Greenstone trail 1st night out question

[Todd N]

Thanks for hosting this really informative forum. My question is hiking the Greenstone from Rock Harbor to Windigo. I'd like to start at Lookout Louise, but what's the best option for a first night stay? Daisy Farm? We'll be there about July 5 or 6, so I'm a little concerned that Daisy Farm will fill up by the time we get there on Day One. Our group is two 40+ men, a 16-year old and 17-year old. Thanks for any guidance.

[Midwest Ed]

I would not worry about Daisy Farm filling up (unless you meant that you don’t like it crowded). Around the 4th of July can be the busiest week and I know that Daisy Farm has “filled up” per se but it is the largest camp ground with 16 shelters, 6 tent sites and 3 groups sites. It may be crowded but you’ll find a place to sleep. This is why many people really desiring to maximize their wilderness experience will avoid Daisy Farm. I’ve always enjoyed a night there for the opportunity to visit with a wide variety of Isle Royale fans

You didn’t say what your schedule was otherwise. Another option could be Lane Cove could be your first night. Maybe it’s is already in your plans but some people get to Lookout Louise by taking the water taxi to Hidden Lake from Rock Harbor.

[Redbad]

Your choice of 1st night campgrounds also depends on your choice of transportation to ISRO. If you take the Ranger III, you will get to Rock Harbor at around 3PM and then you will have a 7 mile hike to Daisy Farm or a slightly longer hike to Lane Cove (if you don't take a water taxi). You will also be dealing with all of the folks that came across on the Queen. The Queen will get you to the island earlier in the day, which will give you more time to get to one of the campgrounds.

The trail you take will also impact how fast you get to the campground of your choice: The Rock Harbor trail is more technical (and hence you should assume it will take 5-7 hours to get to Daisy Farm); the Tobin Harbor trail is less technical and you will go a bit faster.

My observation is that most of the visitors to ISRO on long holiday weekends only intend to go as far as Daisy Farm or Moskey Basin (or perhaps McCargoe Cove), so the campgrounds which are nearest to Rock Harbor will fill up fastest. Expect the Greenstone to be busy in both directions so you will want to get early starts each day to get a camp site (all of the campgrounds along the Greenstone are good campgrounds) and also expect to double up with other groups.

[Todd N]

Thanks for the advice. My plan was to go over on the Queen and overnight in Rock Harbor. Then take a water taxi to the Hidden Lake trailhead in Tobin Harbor. Sounds like we'll have plenty of company at Daisy Farm (which is not always bad), then crowds thin out further inland. Our plan is to go the trek to Windigo, then water taxi back to Rock Harbor, before heading back to Copper Harbor as ferry schedules allow. If you have other suggestions or words of advice, please pass along. Also, sounds like we'll have plenty of insect company.

[Midwest Ed]

. . . then water taxi back to Rock Harbor

The water taxi (operated by the Lodge/National Park Concessions) does not operate all the way to Windigo. You do have options even though Michigan is your starting point. The Voyageur II (passenger ferry stationed in Minnesota) stops at Windigo then overnights in Rock Harbor before stopping again at Windigo on their return. So you could take it from Windigo to Rock Harbor on their inbound day. Or you could take it from Rock Harbor to Windigo at the beginning of your trek, doing the Greenstone in the opposite direction. Your other option would be to make use of the seaplane service based at Houghton’s airport. They offer service to both Windigo and Rock Harbor. Using them for just one leg does create a logistics issue regarding land transportation in Michigan. They also offer an "inter-island" flight from one end to the other. Regarding the water taxi as well as any of the ferries or plane, you need to make reservations ahead of time.

There is a money savings opportunity in taking the water taxi from Rock Harbor to Hidden Lake. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings the water taxi boat makes a regularly scheduled "tour" to Hidden Lake. It is often used as a one way passage.

[jerry]

Todd, Midwest Ed's ideas are good ones. What I did to get to Lookout Louise was hike to Lane Cove. I put up the tent and spent two nights there. I day hiked from Lane Cove to Lookout Louise and back. An early morning hike with the sun coming up from Lane Cove was special. The round trip is about 14+ miles.