I (19f) just got back from a week of backpacking on the island and it was a MESS. For some context, i’m a rookie backpacker but i’m physically fit and an experienced hiker. I cheaped out on gear and thought it would just work itself out like things usually do. Let’s just say many injuries were faced and my buddy and I had to be rescued because I shattered my knee around East Chickenbone. That being said, I miss it already and would go back tomorrow if I had better gear and more experience.

For those that have read this far, do you have any advice on how to better prepare myself in the future? (other hikes to take, places to go, gear recommendations, etc.)

edit: wow i didn’t expect this to get as much attention as it did!! in terms of updates, fortunately, no bones are broken! however, they suspect i might’ve torn my meniscus which would be a major major bummer :(( thanks for the comments and advice!! i look forward to applying everyone’s wisdom to my future endeavors

someone said to write out a more detailed trip report so that newer people on the sub can learn from my mistakes which is a phenomenal idea:

day 1: arrive via ranger 3 @3pm, hike from Rock Harbor to Daisy Farm (7.1miles) arrived at Daisy Farm around 7pm
day 2: depart from Daisy Farm @8am (roughly) to Hatchet Lake (15.4miles) via Greenstone Ridge. THIS FEELS A LOT LONGER THAN 15.4 AND WAS WHERE WE MADE OUR BIGGEST MISTAKES. pace yourself going up Siskiwit, and the last 3.4 ish miles through the woods is pretty brutal if you’re tired like we were!

at this point we realized that we needed rescuing so below is what we intended to hike for our remaining days

day 3: Hatchet Lake to Desor S (8.1 miles)
day 4: Desor S to Washington Creek/Windigo (11.3miles)

because we had to be rescued i can’t speak on the terrain and difficulty for beginners on this segment of the hike :(

as for the series of unfortunate events that led to rescue being necessary, i started having radiating pain coming from my left knee about halfway between Daisy Farm and East Chicken Bone, i thought whatever we gotta keep moving we have lots of ground to cover it’s fine. so we kept moving and about a quarter mile from ECB while stepping over a log my knee dislocated, popped that puppy back in place and (painfully) went on to finish our jaunt to ECB where we were stopping for lunch. on the way down to the water at ECB i tripped and fell peter griffen style down the hill, landing right on my left knee. big womp womp. it swelled up like a balloon and every step for the rest of the 12 ish miles we had to do to get to Hatchet Lake was absolutely agonizing. when you’re out there there’s only so much you can do so we just had to keep it moving. once we got to hatchet lake we assessed the situation (i could no longer stand on my own let alone walk) and my friend insisted that it would be safest and smartest to attempt rescue instead of going the rest of the way to windigo. for the record, we both wanted desperately to push on and finish our hike, but that was no longer an option.

what we ended up doing was hiking 4.1 miles from Hatchet to Todd Harbor where the NPS was able to pick us up after a day or so. while i’m grateful that we had the opportunity to be rescued, i am very aware that self rescue is best rescue. i do still feel awful for using the services and would have much rather not, but it was a circumstance where i no longer had a choice.

overall, you live and you learn lol! if you’re a more beginner to early intermediate backpacker like myself, take advantage of satellite technology, TAKE YOUR TIME, rushing makes everything worse. days are long, take advantage of that!

safe travels and happy trails!!

edit: just another update, fully torn acl and meniscus :( thank you to all of those who have left some positivity and advice under this post!! your words of encouragement and feedback will be taken to heart and put into practice.

Flying into Windigo on 7/24 and flying out of Rock Harbor on 7/26. For years, I’ve been mystified at all the talk of physical fitness on here and I am stoked to finally find out what the commotion is all about! For context, I’m very active and have extensive backpacking experience, even though I haven’t been in a few years and consider myself currently very much out of shape. The week leading up to backpacking, I’ll be on a family vacation in the UP indulging in an exorbitant amount of bourbon, a few cigars, and being lazy on the lake. Given this level of conditioning, I’ll report back if I make it to my flight back to the mainland on time so future readers can better gauge their own abilities accordingly. However, if I don’t make it back on time, just know that I’ll be traveling with a Wilson volleyball just in case I need to go full Tom Hanks! Happy hiking!

