Isle Royale Forums

I'm planning a trip for late August (5 guys, early 30s, mixed backpacking experience). This is our first trip to IR, so I'd appreciate any advice and suggestions.
Don_P, it sounds like you are starting off your trip the same way a few days later, so I wouldn't mind hearing your itinerary too.

August 26 - Arrive in RH via Queen IV, take water taxi to Chippewa Harbor, day hike, camp @ Chippewa Harbor
August 27 - Hike to McCargoe; 10.6 mi
August 28 - Hike to Daisy Farm; 8.2 mi
August 29 - Hike to Lane Cove; 7.2 mi
August 30 - Hike out to RH (6.9 mi), leave on Queen IV

Is this too aggressive? Another option I was considering if we skipped Lane Cove was 2 nights at McCargoe, 1 night at Daisy Farm, out at Rock Harbor. But of course, I'm open to any other ideas.

Thanks!
Josh

Hi J,

Not too aggressive at all and you will get a good taste of the East end of the Island. Do not skip Lane Cove - it's about the wildest spot you can walk to on the East end.

Day hikes at Chippewa - Mason Lake is nice. Also, go through the group campsites and you will be on a trail with an open hillside to your left with an obvious trail. Follow the trail up the hill (marked with cairns in places) and you will top out on an open ridge with fantastic views.

Bob

I agree with Keweenaw, that's not a bad trip, mileage-wise. As a matter of fact, my buddy and I usually average about 7-8 miles a day and this is right in line with how we would hike. Our backpacking trips are our times to relax, enjoy nature and unwind so we like to sleep in a little, take time getting ready and enjoy a shorter distance on the trail so we have more daylight at the end of the day to relax, explore the new surroundings, fish, write in a journal, etc. And, definitely check out the trail by the group sites at Chippewa Harbor. My buddy and I made several trips to the top of that hill when we were there a couple years ago. You get great views of Chippewa Harbor as well as Lake Superior out in the distance.

That sounds like an aggressive trip for me, but I'm out of shape.

You're going to be hitting all the best spots of the island, so you're going to think the toiling is worth it! Have fun.

Thanks for the helpful feedback.

It looks like the hike from Chippewa to McCargoe is going to be the hardest day. I figure that if we can't make it all the way to McCargoe, we'd stop at West Chickenbone instead--although that may require us to skip Lane Cove at the end

Can anyone give a rough time estimate to hike from Lane Cove to Rock Harbor? It is about 7 miles, but I'm not familiar with the terrain so I want to make sure we leave early enough on the last day to catch the Queen in the afternoon.

Josh

Hi again Josh,

The hike from Chippewa to McCargo is really not too strenuous - very good trail. Try not to think in terms of hard days - just start relatively early in the day and enjoy - take the packs off a few times for long rest stops and sightsee.

Lane Cove to RH is a bit tough for the first few miles from the campground to the top of the Greenstone - there are several small ridges to cross before you ascend the main ridge via switchbacks, but after a well-deserved rest at the top it is easy hiking on in. Be sure to take the Tobin Harbor trail and do not continue to the Rock Harbor Trail unless you like rocks and roots. Tobin is a walk in the woods and is quiet (away from the RH boat traffic). I would estimate 4 hours max (with breaks), so if you hit the trail by 8am you should have a few hours to spare.

Bob

Keweenaw is right about Lane Cove. You don't want to miss it and you should have plenty of time to leave Lane Cove and get to RH before the Queen departs. I did the same thing the last time I camped @ Lane Cove and we arrived in RH w/ enough time to shower and do a load of laundry before catching the Queen. I camped at Lane Cove on two different ocassions. On one trip it was our first night's stop and on another trip it was our last night's stop. I found that it is better @ the end of the trip.

Your iternary is very doable. Have a great experience and travel well.

At Chippewa Harbor, if you follow that trail behind the group sites, you'll come to the old school house. There was a bunch of artifacts displayed on the floor.