Isle Royale Forums

Buddy and I are tentatively planning a kayak trip around the NE side of IR in late July/early August. Going to take the Isle Queen to RH.
Then, either will portage to Duncan Bay or attempt a kayak around Blake Point (weather and Lake conditions permitting....I'm just assuming we will end up portaging given our limited 'big water' paddling experience). Will spend the trip going around over to Belle Isle or perhaps even has far as Pickerel Cove.
Questions re: potential campsites and their campfire status.
Do you guys know which onces have fire pits versus communal fire rings? I only ask because a huge part of our camping experience is having campfires (we've backcountry camped for a looong time, and it actually dictates which parks and forests we visit....no campfires allowed, we don't go). We aren't anti-social, it would just be nice to have our own 'campfire' as opposed to sharing a communal firepit, with the attendant awkward conversations.
Do the Duncan campsites have communal versus 'personal' firepits?
What about Belle Isle?
Anyone stay at the Merritt Lane CS? Whats that one like?

Thanks in advance!

Duncan Bay, Duncan Narrows, and Belle Isle allow fires at the campsites. Merritt Lane, Pickeral Cove, and Lane Cove do not. Duncan Bay and Belle Isle have grills on posts, but not sure about Duncan Narrows. Belle Isle also has a communal fireplace.

Thanks! Belle Isle sounds like a beauty of a campsite.

Now I just gotta hope the bugs and mosquitoes aren't horrendous that last week in July.....

Belle Isle is my favorite spot--I paddled there many times one summer while working at R.H. The worst of the black flies should be over by then. The lakeside campgrounds usually have a breeze that helps keep the skeeters tolerable. But I bring a headnet (never used) and 100% DEET (used alot).

Not sure if those fire posts (grills) are what your thinking about in regards to having a camp fire. There aren't any traditional fire pits like you're thinking about, to my knowledge anyway. And IR is very strict regarding the fire policy.

I think Duncan Narrows has posts as well.

The Belle fireplace is built in the center of the camp, very cool, but it is shared by other campers on the island.

When I first went to IR, and was told you could have a fire on the post/grill, I never made one because it's not the same IMO, they're very small and a fire in a box on a post is not my kinda fire. I like them on the ground. Doesn't take anything away from IR for me, but when I go there, I usually forego the fire in a grill.