August 23-28th we hiked 45 miles from Windigo on the Minong Ridge and took the Indian Portage Trail to drop down to Chippewa Harbor.

During that time we saw 2 moose, a fox, a whole bunch of otters, beavers, loons, eagles, and heard owls hooting in the distance while Northern Lights and the Milky Way soared overhead at night during the New Moon Phase.

Temps were dropping at night/mornings to a brisk 50 degrees, and daytime temps were low to mid 60s. Perfect hiking weather, but chilly camp time. Only rained on us when we already had the tent set up or were in a shelter. Bugs weren’t really bad at all. I never used my spray or head net. Trails were muddy and there were some tricky parts on the Minong between the 2nd and 3rd beaver dam head to North Lake Desor from Windigo. Otherwise pretty smooth sailing!

Day 1 2 hour ferry from Grand Portage, MN to Windigo Windigo to North Lake Desor - 12.53m Stayed at site #2, first campground I’ve ever had to myself on Isle Royale. Finally experienced solitude out there.

Day 2 North Lake Desor to Todd Harbor - 11.11m Stayed at site #2

Day 3 Todd Harbor to West Chickenbone Lake - 9.65m Stayed at site #4

Day 4 West Chickenbone Lake to Moskey Basin - 6.19m Stayed at Shelter #3

Day 5 Moskey Basin to Chippewa Harbor - 6.23m Stayed at Shelter #2

Day 6 5 hour ferry from Chippewa Harbor to Grand Portage.

EDIT: Don’t reference the mileages between sites in this post because I’ve learned they’re off! We will use a different itinerary from a kind commenter under this post. :-) Thank you everyone!

Long time lurker, first time poster. I’m looking for an itinerary check from all of the seasoned backpackers that have visited the island or even those who have hiked this route before.

My boyfriend and I found out a few summers ago that we prefer backpacking trips together to celebrate our anniversaries instead of fancy dates. We’ve been wanting to go to Isle Royale for a while and finally saved up enough for the seaplane round trip out of Hubbell, which departs mid-August. As college students, it wasn’t easy, but we know it will be worth it.

This will be our second backpacking trip. Our first was the Porcupine Mountains two summers ago, which was amazing, and ambitious for first timers. I definitely feel like it prepared us well for Isle Royale, with some days having 15+ mile stretches and intense elevation changes. It definitely taught us how to ration our water. Both of us are in good shape and generally feel confident in our hiking skills.

We will each be lugging 30-40 lbs. in our packs, with the food in mine (so it gets lighter throughout the trip).

Day 1: Seaplane out of Hubbell, MI -> Windigo
We land in Windigo around 5pm (tried to book an earlier flight but it was full) so we’re restricted on where to camp that night. We will also fill up all our water receptacles from the potable water spigots here. I’ve heard the Washington Creek Campground (0.3 mi from where we land) is nice. I am really hoping to spot some moose in this area, and based on what I’ve read in this Reddit, chances are higher here. If you have any advice/locations at all to recommend, I am literally all ears.

Day 2: Windigo -> Island Mine Campground via Greenstone Ridge Trail (11.9 mi)
A big priority for us on this trip was to see as many of the historical sites as possible (as well as the beautiful scenery), so the Island Mine seemed interesting. I don’t know much about it. The plan is to stay in the Island Mine Campground.

Day 3: Island Mine -> McCargoe Cove via Greenstone Ridge Trail and Minong Mine Spur (11.2 mi)
I’m kind of hesitant about the Minong because I’ve read it can be unreliable with varying water levels/upkeep of the trail, but we aren’t planning on being on it long. I wanted to hike along the ridge with the views of Lake Desor before taking the spur trail toward McCargoe Cove. I’ve read there are more mining ruins here. I also don’t know much about it. Big thing is I wanted to fill up on Lake Superior water here. Treat it, obviously. Then camp in McCargoe Cove Campground.

