Scott Merryfield
Senior HTF Member
We just returned from a northern Michigan trip which included a four day stay at Isle Royale National Park, which is located in Lake Superior and requires a 54 mile, 3.5 hour ferry ride from Copper Harbor, Michigan to get to the park. It's actually closer to the northern Ontario shoreline (near Thunder Bay) and Portage, Minnesota, but requires a 7 hour ferry ride from Minnesota to the eastern part of the island due to all the ferry stops.
Isle Royale is Michigan's only national park, and is the most remote and least visited park in the lower 48 states. The only modes of transportation to get around the 45 mile long island are your feet, kayaks / canoes, or very expensive water taxis. The island is considered a "bucket list" for back country hikers /campers, as numerous people will hike the length of the island over a week's time, staying at rustic camp grounds throughout the park. The only "modern" accommodation is the Lodge (built in the 1920's) at Rock Harbor on the eastern end of the island. There is no cell phone coverage, Internet access, or television / radio -- it's a place to go to get away from things.
We stayed at the Lodge and hiked around the eastern end of the island. There are about 1,500 moose on the island, but unfortunately we did not see any -- nor did many other visitors, as the moose were not moving around much. The island used to be the home to grey wolves, too, but the population has been in decline and there are only two left. The National Park Service is in the process of deciding whether to re-introduce wolves to the island. Hopefully they make a positive choice, as the moose population is growing as the wolves decline (from 30 to 50 wolves have been on the island for many decades).
Sunset over The Sleeping Giant, which is on the Ontario shoreline near Thunder Bay:
Isle Royale is Michigan's only national park, and is the most remote and least visited park in the lower 48 states. The only modes of transportation to get around the 45 mile long island are your feet, kayaks / canoes, or very expensive water taxis. The island is considered a "bucket list" for back country hikers /campers, as numerous people will hike the length of the island over a week's time, staying at rustic camp grounds throughout the park. The only "modern" accommodation is the Lodge (built in the 1920's) at Rock Harbor on the eastern end of the island. There is no cell phone coverage, Internet access, or television / radio -- it's a place to go to get away from things.
We stayed at the Lodge and hiked around the eastern end of the island. There are about 1,500 moose on the island, but unfortunately we did not see any -- nor did many other visitors, as the moose were not moving around much. The island used to be the home to grey wolves, too, but the population has been in decline and there are only two left. The National Park Service is in the process of deciding whether to re-introduce wolves to the island. Hopefully they make a positive choice, as the moose population is growing as the wolves decline (from 30 to 50 wolves have been on the island for many decades).
Sunset over The Sleeping Giant, which is on the Ontario shoreline near Thunder Bay: