Isle Royale Forums

I am currently planning a relaxed backpacking trip on Isle Royale and I don't know where to visit on the island. I am taking my camera to take scenic shots. So where are the most beautiful locations on the island? I would like to make it a round trip around the island to see all of the locations, but the purpose of this post is to find out where to spend the most time.

Hello Elijah,

Welcome to the forums. I believe you will find a multitude of ideas and suggestions from both replies and by browsing and searching many of the previous posts. If you could answer a couple of questions it will be easier to make suggestions and they will be more reliable. How experienced are you regarding wilderness camping and backpacking? Experience is definitely not a prerequisite but it helps to know where you are starting from. Do you have any idea regarding how many days are available? Where do you live or what direction are you coming from, Michigan or Minnesota as this affects some of the logistics regarding the ferry or seaplane service? You mentioned "scenic shots." Is this a primary interest? There are also many opportunities to view and photograph a wide variety of both "flora and fauna" as the biologists might say.

Midwest Ed wrote:Hello Elijah,

Welcome to the forums. I believe you will find a multitude of ideas and suggestions from both replies and by browsing and searching many of the previous posts. If you could answer a couple of questions it will be easier to make suggestions and they will be more reliable. How experienced are you regarding wilderness camping and backpacking? Experience is definitely not a prerequisite but it helps to know where you are starting from. Do you have any idea regarding how many days are available? Where do you live or what direction are you coming from, Michigan or Minnesota as this affects some of the logistics regarding the ferry or seaplane service? You mentioned "scenic shots." Is this a primary interest? There are also many opportunities to view and photograph a wide variety of both "flora and fauna" as the biologists might say.

I have up to 20 days available during august and I have been on a couple backpacking trips. I have done up to 12 miles a day and i think myself rather experienced. I live in lower Michigan, but I am driving up thru Minnesota then taking the boat there, because I want to drive up the north shore a bit. I dont plan on taking ferries or seaplanes, as long as i can hike to locations. Also, photos are not my primary interest, bu they are rather important to me. What i was looking for in this post was some of the places that I might want to see the most, not have an itinerary written for me. Thank you.

ElijahMartineau wrote: I have up to 20 days available during august and I have been on a couple backpacking trips. I have done up to 12 miles a day and i think myself rather experienced. I live in lower Michigan, but I am driving up thru Minnesota then taking the boat there, because I want to drive up the north shore a bit. I dont plan on taking ferries or seaplanes, as long as i can hike to locations. Also, photos are not my primary interest, bu they are rather important to me. What i was looking for in this post was some of the places that I might want to see the most, not have an itinerary written for me. Thank you.

Welcome to the forums, Elijah.

You're going to have a long drive up to Grand Marais, but it will be worth it. The North Shore is breath-taking, and will really get you pumped up for your ultimate backpacking experience on Isle Royale.

It sounds like you're capable of handling whatever the trails on IR can throw at you, so people will be pouring recommendations into this thread. No matter where you end up on IR, there's going to be opportunities for stunning photography...this is not a joke. Since I've hiked 90% of the island, here's some of my favorite itineraries:

- Feldtmann Loop: an moderate hike. You hike an approx. 35-mile loop on the southwest part of the island. You can do this loop in four days or stretch out as long as you want. Start at Windigo, go down to Lake Feldtmann campground (lots of moose) and Rainbow Cove, then hike up onto the Feldmann Ridge for amazing views of inland and the south part of Lake Superior, dip into peaceful Siskiwit Bay, then hike up to the Greenstone where you can do a lot more exploring. Here's a few trip reports, with pictures, of the couple times I've done this hike: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2791 and viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1863

Indian Portage trail: an easy hike. You can do this in 2-3 days, or once again, as long as you want. You start at the incredible McCargoe cove, where there's lots of animals. I've also seen the northern lights very clearly here a few times. Then hike down to West Chickenbone, where you'll see lots of moose, ducks, and birds (and good fishing). There are also a lot of mines to explore here. From there, you can head to Lake Richie where you'll again see some moose. From there, go to Chippewa Harbor. This is probably one of the top five photogenic spots. There's wildlife, big cliff bands, a shipwreck, and a big bluff that offers amazing views of the inland with stunning sunsets. If I can scratch up some photos, I'll share them.

Minong Ridge Trail: a difficult hike; the hardest on the island. This one is very rewarding. You can do this in four-five days. I started in McCargoe cove (benefits listed above), then went to each of the very photo-genic Tod Harbors (Big and Little), Lake Desor and finally Windigo. There's not much going on at Lake Desor, but the hike along the Minong Ridge to get there offers some spectacular vistas. Windigo/Washington Creek can be pretty photogenic...you'll always see moose in Washington Creek from your camp site. The sunsets behind the pine trees off the dock at Windigo can be pretty beautiful. But really, while you're along the Minong Ridge is where you're going to get the best pictures. Here's a few pictures: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1491

McCargoe to Rock Harbor: Start in McCargoe (notice a trend here), go along the Indian Portage and Greenstone trails to Lane Cove (or a mid point)

Those are a few of my favorite hikes that are very common. I'm not so good with the east end of the island (Rock Harbor area), so hopefully someone will have some suggestions for routes there. I can tell you that Moskey Basin, Malone Bay, and Lane Cove are some great areas for photos. I am not confident to give you good route Here's a few trip reports (TRs) from each, with pictures: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2200 and viewtopic.php?f=8&t=778.

Hopefully that's some helpful food-for-thought.