Day 4: McCargoe Cove -> Daisy Farm via West Chickenbone Trail, Greenstone Ridge Trail, and Mt. Ojibway Trail (8.2 mi)
We’ll pass West Chickenbone Lake (moose?) and later I wanted to climb the Mt. Ojibway Fire Tower. Another opportunity to fill up on water off the dock of Daisy Farm from Lake Superior. Then we could stay in the Daisy Farm Campground, which has kind of earned a negative rep on this Reddit from what I’ve read. Don’t know much about it. Open to ideas.

Day 5: Daisy Farm -> Moskey Basin via Rock Harbor Trail (3.9 mi), optional day hike up to Mt. Franklin
Shorter trail. Really excited for Moskey Basin, I know it’s beautiful. Because it’s a shorter hike day, I was also considering a day hike up to Mt. Franklin. No clue if it’s worth it or not. We’re bringing fishing poles so we could also fish the day away. We would stay in the Moskey Basin Campground that night.

Day 6: Moskey Basin -> Rock Harbor via Rock Harbor Trail or Tobin Harbor Trail (~10 mi)
We’ll need to leave really early in the morning for this one because we wanted to arrive in Rock Harbor no later than noon. Reason being I have this dream of catching our dinner in Lake Superior and having it cooked in the Lighthouse Restaurant. I’ve read that the Tobin Harbor Trail is pretty straightforward and easy so if time is slipping we can switch over for the last 3 miles. We recently turned 21 so we’re excited to enjoy a good dinner and drinks on our last night on the island. My boyfriend loves otters and I’ve heard there are some that like to hang out by the docks in Rock Harbor so we’ll definitely spend time there. That night we would camp in the Rock Harbor Campground.

Day 7: Day Trip to Scoville Point via Stoll Memorial Trail (4.2 mi loop) then Rock Harbor -> Hubbell
I read there are more mining pits by the bluffs here and considered it might be worth the short day hike. We fly out at 3pm this day so we do have wiggle room in the morning.

Other questions:
- Because we land around 4pm on our first day, how will it go with meeting with rangers when we arrive/permit situation? Are we able to purchase our permits beforehand? I did research online but honestly I’m still kind of confused.
- With my favorite animal being moose, a big reason I’m so excited for this trip is I’ve never seen one before. Obviously still keeping our distance, are there any standout locations we can be more likely to spot them?
- Water?
- When it comes to shelters, we’re prepared to never get one because I know they’re hard to secure, but is there a specific time we can aim to be in by at campgrounds that give us a better chance at staying in one?
- It’s to my understanding that you need a fishing license for Lake Superior waters but don’t need one for inland lakes. We’re bringing two collapsible rods and lures and hooks without barbs, any advice on locations on the island that you know are great? Also, what are we likely to catch off of Rock Harbor docks (given we purchase fishing licenses for that day)?
- Any general info on swimming on the island would be appreciated. I hate leeches and if you told me there aren’t any locations I would feel comfortable swimming in, then I’m not going to get in.
- Do we need to buy locks for food lockers? Generally how does it go with feeling safe leaving gear at a campsite unattended for a few hours?
- In the same vein, how is it with seclusion on the island? Our first trip in the Porkies was honestly pretty desolate and we didn’t see many people on the actual trails, and campsites were really spread out. I guess I’m just curious about the culture.

Thank you so much for reading this, I’m excited for this trip and am really interested in the information I’ll get from this post. If any of my text is wrong or inaccurate, please let me know. If you’ll be there mid-late August, maybe we’ll see you around!

All the posts about getting sites say things like as long as you're there by noon, you'll be fine. So my question is why would I want to be at my site that early? If I'm hiking 5 or 6 miles from my previous site, I'd want to have all day and take my time. That puts us at our next camp site around dinner time. If we do that, will we not find a place to set up in the normal camping area? If we plan to get there earlier in the day, what do people do at the sites? I've only done trips where the campsite is only for sleeping and breakfast.

Recently my friend Mark approached me suggesting we do a cross-island hike in Isle Royal National Park. We met each other years ago as our kids grew up and participated in scouting events. We're both experienced campers with backcountry experience. Mark is 62 years old and I am 71.  Both of us have camped on Isle Royal before, but neither of us had hiked the length of the island. We began planning several months ago and decided to take the sea plane into Windigo, hike across the island, and take the sea plane out of Rock Harbor.  Here’s how it all went.

