Isle Royale Forums

As the subject states, what are your top 3 best and worst campgrounds on Isle Royale that are accessible by hiking trails only. Place them in order with 1 being your favorite/worst and 3 being your 3rd favorite/worst. If you choose to include kayak/canoe accessible sites, could you include them in a revised category found below your top picked trail accessile sites. Also write one to three sentences stating why you like or dislike the particular site you have mentioned. Finally, if you have not traveled the whole island list what parts your have not have the opportunity to check out yet or feel free just to mention what places you have been able to check out. I will start us off:

I have not had the opportunity to check out Malone Bay, the Huginnin Cove Loop, or the Feldtmann Loop. I will be visiting these places in September and thus complete my quest for seeing all parts of Isle Royale with the exception of campgrounds accessible only by water.

Top 3 Favorite Sites:

1. McCargoe Cove: I have a lot of fond memories of this campground including my girlfriend seeing and taking a picture of a wolf and meeting a particular person (who will go unnamed because I do not know if he would mind if his name was mentioned on here) that shared his Northern Pike meal with me. There are many more, but these two come to mind first. If there wasn't as much traffic from the voyageur and canoe/canoes, I'd find it to be that much more great, because it would feel even more secluded.

2. Moskey Basin: This is my girlfriends favorite place and it is a close second of mine. The shelters are close to the basin of water and the sunrises are beautiful. If it wasn't so accessible with high amounts of traffic, it would probably be on the verge of being tied with McCargoe Cove as my favorite.

3. Little Todd Harbor: Todd Harbor is a very close 4th place campground. If I can get the shelter at Todd Harbor, then I will give it 3rd place. However, since I usually don't, I like Little Todd Harbor more because it is less frequented by people and because it is close to the sounds of Lake Superior.

Top 3 Least Favorite Sites

1. East Chickenbone: I do not like having to walk far for my water. The land around the campgrounds looks barren. I have not encountered much wildlife in this location.

2. Rock Harbor: Three mile is not much better, but at least your not completely bombarded with heavy amounts of people. As opposed to Washingion Creek/Windigo, Rock Harbor does not have as cool of a Ranger Station and Rock Harbor does not have a creek where you might get lucky enough to encounter a moose if you have not experienced one on your trip before leaving to go back to the mainland.

3. South Desor: I do not care to scale the slope of earth resting to the north of my campground in order to get water. I do not care for the trees that look like they are going to blow over onto my tent if a storm comes.

This is, of course, highly subjective and seasonal. (For instance, Rock Harbor can be an awesome campsite prior to the lodge opening, and tends to be loaded with moose during calving season.)

However, my order:

Top 3 Favorite Sites:

1. Feldtman Lake: In particular, tent site #2. What's not to love. Great access to water, moose tending to be around, fishing options, and that nice stroll to Rainbow Cove.

2. Chippewa Harbor: Plenty to explore on the ridges around it, and an overall nice view. Tends to be quiet, since it's a dead-end. Individual fire stantions/grates.

3. McCargoe Cove: This is a tough one to place. Moskey Basin, Lane Cove, and Malone all are up there for me, too. Maybe I'll give this one the edge, but it's so darn hard to choose it over the others listed. However, the community fire ring, decent dock to relax at, and options for stretching the legs are all good.

Top 3 Least Favorite:

1. East Chickenbone: Way too many nice campsites near this to make it worth stopping. I like a little more protection from the elements, and to be closer to water. I've heard, though, on a busy July or August weekend, it offers some peace and quiet.

2. Island Mine: This one gets an asterisk, in so much that it is spectacular in the Fall... IF the water is running. It's the only campsite not located on a body of water, just an inland stream, which can be murky at times. It can be buggy in the summer. I normally pass this one and move straight on to the next camp.

3. Desor: I'm not picking North or South. This one is 'personal' in my pick. I've been stuck in a storm at Desor North, and with all the maples, they dripped and dripped and dripped for hours after the rain was done, keeping us in rain gear. For Desor South, it was gale winds coming off the north, which made filtering water tough with two-three foot waves, and as you indicate, Rafiki, plenty of windowmaker trees. On a calm, sunny day, though, I bet they're just lovely! (Just never have been there during one of those.)

