Isle Royale Forums

My plan, to first approximation: to visit mid-June, and follow the Greenstone Ridge Trail* from Windigo to Rock Harbor.

Toward fine-tuning the itinerary, I'm after some general background information.

1. Water: Beyond the official camp grounds, are there places along/near the GRT where water is likely to be available in midJune? (The map shows the trail crossing some streams and skirting some lakes.)

2. "Use" camps: are there places along the trail, convenient to water, where one could set up a small tent consistent with LNT principles? (The underlying question is whether the camp site options are in effect the official campgrounds.)

3. "Exchange rates": So far my solo walking has been in California, and I have a pretty good sense of what kind of daily mileage is fun for me to walk on established trails in the Sierra. But I'm leery of naively extrapolating. Is there conventional wisdom (or even individual gut reactions) about how a typical mile on the GRT compares to a typical mile in (say) the King's Canyon backcountry. (I know this isn't a very well-posed question, but even subjective and interval-valued answers are more information than I have now.)

*(I gather that other options are more aesthetic and fun to walk. But I'm hoping that I'll be back, and as a first time solo visitor, I think it makes sense for me to follow the trail that's easier to travel and navigate, and sees a bit more traffic. [Also I LIKE trees.])

Thanks!

Welcome to the Isle Royale Forums. I can help with your second question.

Refer to the following link for information on the rules/procedures for off-trail backcountry camping at Isle Royale National Park.
Link ---> viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1057#p6360

1. In general, the Greenstone is the dominant ridge trail - And thus, water flows off of it, but not often through it. Between Windigo and Island Mine there are a few pockets where water can be found, but for most of the trail, the reliable place to find water is where they've placed designated camps. (All camps will put you at a water source; Island Mine will be the most finicky, as it's a stream.) I would recommend leaving camp with enough water to get you to the next one.

2. IncaRoads highlights "cross country" camp options, but I'll add this: I would recommend anyone new to the Island first try out the normal trails and designated campsites. There is a ruggedness all to themselves in many cases. Until you've had some time on the island, it's hard to understand how difficult off-trail hiking can be in so many parts of the island. So, while 'anywhere' could be an option, the designated campsites are the 'official' campgrounds, as you say.

3. So many things can play into the "exchange rate" I think, so I'll just say that for an 'average' backpacker, with pack, 8-10 miles/day is a solid day of Isle Royale on-trail hiking. Magically, it's also about where many campsites space themselves out.

The Greenstone is the high ridge in the middle of the island, so there is not much water up there. If you camp at official campsites, you should have no problem carrying enough water to get you to the next camp. I encourage you to consider the campgrounds--they are quite nice and usually not that far off the Greenstone (although you will often have a bot of a hike back to the ridge in the morning. I also suggest you consider dipping down to Superior at Moskey or Chippewa and taking the route closer to the lake for the rest of the way to RH. That way, you will get a good taste of the Greenstone, plus some Lake Superior sites.

I have not hiked in the Sierra's, but I have done some hiking in Colorado and Montana. I.R. is easier, in my view, if for no other reason that altitude.

Have a great time.

Thanks, all, for the quick and helpful replies. I hadn't appreciated that "back-country" camping engaged additional sets of regulations --- I'll definitely plan to stick with the providentially-spaced established campgrounds!