Isle Royale Forums

Hi - solo backpacker here looking to arrive at Rock Harbor to take on Minong!! I've been researching a bit but now am just stuck and everything is sorta' reading the same to me now. I have two tentative plans below, with the difference being whether I should make the extra effort to camp out at Moskey Basin:

Day / Route / Miles (Total miles)
1 / Rock Harbor to Daisy Farm / 7.1 (7.1)
2 / Daisy Farm to Todd Harbor / 14.6 (21.7)
3 / Todd Harbor to Lake Desor (North) / 11.2 (32.9)
4 / Lake Desor (North) to Windigo / 12.9 (45.8)

Day / Route / Miles (Total miles)
1 / Rock Harbor to Moskey Basin / 11.0 (11.0)
2 / Moskey Basin to Todd Harbor / 15.2 (26.2)
3 / Todd Harbor to Lake Desor (North) / 11.2 (37.4)
4 / Lake Desor (North) to Windigo / 12.9 (50.3)

I'm thinking it's best to keep it easy and hit up Daisy Farm on the first day, but assuming the ride to Rock Harbor goes smoothly and on time, is Moskey Basin worth the extra distance?

How does the second half of the trip look? Should I stop at a different CG along Minong, e.g. McCargoe Cove or Little Todd Harbor? I can extend the trip to another day. I'm in good shape to take on more distance within a day but I'd rather take advantage of highly-praised campgrounds and taking it easy to enjoy the experience.

I don't have a set date on when I'm going but likely during late August/early Sept.

Open to all thoughts and/or suggestions!!

I slept at MB my first night out of RH in May, and really enjoyed both the site (unbelievable sunrises) and the walk there from Daisy, which feels kind of ridgy after all the shore hugging. If you're still feeling chipper when you got to Daisy, go for it! It might help with still feeling chipper to exit RH on the less rocky Tobin Harbor trail.

I also really liked the Lake Ritchie/Indian Portage trails between MB and McCargoe--of course, the walks up to the Greenstone Ridge from Daisy are also wonderful, so maybe that's a wash.

Which boat are you taking (or the seaplane)? Looks like the Voyageur II if you're leaving from Windigo--in that case you won't be on the trail until late afternoon and daylight may dictate stopping at Daisy Farm. Sunrises there are great too, but you have to get up and go down to the dock--Moskey you just look out (or step out) the shelter.

I'm planning to take the Queen IV from Copper Harbor - it departs at 8:00 AM and takes approximately 3.5 hrs, assuming conditions are good. If I'm going in August, sunset is ~9:00 PM, so I should plan on hitting Moskey Basin by 8:00 to set up camp and everything. Does that sound reasonable?

jsuh84 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2017 9:11 am I'm planning to take the Queen IV from Copper Harbor - it departs at 8:00 AM and takes approximately 3.5 hrs, assuming conditions are good. If I'm going in August, sunset is ~9:00 PM, so I should plan on hitting Moskey Basin by 8:00 to set up camp and everything. Does that sound reasonable?

That's doable, even if you're as slow as me. Assume you're planning to take the Voyageur II from Windigo back to R.H. then--or flying out of Windigo.

Ingo wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2017 9:23 am

jsuh84 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2017 9:11 am I'm planning to take the Queen IV from Copper Harbor - it departs at 8:00 AM and takes approximately 3.5 hrs, assuming conditions are good. If I'm going in August, sunset is ~9:00 PM, so I should plan on hitting Moskey Basin by 8:00 to set up camp and everything. Does that sound reasonable?

That's doable, even if you're as slow as me. Assume you're planning to take the Voyageur II from Windigo back to R.H. then--or flying out of Windigo.

Yes - once I hit Windigo, I'll camp overnight and hit up the next Ferry back to Rock Harbor.

Thanks!!