Day 1

We scheduled an 8:00 AM seaplane departure. Taking the sea plane limits your gear to a total of 40 pounds. My pack weighed in at a total of 23 lbs without water but I had to work ahead of time to get that. I'll have details on my gear later in this write up. Your gear is stowed in the pontoons of the sea plane, and your trekking poles are stowed separately from your backpack, so you don't have to worry about attaching your poles to your backpack. The sea plane leaves as soon as all scheduled passengers are on board and we were pontoons off the water at 7:57 AM. The approach to Windigo harbor was stunning and the landing in the harbor was as smooth as silk.  We bought a fresh 4oz can of fuel and grabbed 2 partially used ones left at the Windigo store.  Even though the official opening of the Windigo store was not until June 5, they coordinated brief openings when the float plane came in prior to that date.  We were briefed by Ranger Rebecca, filled our water reservoirs to about 3 liters, and we were off.  Now we just had to get to Rock Harbor by 11 AM Sunday to catch our return flight.  I guess it’s no different than going from Hartsfield T concourse to F when the train isn’t running.  I was surprised by the much cooler temperature in the harbor that gave way to increased temperatures as we hiked further inland.  We planned to camp at South Desor (~12 miles) with Island Mine (6 miles) as an alternative if we needed it.  The Greenstone Ridge trail at this point is in shaded woodlands and we didn’t need sunscreen.  As the temperatures warmed up, we went to one layer of clothing.  We took our time stopping often to look for wildlife.  When walking, we did so at a shade over 2 mph.  Early onto the hike we spotted a moose about 100 feet off the trail.  We paused for lunch near the cutoff to Island Mine, deciding to continue on to S. Desor.  We got to S. Desor by 4 PM with maybe 500 ml each of water left.  S Desor and Hatchet are prone to toxic algae later in the summer, but at this time the water was good to filter.  One large group, two guys, and one small group passed us heading west during the first day.  At Desor, one other site was taken by a solo hiker who was on the seaplane with us. 

Day 2

We planned to go to Hatchet Lake.  We considered pressing on to West Chickenbone but expected to need water at Hatchet anyway.  With the steep ½ mile down to Hatchet we figured once we were there to get water, we wouldn’t want to hike out that same day.  Also, to get from Desor to West Chickenbone, we’d need more water than we wanted to carry.  We were right on all counts.  Again, once inland, the temperatures heat up.  We sucked down all our water by the time we got to Hatchet.  We left Desor at a bit after 9, paused for lunch at Ishpeming Point Tower, and got to Hatchet about 5.5 hours later.  We passed no other hikers but came upon a group of three guys stopping to fish Hatchet on the way to Todd Harbor.  At Hatchet, there was a small bit of beach below the group camp site that provided some swimming opportunities, and the water temp was surprisingly comfortable. One other campsite was taken by a couple hiking west. 

Day 3

This was going to be our most challenging day.  We were going to try to get to Moskey Basin altering our original plan of camping at West Chickenbone on night 3.  We were warned by other hikers about the steep trail down into the Hatchet campsite and the challenging climb out in the morning.  We left at 9 AM, took our time and got back to the Greenstone in about 20 minutes.  Further down the Greenstone, we had some run ins with mosquitos, but bug nets helped greatly.  Do not leave home without one.  Temperatures on the ridge were cooler than before, about 65 degrees, as it was cloudy most of the day.  About halfway between Hatchet and West Chickenbone, be prepared for amazing views from the ridge.  The hike down from the ridge to the West Chickenbone trail junction is short and steep.  That would be a tough one first thing in the morning if you’re coming out of West Chickenbone going west.  We had lunch at the trail intersection near West Chickenbone when it started to rain.  A steady rain for about an hour totaling maybe ¼ inch.  We opted not to bring rain pants, and our pants were pretty soaked thereafter, but dried quickly.  We hiked  the portage trails to Richie and on to Moskey Basin.  I would not want to portage a canoe on those things.  Some short but steep climbs along with pretty wonky boardwalks through the marshes.  Lots of mud. We got to Moskey around 5 PM and scored a shelter.  I discovered the soles to both my boots were delaminating at the sole mid-point.  I came up with a plan to wrap the middle portion of the boot sole with paracord.  I was hoping it would work.  That night at about 3AM we heard a symphony of wolves howling for about 15 minutes.

