Windigo base camping

[backwoods doc]

A few observations after having just spent 4 days/3 nights at Windigo/Washington Creek.

This was my wife's first trip to the island, and she wasn't up for a backcountry trip. It was a very different experience than previous paddling trips I'd done on the inland lakes. Briefly:

1. Much more chill than Rock Harbor, but still feels like staying in a campground on the mainland. Flush toilets, showers, water on tap -- anyone could camp here -- no backcountry experience required. Works well for young families or people with some physical limitations. Might also be a good option for a first backpacking trip, since the campground is just a third of a mile from the dock. An inexperienced backpacker could test their gear for a night or two, pick up any supplies they forgot at the camp store, then head to Huginnin Cove for a night or two.

2. We base camped and took easy day hikes to the Grace Creek Overlook and up the Huginnin Cove trail a bit. No difficult hiking, but I found myself missing the prettier boreal forest and isolated lakes of the northeast part of the island.

3. In spite of feeling as though this was "Isle Royale Lite", we saw two moose from our shelter on Washington Creek, got to know a friendly fox (who didn't steal anything from us) and had a wolf encounter (see separate post).

[Bobcat1]

This year, I was in and out of Windigo a couple times on my ten-day trip and I noticed several families base-camping (complete with coolers, suitcases, and garden carts to haul it all) in the campground, including a multi-family gathering of cousins in one of the group sites. That was a new twist for me! I had figured they were headed for the camper cabins but they lugged everything out to the group sites.