’s definitely a great place for backpacking. Thanks to all who helped me plan my trip and gave advice. Sorry for the rant it was quite a lot just wanted to share my experience

I am an experienced hiker but I usually camp with my trailer. I’m going up in 3 weeks and reserved 3 nights at Windigo camper cabins.

Really struggling on what I need to bring with me and I haven’t found many answers online on recommendations for gear to bring over on the ferry for the camper cabins. Also favorite camp meal ideas or favorite hikes welcomed :)

(edited for clarity)

So, I'm planning a 7 night backpacking trip in mid September. There will be 5 of us. So, I know I need to get a small party permit when we get there (we'll be taking the queen IV). I see the permit needs to be displayed. My question is; do I need to bring a clear waterproof display thingy or do the rangers provide a way to display it?

Thanks in advance!

Also, if anyone is curious, heres the itinerary; Day 1: three mile Day 2: moskey basin Day 3: west chickenbone Day 4: hatchet lake Day 5: mccargoe cove Day 6: daisy farm Day 7: rock harbor Day 8: ferry out

We're not complete first timers to backpacking, but not super experienced either. All of us are in pretty good shape. However, it is our first time on the island, so, any advice is welcome. :)

According to the website here it says the Washington Harbor Store will be closing Sept 6th of this year. As far as I can tell, Rock Harbor lodge services all those amenities at Washington Harbor like showers, gas, laundry, and boat rental, etc. which will be concluded by then– but my main concern is potable water.

Is the potable water at Windigo seasonally dependent upon those facilities being open? Or is it separate? Just trying to get an idea for planning when I'm there on the 8th-11th. I did see that the Windigo Visitor Center is open until the 20th. thanks!

Hi,

I'll be heading up later this month! We are taking the seaplane.

I want to confirm my sleeping bag and sleeping pad can be OUTSIDE/strapped to my pack for riding the plane. A friend mentioned thinking all gear had to be put inside one's bag, which does not seem possible.

Thank you!!

Completely forgot to get a bear canister for an upcoming trip. Any recommendations on where to do a last minute rental? Would really prefer not to buy one.

Also related, any recommendations for renting a sat beacon?

I'm planning a night at Moskey Basin campground and I see there are some shelters. Maybe this is a dumb question, but do people roll out sleeping bags and sleep in them? We were planning on sleeping in tents, but then I saw these shelters and I'm curious what they're all about. Thanks

My husband and I are heading out to “the island” in mid August (his third time, my fifth). Normally we head in on the Queen to Rock Harbor, go for 2 nights, and stay at Lane Cove and 3 Mile. We’re staying 3 nights this time so we’re planning for Daisy Farm night 1 — but we haven’t been to either West Chickenbone or Lake Ritchie or Mosley Basin for night 2. And recommendations for one over the others? We’d like more quiet/less people but I know that’s hard to predict or avoid in August. Low-key and picturesque is a plus. Thanks in advance!

On the NPS website, it says that Moskey Basin has 2 tent sites, 2 group sites, and 6 “shelters”. What is a shelter like at IR? Are they also first come first serve? Also, is it hard to actually find a sote to stay at?