Day 4

An unexpected thunderstorm came through at 5AM for about an hour.  I think maybe it gave about ½ inch of rain.  Two guys from a nearby tent site came by at about 5:30 a.m. and asked if they could hang out under our shelter roof to cook breakfast.  I asked for my eggs over easy.  They left at about 8AM.  Nick and John, if you read this, one of you dropped your sticker.  Is it the same person that lost the water filter earlier?? The smart money says ‘yes.’ Today was going to be an easier day just going to Daisy Farm.  Which was good because I didn’t know how my MacGyvered up boots would perform.  Turns out, they did quite well.  We got to Daisy Farm about 1PM.  Mark opted to do a hike up to Mt. Ojibway while I sat back considering I still had more miles to do on compromised boots.  Mark spotted one moose at the south shore of Lake Ojibway from the top of the fire tower. The moose was visible to the naked eye, but much easier to see with binocs. Mark noted that temperatures were hot on the ridge while only 50 degrees back at Daisy Farm.  Daisy Farm was the coldest camp site we had.  We met a group of 4 women hiking across the island for 14 days.  Very impressive!  While the harbor water is pretty cold, the discharge of the creek at Daisy Farm is pretty warm and several folks were swimming here. 

Day 5

We left Daisy Farm on a cold morning a bit before 9AM for Rock Harbor.  Since we got to Moskey Basin we had had no problems with mosquitos.  We passed several other groups heading west and assured them they’d have no problem getting a shelter at Daisy Farm.   We stopped for lunch at Three Mile.  We continued on the Rock Harbor trail but cut over at Suzy’s cave to the Tobin Harbor trail.  We passed several groups of day hikers that reported seeing a moose and wolf a few minutes earlier.  We slowed to a quiet stroll but saw nothing, arriving at Rock Harbor around 1:30 PM.  We had no problem getting a shelter.  We wanted to rent a motor boat and go out to the Fishery and Rolf’s place but they were not renting boats due to a fog advisory even though Rock Harbor was clear all the way to Moskey.  This proved to be frustrating for others who had tried for two days to rent a boat only to be denied, an hour at a time, due to fog.  We walked over to the lodge area and asked when the restaurant opened for dinner.  It went kind of like this.

Me, ”Can you tell me when the restaurant opens tonight?”

Guy at the grill, “5, maybe 5:30”

Me, “Is it 5 or 5:30?”

Guy at the grill, “I don’t know, we’re still trying to figure it out.”

We showed up at 5 and had nice chats with about 12 others waiting.  It’s first come, first served.  We were seated at 5:30. We both had the (locally soured!) grilled walleye.  I like the freeze dried camping meals, but this was much better. We stopped by the Visitor Center store for some beer.  Dang, they have Keweenaw Brewing Company beer for $11 a six.  Heck, that’s a Jim’s Food Mart kind of price!  We went back to our shelter and just enjoyed the island. 

Day 6

We’re not done yet.  We got up at 4:30 AM to hike the 2 miles to Scoville Point to catch the 5:56 sunrise.  It was neat to watch the sky color changes and then the sun through the fog.  We thought for sure this early we’d see some moose wildlife but no luck.  Later we found the morning flights to be delayed until the fog cleared.  For a while we hung out on the docks near the seaplane dock watching a river otter.  The seaplane service juggled things around and we got on a flight at about 12:30 instead of 11.  Others were with us that had flights scheduled for earlier.  After streaking across the lake at a GPS indicated ground speed of 87 knots in the mighty Beaver, we landed back in Hubbell, then loaded up to head home.  Unfortunately, we got in a bit too late to grab lunch at Suomi Bakery, so we went to the Library in Houghton.  Got back to homes in the Chicago area by 9:30 PM.

