McCargoe Cove

[dutchmen]

Hi there,

We are planning to visit IR, camp at McCargoe cove and do some day trekkings from there and continue our journey by boat to Rock Harbour.
A couple of questions:

1. How far is the McCargoe campsite from the drop off?
2. What would you suggest as a day trekking? (we'll walk from McCargoe Cove and back)
3. How would you arrange water supply?

We would appreciate anyone's reaction or suggestions.

Thanks, from Holland.

[RockRiver]

The campsites are very close to the dock where you will be let off the ferry. I am a kayaker and I didn't hike in that area so I can't speak to day hiking in that area. You arrange your own water supply by having a water filter and filtering all your water. We use Lake Superior water for filtering which is very clear and we do not have filter clogging issues. Have fun.

[3MTA3]

1. Very close. You can see the dock from a number of the shelters.

2. a) A loop around Chickenbone lake is not the most scenic, but there's a decent chance you will see Moose.
b) A short trek to the copper mines is an interesting one. They contain some of the old equipment from when the island was used for mining. Head west on the Minong Ridge trail. You will see signs for the copper mines when you reach them. I do not remember the exact distance, but it's a few miles hike.
c) Take a hike towards East Chickenbone, get on to the trail going east. Before you get to where the trail splits to go to Daisy Farm or Mt. Ojibway, there are some very nice views looking towards Canada. You'll have to go a little off the trail on to a rocky surface, but they are obvious when you approach them.
Here is a photo from that hike, which does not do the view justice:
https://goo.gl/photos/F2FBrWoU6UNDV2k97
d) You can make it to Lake Ritchie and back without much trouble. I personally think Lake Ritchie is beautiful, and they have a couple of swimming spots. This would also take you past west Chickenbone campground, where you could stop and wait for a moose to arrive.

3. Options b and c will be a little more pressed for water vs. the others, but a trip to the mines is not that far and I would be surprised if you ran out of water on that trip. I would guess you would be fine with a liter of water per person. If going to Lake Ritchie, I would personally take more than a liter per person or a water filtration device. It is difficult to run out of water sources anywhere around that area.

[Ingo]

There are also great views heading West from Chickenbone on the Greenstone trail. The trail climbs a mile or 2 from Chickenbone and opens up as you get up on the ridge.

[JerryB]

You might also considering using Chippewa Harbor as your base. Your day hike options are a little better, in my view. Or Windigo and day hike/overnight at Hugginin. I am sure there are a ton of options.

[dutchmen]

Thanks a lot.

[fonixmunkee]

Welcome dutchmen,

Direct answers to your questions:

1. The campsites at McCargoe are literally a stone's throw from the dock. As in, a few hundred feet.
2. You should hike to Chickenbone Lake and check that out...it's a beautiful inland lake (3 miles). There is also an old mine site along this hike. Next, you should also hike up to the Minong Ridge, towards Todd Harbor, which is due east from McCargoe (2 miles). There's some beautiful views of the lake and Canada from up there.
3. Bring a water filter and filter water directly from Lake Superior in McCargoe, otherwise you can boil it for a few minutes if you don't have a water filter.

Other thoughts:

a) There's a lot of wild life (especially at night) in McCargoe. I've seen moose, beaver, and otters almost every time I'm there. I've also been treated to the northern lights and wolf howls almost every time.
b) There can also be a lot of people at McCargoe, due to the dock and ferry drop-off.
c) The community fire ring at McCargoe is a great place to relax and meet some new people.

Enjoy your trek!

[trailgoat_70]

Awesome choice on the campground. I always make it a point to stay a night at that beautiful spot. In mid-July, I'll hike from Todd Harbor to McCargoe and then on to Moskey. I've always been lucky to snag a shelter at McCargoe, but fonixmunkee is right in that it can be fairly busy. Only once was there a boat at the dock for an overnight--a guy and his young daughter just cruising around the island and staying at whatever place struck their fancy. I've not been lucky enough to spot moose across from the campground during any of my stays there. I'm hoping the growing moose population will provide that this year!

[Redbad]

Wilkommen!

a) campsites and shelters are within 100 meters of the dock.

b) The trail from the dock leads to the campground. If you continue on the trail through the campground and all the way up the hill you will come to the remnants of the Minong Mine. You can hike down from the trial to the mine and go into parts of the mine. The National Park Service has placed many interpretive placards throughout the mine area detailing the history of copper mining in the area.

Other posters have detailed good day hikes in the area.

You may wish to take a fishing pole. As McCargoe Cove connects to Lake Superior, you will need a Michigan fishing license.

c) you will need to filter or boil water. Water may be obtained from McCargoe Cove.