Isle Royale Forums

Hello everyone! Just moved from New England to Iowa and recently realized I'm about an 8 hour drive to Grand Portage. Partner and I have experience backpacking on plenty of 2 to 3 day overnights in the White Mountains, but this will be our first week+ trip. Looking to do low daily mileage with plenty of time to chill. Debating between two potential routes, and we'll likely decide on the island, but would love to hear what some of you think-

Day 1 Drive overnight, arrive in Grand Portage MN 6am-ish for 7:30 ferry

Ferry arrives at Rock Harbor 3pm

Day 2 Explore Rock Harbor side of island

Rock Harbor to Three Mile campground- 3.1 miles

Day 3 Three Mile to Moskey Basin- 8.3 miles

Day 4 Moskey Basin to Chickenbone W- 5.9 miles

Day 5 Chickenbone W to Hatchet Lake - 7.9 miles

Day 6 Hatchet Lake to Desor S - 8.1 miles

Day 7 Desor S to Island Mine- 5.5 miles

Day 8 Island Mine to Windingo - 6.9 miles

Day 9 Explore Windingo side of island

Ferry departs Windingo 1pm


OR leaning towards doing the Minong, so to modify the above-


Day 5 Chickenbone W to Todd Harbor- 9.3 miles

Day 6 Todd Harbor to Little Todd Harbor- 7 miles

Day 7 Little Todd Harbor to North Desor - 5.7 miles

Day 8 North Desor to Windingo - 12 miles (or maybe hike a few more miles to end at Hugginin Cove)

Do the minong if you’re feeling adventurous! I think it was awesome. Sounds like you have the experience.

I'd second thesneakymonkey! The western end of the Greenstone is very rich in trees.

When did you two take your trips? I/we could also likely do the trip mid-August. Have hiked on both 90 degree plus Summer trips and 0 degree Winter trips so have some experience with both. But I've read that in May, trails may not have been cleaned up from Winter yet and most of the facilities at each end of the island might be closed?

If you're use to hiking the whites, definitely do the Minong. You won't have any difficulty with it. Views are far superior than the Greenstone.

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Huginnin Cove is worth it! Although the allure of showers and store in Windigo are too much for some folks to overcome .

jmiller9 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:11 am When did you two take your trips? I/we could also likely do the trip mid-August. Have hiked on both 90 degree plus Summer trips and 0 degree Winter trips so have some experience with both. But I've read that in May, trails may not have been cleaned up from Winter yet and most of the facilities at each end of the island might be closed?

Both times I have gone have been in August

jmiller9 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:11 am When did you two take your trips? I/we could also likely do the trip mid-August. Have hiked on both 90 degree plus Summer trips and 0 degree Winter trips so have some experience with both. But I've read that in May, trails may not have been cleaned up from Winter yet and most of the facilities at each end of the island might be closed?

Correct, mid-May stores will not have opened yet (RH store the end of May, Windigo the 1st week of June) and trail crews will not have hit all the trails yet--note the Minong is one of the last trails they'll get to. The biggest advantages are significantly less people if you value solitude, and more open views, since the trees won't be leafed out. Typical May temps are 30-60ish with 20s and snow possible, Aug 50-80s. Personally I really enjoyed my end of May backbacking trip (the Feldtmann Loop)--didn't see anyone else for 24 hrs and only passed by 2 people in 48 hrs. And suffered some on my July backpacking trip in 80 something sunny degrees on the ridge. But I do get cranky backpacking in much over 70 degs --one reason I'm usually paddling. So long as you have the experience to deal with the challenges of May it's really a personal preference.