Isle Royale Forums

Hello Friends,
I am headed to IR for my fifth visit in about 2 weeks. I have backpacked almost everything, and I am working to close the last trails. I will stay on the boat from GP all the way to Rock Harbor to start this year, and spend 11 days on about 90 miles of trails to work back eventually to Windigo. On about day 8, I will hike to Siskiwit Bay CG from S. Desor. What I am wondering is if anyone can tell me about hiking from the Siskiwit Bay CG out to Point Houghton and back? Yes, this will be bushwacking, so times are slower. I am studying maps and photos, and I have a very good GPS.

Thank you for any advice, and for all of your other contributions here.

Safe travels.

Chris.

I looked at Google Earth this AM. It looks like pretty dense vegetation a good part of the way. You could walk a part of it on beach (depending on lake level). It looks to be level. We have done a lot of bushwacking at various places on the Island and expect to run into heavy brush when we do. Would be a fun way to spend a day.

I agree John, much of the direct path is most likely dense boreal forest. From Google Earth, it appears there is a trail or a path of sorts running for at least 3/4 mile, about 100 feet inland from Siskiwit Campground toward Checker Point. There's too much cover to know if the trail extends the full mile to Checker Point. The beach looks fairly wide from Checker Point to Francis Point and beyond. Francis Point is the one that has a right angle formation. There is a stream or creek to traverse there. If the beach stops looking inviting then where the shore curves towards the northeast it is only about 1/3 mile to Houghton Ridge but I bet the bushwhacking will be rough through there (if it's boreal balsam fir and spruce, that stuff is dense and miserable) plus a 300 foot climb toward the end. The upward trek to the ridge looks better if started about 1/2 mile further northeast up the beach (47.892309°lat,-88.942820°lon). Once up on Houghton Ridge there is quite a bit of bare bluff. Make note that there is about 1/4 square mile area surrounding Fisherman's Home that is off limits, year round, to overnight camping.

Good luck and please let us know how it turns out.

Back in the early 1990’s, we kayaked from Malone Bay to Siskiwit Bay and back. A long paddle (too long actually) that took us along the north shore of the Houghton Ridge Peninsula. Like any ridge you find on Isle Royale, the Houghton Ridge is very steep on the north side and more gradual on the south. I can tell you that the shore along this stretch of coast is rugged. Parts have no beach to speak of and there are areas where the coast is pretty much nothing but a rock outcrop. I doubt very much you can walk the north coast from Francis Point to Point Houghton.

Your best bet may be to walk to Pt. Francis then turn inland and slowly negotiate your way to the top of Houghton Ridge. Once on top of the ridge, take this northeast to Houghton Point. Besides being easier than walking the shore, you’ll have one hell of a nice view from the top of Houghton Ridge (which is largely open). I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture taken from the top of the ridge, so if you do make this hike, be sure to take a ton of pics. I’d love to see them.

Thank you all for the very valuable information. I have learned that every piece of information about IR is important and valuable. I am thinking that I will rework the earlier part of my hike so that I can dedicate an entire day to this part. I will post what I learn. Thanks again. Chris,