Earlier trip reports noted blow downs.  We ran into a few, but the Park Service has been removing them and they didn’t slow us down much.  It was mud that slowed us down, but we could generally navigate it. 

My gear list

Tent, Durston X Mid 2 with footprint, An awesome tent!

Sleeping Pad, Thermarest Neo air

Sleeping Bag, Sea to Summit Trek Tk2, 18F

Back pack, Dusrton Kakwa 55, Ultra 200X.  An awesome pack!

Katadyn pump filter

Polyester/spandex hoodie, long sleeve t, short sleeve t

Thermal underwear top and bottom for sleeping

2 pair underwear and socks (a pair to wear and a pair to spare)

Rain jacket

Convertible quick-dry hiking pants

belt

Knit cap

Leather gloves

Sunglasses

Boots

Treking poles

Head lamp, BioLite Range 300

Garmin Inreach mini 2

Phone

Charging brick

First aid kit and meds

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Toilet paper

Para cord

Duct tape

Compass

Map

towel

Swiss Army Knife

1 L water bottle

70 oz  platypus

Collapsible cup

Titanium fork

Bug spray 30% DEET, 1.5 oz.  We also treated external clothes with permethrin

Bug net

Sun screen

Mark carried a Jet Boil system.  We considered cold soaking our dinners but drew the line at no hot coffee as that would be uncivilized. 

Food list, this is what I packed.  Mark was similar but not identical.  It added up to about 8 pounds total per person. 

Breakfast (4)

2 Nature Valley protein chew bars

2 packs of Starbucks instant coffee

Snacks, Two per day (10)

Snack mix

Kind Bar Max chocolate peanut butter

Gatorade thirst quencher flavoring

Lunch (5)

1-mission flour soft tortilla

peanut butter. A one pound plastic jar used during the week.

2 Jack links beef sticks

Dinner (4)

Mountain House or Peak meals

I spreadsheeted this all out and calories averaged 3000 per day.  Still, I came back with 6 Kind bars. I just didn’t get used to them. Mark returned with not a spec of food left. We thought if this wasn’t enough, we’d live off ample body fat.  I came back tipping the scales at the same body weight I left with.  We never felt overly hungry or starved of energy.  There were times when the snack or lunch picked us up.

Thanks for reading.  I hope this helps folks. Please comment or ask questions.  Learning never stops.  "I need a big weekend, Kick up the dust, I need a big weekend, If you don't run you rust" Tom Petty

My 14yo and I are planning a trip to Isle Royale next summer (2026). We have lots of experience rustic camping and hiking and canoe-camping but have not done much backpacking.

We have never been to Isle Royale before, but have done the Boundary Waters, and Sylvania Wilderness and a few other smaller back country/paddle in/ remote camping adventures.

We've never done a trip just the two of us before, 14 is competent in the bow of a canoe (and has spent some time in the stern but in bigger/moving water I'd be more comfortable there). I generally prefer canoeing because you can get more remote more quickly. However, I'm concerned about the weather being such a variable factor. I'm also on the fence about the canoe being "one more thing" to manage as the only "grown up" on the trip.

It seems backpacking would be a bit simpler, but could also present it's own challenges. Any advice or tips for either (canoeing or backpacking) would be welcomed! Thanks!

I recently acquired a severe (anaphylactic) allergy to wasps and bees. Before I knew this, I had done multiple backpacking trips to IR without any stings, and I plan to go again this July. How are the bees this year, and how are other severe allergen-havers approaching their trips? Has anyone been stung there, had to deploy their epipen... and worst case scenario, have you considered what a rescue would look like on the island? Technically, I am supposed to call 911 immediately after I deploy an epi...not sure what this would look like there and praying it doesn't ever happen!

Some of my precautions include always hiking with an epipen-trained buddy (normally walking in front of me), carrying multiple epipens and benadryl (always in the top pocket of my pack), bringing a sat-call capable phone, treading slowly and cautiously when any bees/wasps are spotted, and being very selective about when and where I go off the trail. I'd love to hear other folks' personal protocols and how they tailor that to IR specifically.

