Greenstone Vs Minong

Questions about trails and campsites on the island.

Moderator: MikeT

Post Reply
Outsideforthecount
NewbieCake
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2021 7:38 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 3
Been thanked: 7 times

Greenstone Vs Minong

Post by Outsideforthecount »

Hoping to go to the island for a 3rd time the end of this month. We decided it’s time to do an end to end trip but are having a hard time deciding between the Greenstone or the Minong. One of us wants to do the Greenstone since it’s the quintessential hike for IR, the other wants to do the Minong because it follows the Superior shoreline more closely. Can anyone speak to their experience on either of these trails? I’m especially interested to hear anyone’s experience on the Minong this year given it’s lack of use in 2020 and how hard they found it to navigate.
Bobcat1
Bushwacker
Posts: 280
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2019 10:01 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 8
Location: Pickerington, Ohio
Has thanked: 40 times
Been thanked: 92 times

Re: Greenstone Vs Minong

Post by Bobcat1 »

The Minong is NOT a shoreline trail. It follows an inland ridge on the north side of the island. Three overnight campgrounds, two of them are on the Lake Superior shoreline on side trails off the ridge.
22 WC-HC-BCZ20-WC
19 RH-ML-TI-RH by kayak
16 RH-DF-MB-TI-RH-3M-RH by kayak
09 RH-DF-MC-TH-HL-SD-WC
00 WC-IM-WC
96 WC-FL-SB-SD-HL-CE-3M-RH
94 RH-DF-MB-3M-RH
92 RH-DF-LR-CW-HL-SD-IM-WC
torpified
IR Expert
Posts: 597
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2016 4:06 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 6
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Has thanked: 239 times
Been thanked: 123 times
Contact:

Re: Greenstone Vs Minong

Post by torpified »

I've no up-to-date beta on the Minong to offer, but I'll report that I find it a *much* more interesting and scenic way to cross the western chunk of the island than the Greenstone, which spends a lot of time in the woods. The Minong poses more challenges --- you need to pay attention to follow it, and the middle half abounds with rocky outcrops you need to scurry up and down (tip: don't scurry and gape at the views at the same time) --- but I think that that makes it more fun. Just my $.02.
User avatar
thesneakymonkey
May actually live on IR
Posts: 357
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 5:43 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 3
Has thanked: 23 times
Been thanked: 36 times
Contact:

Re: Greenstone Vs Minong

Post by thesneakymonkey »

Personally I enjoyed the minong a lot. The greenstone is nice but reminds me a lot of a regular michigan trail. Minong offers a little more challenge. Some epic views. And better campsites IMO.
User avatar
TopCarrot
Trailblazer
Posts: 149
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2020 6:29 am
Isle Royale Visits: 8
Location: SW Michigan
Has thanked: 56 times
Been thanked: 62 times

Re: Greenstone Vs Minong

Post by TopCarrot »

Minong for sure. If you hike from mt Franklin or lookout Louise you will get plenty of the Greenstone then switch over to the minong.
22 CH-ML-ML-LRC-DF-CA-RH
21 3M-MB-McC-TH-ND-WC
21 LC-DF-McC-CH-MB-RH
20 HC-FL-SB-SD-MB-MB-RH
19 TH-ND-WC-SD-ML Via Voyager McC
18 DF-CH-DF
18 LC-DF-LR-RH
17 CW-SD-WC greenstone in 50hrs
Post Reply