Isle Royale Forums

We are coming to Isle Royale in June or July 2020. We'll have 4.5 and 6.5 year old boys.

We are planning to leave our 5th wheel camper in Grand Portage.

While we are experienced hikers and campers (boys have never really done backpacking though), I all nervous to carry our supplies as the boys won't be able to carry much.

I had thought about the lodge or cabin, but we'll also be paying for our camper in Grand Portage.

So maybe we're better off doing day trips???

1 day take the Seahunter to Windigo for 4 hours? Will we be able to do anything worthwhile in 4 hours? Another day trip?

Do we just break down and do a cabin or lodge for a few days so we don't have to carry gear but can actually accomplish something? Probably 5 miles a day max?

Trails???

Help!

How long do you plan on staying? Early June can still be cold with some snow on the ground. Late June-early July starts bug season.

Consider staying on the boat and going to the east end of the Isle. The west end has some long days after the first day. Then you are in the middle of no where and have to go back. From Rock you can go to Three Mile (closer to 4 mi.) then Daisy Farm (around 4 mi.) for a couple days with days hikes to the ridge and back. Then back to Rock to take the ferry back to Windigo.

A longer, more aggressive and longer plan is to get dropped at McCargoe spend the night, then go to Chickenbone, Lake Ritchie, Moskey, Daisy, Three Mile and Rock, then ferry back to Windigo.

or get dropped at McCargoe spend the night, then go to Chickenbone, Lake Ritchie, Moskey, Daisy and ferry back fro there.

or get dropped at McCargoe spend the night, then go to Chickenbone, Lake Ritchie, Chippewa and ferry back from there.

These options will take some planning to be in the right spot when Voayager II there.

check out the isleroyaleboats.com website for info and cost and schedule. in short it's and extra $16ish to get dropped off somewhere else the same day as the trip out. The boat stays overnight at Rock and goes back to Windigo/GP via the south side the next day. outbound is Mon, Wed, Sat that time of year.

In addition to the east end options, there are a couple of options on the Windigo end.

- Huginnin Cove is about 5 miles from Windigo. So you could do that loop for a couple days.
- You can camp at Washington Creek (i.e. Windigo) for up to 3 days, most likely in a shelter. Then day hike from there. The campground is approx 1/4 mile from the dock. Note that you must be prepared to tent if the shelters are full, however.
- There are 2 "camper cabins" at Windigo that are very reasonable to rent, but fill up quickly. Search in the forum for more info from folks who have used them, but in short, more shelter than the 3 sided shelters at the campgrounds.

Maybe try a shorter 1 night backpacking trip on the mainland to shakedown and see if you can do the back country style instead of the cabin. That way you might know if you fears are legit about carrying all your gear.

You could stay up to 3 days at Washington Creek CG and day hike on the trails (Greenstone, Minong and Feldtmen) in that area. Moose are often in the Creek (early a.m. or late p.m.).

jerry wrote: ↑Sun Sep 29, 2019 11:37 am You could stay up to 3 days at Washington Creek CG and day hike on the trails (Greenstone, Minong and Feldtmen) in that area. Moose are often in the Creek (early a.m. or late p.m.).

Thanks Jerry - This sounds fun! Are those trails reasonable lengths? Any places to buy ice around Washington Creek? Ferry come there?

lindsay.heine wrote: ↑Mon Sep 30, 2019 2:12 pm Thanks Jerry - This sounds fun! Are those trails reasonable lengths? Any places to buy ice around Washington Creek? Ferry come there?

You can get ice at the Windigo store, which is a few minutes (uphill) from the WC campground. The ferry stops at the dock which is very close to the campground, maybe 5 minute walk.

We stayed in one of the cabins M-Th, you can find my trip report here. There was another family that was there the same nights as is (with us on VII both ways) that stayed in a shelter at WC. They had two kids, about age 9 or 10.