My Fav's, 1) Huginnen Cove,2)Lane Cove,3)Todd Harbor....but these can change in order at the drop of a moose pebble. Least Fav.'s 1) Rock Harbor,2)Wash. Creek,3) Daisy Farm. Truly though, I'd love to be at any place on IR right now. How does that saying go.... A bad day on IR is still better than a good day anywhere else.

Not sure why the Desor's are getting a bad rap. Whilst not in my top 3, I like them a lot. Group site at S Desor is better than individuals.

Only campground I'm sure of either way is that of my two trips Moskey is still my hands-down favorite. Out of Lane Cove, McCargoe Cove, Moskey Basin, Rock Harbor, Little Todd, Todd Harbor, Desor North, Washington Creek, and Hatchet Lake (took a detour to check it out and add some miles - didn't stay overnight) - I haven't had one that I felt was bad, but it seems like East Chickenbone and Island Mind come up a lot in that discussion. I do think I prefer being on Lake Superior.

1. Feldtman Lake: In particular, tent site #2


That's got my vote..

Top 3 sites:

1) Lake Whittlesey - excellent fishing, nice veiw of the lake and SOLITUDE!

2) Moskey Basin - just an all around nice area.

3) Chippewa Harbor - As Tom mentioned, lots to explore and the breeze and views are outstanding!

I have only seen the eastern portion of the Island and haven't been to McCargoe yet. My top three are:

1. Moskey Basin--spectacular sunrises, great views from the shelters. Just an all around beautiful spot.

2. Lane Cove--solitude and a fantastic view of Canada.

3. West Chickenbone--nice sunrises here too and a pretty and intimate location.

Bottom three would be Daisy Farm, Rock Harbor, and Three Mile, probably in that order, simply because they are the busiest. All of them are still very scenic, but they don't offer nearly as much of the wilderness experience that makes IR special.

greener wrote:1. Feldtman Lake: In particular, tent site #2

2. Siskiwit Bay

3. Tod Harbors (pick one)

Those of you who've mentioned Chippewa Harbor - I don't know what you're thinking! It's the worst campsite - always has the worst bugs, always noisy with the water skiers going up and down the harbor and planes constantly flying overhead, and it has lousy TV reception.

I'd suggest everyone stay away from there ...
... so I can have the place to myself it's my #1. Makes me think of fjords and I love the deep boreal forests.

Daisy Farm is my least favorite - it does seem like an old farm field, flat, grassy & open. It seems like you leave Isle Royale when you enter that campground. This one truly does have boats going up and down the harbor (no, no water skiers). It is bright and sunny though, weather permitting, but usually crowded.

Anyone else have any rankings that they would like to post? By the time September rolls around, I will have visited all of the sites on the island that do not need a water vessel to access them. I will update my list should any of my information change

I have visited--and/or stayed overnight at---every Isle Royale campground that one can reach without using a canoe/kayak (or without using cross country bushwacking)----except Lane Cove--and I will be staying there next week.

Wow! Picking the best/worst worst sites is so difficult. Most sites have good points and bad points--and factors such as the weather on the day that you were there can make a BIG difference.

BEST: (In no particular order)
1. Siskiwit Bay
Pros: I LOVE the very long beach area that seems to go for miles. I really liked the sunrises. I enjoyed some good fellowship around the common fire ring.
Cons: It was perhaps a little too populated for me the couple nights that I stayed there. (But not as bad as Daisy Farm or Three Mile). There were some folks drinking alcohol and smoking pot one night when I was there. They started to become "buzzed and high" near the end of one night around the fire ring--and they were semi-obnoxious)

2. Chippewa Harbor
Pros: Nice shelters. The harbor is gorgeous-with a wonderful sunrise view. Some interesting terrain and side hikes within a few miles of the campground.
Cons: Overnight boats and people staying on the boats on the night I was there. Just my bias here.....Folks in expensive boats--with boat cabins to sleep in, big grills, coolers, and radios--often have a different attitude and a different approach to using the "wilderness" than most backpackers. Let me be clear, these folks were not obnoxious--they just brought me closer to civilization than I would have liked.

3. Feldtmann Lake:
Pros: Nice enough inland lake. Gorgeous side hike for sunset and moonrise at Rainbow Cove. When you include the hike to Rainbow Cove, I had one of my best nights of camping ever when I stayed at Feldtmann Lake.
Cons: No major "cons"

4. Moskey Basin (Never stayed here--only ate lunch here and refilled water bottles--so I will refrain from offering any pros and cons. I just thought the area was beautiful. Hope to finally camp there this summer.

