Keep in mind Rock Harbor campground has a 1-night limit. However, the is a boat-only campground at the mouth of Tobin Harbor called Merritt Lane, that is a beautiful place to spend a night. Stop at the Hidden Lake Landing and hike up to Lookout Louise on your way up or back. Then you can spend anoth...

Critters I have had in my campsite on Isle Royale looking for a handout: Chipmunks (stole a bandana), fox, river otter, mice, squirrels. Best you can do is keep a clean camp and keep your food packed up when you're not actively cooking. I sometimes hang my food, but not very high, to discourage some...

I make my own jerky, two different flavor marinades. Top Sirloin beef, dehydrator. A good project.

Cholmondeley has so many more letters than it needs! Great trip report and a great 1.5-day getaway.

Just wondering. Thinking ahead toward next summer's adventure which might include a south-shore paddling trip from RH to Windigo. Where do visitors store their kayaks while "in port"? At RH there is a rack just behind the ranger station, and at the outports it doesn't really matter as ther...

I am not much of a coffee drinker, but as a gadget person, I have wondered about how well this would actually work for a coffee afficionado.

https://www.rei.com/product/784659/gsi- ... ffee-maker

It's very light and compact.

Like Midwest Ed says, it’s the easy stretch of the Minong. And it opens up various possibilities for routes into Rock Harbor. Definitely consider hiking the ridge in all the way past Mt Franklin, for awesome views.

From Hatchet to McCargoe is a favorite stretch and relatively easy, with a great campsite at the end and a chance to explore the mines if you do ok with the time. And then you can adjust your route into RH depending on how time is going. You might even aim for Todd Harbor, passing through Hatchet. Y...

Might want to plan a back-up hiking location that your group could drive to. Keep in mind that Isle Royale National Park did not close in 2020. Ferry service was suspended because of the need for social distancing etc. Possible alternates in the region: Superior Hiking Trail, Pictured Rocks, Porcupi...

A Heritage Osprey is a sit-on-top kayak, right?

One more idea that will really help as you plan. Get a copy of “Isle Royale: Foot Trails and Water Routes” by Jim DuFresne. It’s a guidebook that will really help your planning. While you’re ordering that, get the hiker’s map too, as it will let you see the topography of the portages as you plan.

In no particular order: 1. Do not count Rock Harbor or Siskiwit Lake as inland waters. Both can get pretty gnarly depending on what the wind is doing. You want either good touring kayaks, or possibly canoes if you are skilled at handling canoes in choppy water. Canoes are much better for portaging t...

Looks like might be Rock Harbor shoreline just past the store and NPS docks. Great picture, chief!

Thanks, guys, for all your work!

Or, you can drop your packs at the Mt. Franklin junction and do the "out and Back" to Lookout Louise which is about four-ish miles each way, then carry on down the trail. If the longer distance doesn't bother you, it eliminates logistical hassles. Adds about a half-day to your hiking, but ...