5. McCargoe Cove: I had a great stay here. Beautiful cove. Relaxed atmosphere. Good company around the campfire. Nice location for the shelters.

6. Huginnin Cove. Had lunch here. I thought the campground--and the area around it---had great views. I tend to prefer the Lake Superior waterfront views to the inland lake views (which are also beautiful). So I LOVED Huginnin Cove.

7. Malone Bay. Experienced a nice sunset here. Nice view--but not a "must see". I had a relaxing time here. Waded in Lake Superior after a long, hot, hike.


WORST
1. Chickenbone East. By far the worst site on Isle Royale (in my opinion). I only visited here--but that was more than enough! It seemed to have nothing great to offer. The walk to water was long and steep.

2. Island Mine. Never stayed here--but had lunch here twice. Cute site. Close to the "historic" sites of the former Island Mine. HOWEVER....the drinking water situation is questionable. No lake views. You are just "in the woods". My suggestion--have lunch here and use the outhouses. Camp elsewhere (if your legs will take you elsewhere)

3. South Desor. Maybe it is me--but I had a bad time both times I stayed here. I had HORRID and monsoon-like rainy weather one time I stayed there and icy cold weather the next time. It was an "O.K. site --but nothing great. Getting water is a bit of a steep climb (as I recall). Folks said to check out the beach area located about .2 to .3 miles from the individual sites. The "beach" was O.K.--but nothing great (in my opinion).

4 and 5: Daisy Farm and Three Mile are both O.K. and I had good times at them. But too populated for me.

SOME OTHER COMMENTS ON SITES:
I sort of like Windigo/Washington Creek. I have even done a base camp here and spent 2-3 consecutive days here. Too many people and too much "civilization" at times. Yet, I also like it for those same reasons. Showers. Ranger station. Food from the store. Ranger programs to attend. The "bay" is pretty enough.

Chickenbone West. Stayed there twice--and didn't have a bad time. Saw a moose here. Algae bloom can cause drinking water problems at times.

Todd Harbor: Could probably be on my "Favorite" list--if I had stayed there at some other time. However, there were clouds and a thunderstorms the night I stayed there. So, I don't think that I got to have the full Todd Harbor experience.

North Desor: Stayed there absolutely alone--not another soul for miles. Wolves howling part of the night. Did some great moose watching here.

Hatchet Lake. Nice enough place. HOWEVER, the hike from the Greenstone Ridge Trail to and from Hatchet Lake is a killer!

Rock Harbor: Too busy for me. Lot's of "tourist" types staying there who think that they are really "roughing" it if they stay at the Lodge and walk out to Scoville Point. (I once ran into a group of 5 ladies on the Rock Harbor dock who brought their possessions to the Island in designer tote bags and/or wheeled luggage. Some were wearing dress shoes with "low" heels -and they were planning on staying a couple nights in a shelter--but eating all meals at the Rock Harbor restaurants). Seemed like an episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey go to Isle Royale.

Little Todd: Ate Lunch there. It was O.K. But I wasn't going "WOW!"

Lake Ritchie: Ate lunch there and refilled my water containers. It was a rainy /cloudy day--with some mud. Thus, I was not particularly impressed with Lake Ritchie campground.

By the time September rolls around, I will have visited all of the sites on the island that do not need a water vessel to access them.

On your trip this September are you bushwacking into Hay Bay campground or are you counting that as a water access campground? Richard

Thanks Toy Yoda for your thorough posting on your most favorite and least favorite sites. I am assuming that since you did not say your worst sites were not listed in any particular order, that they are ordered starting with your least favorite first working on down from there? Also if you had to list three in order from most favorite, and only three out of the seven you listed, which three with you list and in what order? I know it might be a hard decision to make, but thats why I made this posting; to really narrow it down for others that are new to the island who are looking for some of the best destinations to check out based off of other peoples opinions. Plus I too like seeing how others lists compare to mine.

The itinerary I had made out for my group this year has us swinging up to S Desor for a night, but I'm rethinking that after all the bad reviews of it. I think I'll have us swing west instead and land back in Windigo before doing the Huginnin Cove Loop the next day.

Ya, I'm not a huge fan of S. Desor. I think its the steep hill you have to walk down to get water that frustrates me more than anything. And as I send earlier, if there is a huge rain storm there, I worry about whether or not the trees surrounding the campsites can take the beating.