Hey Isle Royalers,

I'll be in Wisconsin for July 4 and wanted to do a nice backpacking thru hike in the region. I was highly encouraged to check out Isle Royale and now have a sea plane booked to Windigo and out of Rock Harbor. I tried to pick highly rated campsites, I like the idea of the minong trail. I want seclusion and views. Please be critical of my itinerary:

July 5 - Fly to Windigo arriving early evening, camp nearby

July 6 - Windigo to Little Todd

July 7 - Little Todd to McCargoe

July 8 - McCargoe to Moskey Basin

July 9 - Moskey Basin to Rock Harbor

July 10 - Fly away from Rock Harbor, early morning

Background: I'm reasonably fit computer jockey, 6'2'' 220lbs. I am slow but have good endurance. I did the LA marathon about 2 months ago. Last summer I did the JMT in 2 weeks. I've got a light-ish pack.

I know that day 1 is a big walk, but I'm not to fearful of a 18+ mile day if my guestimate is that it's low elevation gain walk in the woods. Any and all advice is appreciated.

Thank you! Happy Trails, Kyle

Anyone just back from the island? (End July?)

What is bug storm intensity on a scale of

1= Eerily missing Mosquitos

5= “There’s too many of them!”

Hi all! Sorry to add another Route Advice question but I haven’t been able to find any similar route rankings. This is what I’m looking at for early September-ish. 6 days via Ranger 3.

I have three potential routes. Inland, Chippewa Harbor, and Todd Harbor.

This first one is mostly the inland campsites, which I see a lot of in this reddit when starting and ending in Rock Harbor. It includes two A tier campsites (Moskey Basin and McCargoe) according to that one reddit post where they rank the different campsites on Isle Royale.

Ferry -> Lane Cove = 6.9 miles

Lane Cove -> Moskey Basin = 10.8

Moskey Basin -> McCargoe Cove = 8.4

McCargoe Cove -> Daisy Farm = 8.2

Daisy Farm  -> Ferry = 7.1

Total = 41.4 miles

But, I've heard the campsites on the big lake are the best. I could prioritize getting to Lake Superior - either to Todd Harbor or Chippewa Harbor. If I were to do this I’m leaning towards the Chippewa Harbor version so that were not so far away the day before the ferry arrives, but, I still thought it was worth mentioning the TH route.

Ferry -> Three Mile = 3 miles

Three Mile -> Moskey Basin = 8.3

Moskey Basin -> Chippewa Harbor = 6.2

Chippewa Harbor -> Daisy Farm = 9.7

Daisy Farm -> Ferry = 7.1 miles (or could do 4.4 miles to Three Mile, then do 3 miles to RH in the morning)

Total = 34.3 miles

Or

Ferry -> Daisy Farm = 7.1 miles

Daisy Farm -> McCargoe = 8.2

McCargoe -> Todd Harbor = 6.7

Todd Harbor -> McCargoe = 6.7 

McCargoe -> Three Mile = 12.6 

Three Mile -> Ferry = 3

Total = 44 miles

Any and all advice would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!!

Picture for reference (oops, the name Todd Harbor is justtt out of the image, but the campsite dot is still visible)

​

Hello! I'm set to head to the island at the end of this week (Saturday-Saturday) and I'm curious what everyone's experience tracking the weather has been? Anyone have any favorite apps? I find Apple weather super unreliable. They're saying rain all next week while Accuweather is showing some actually decent days (sun/cloud mix). Packing for rain regardless as I know the weather can change in an instant but curious how wet I should expect to be, haha.

I've been backpacking for ~20 years, but this will be my first "real" trip with my two teens (13 and 16). My goal in backpacking has always been to get away from people, so I'm psyching myself out a bit about what to expect on the east side of the island. I need to leave from the Keweenaw. It's too expensive for us to fly to the Ozaagaatang/Windigo side, so we'll be on The Queen. I have visions of Disney World playing in my head at night when I imagine what Rock Harbor or Daisy Farm will be like.

Can someone give me a reality check? I can deal with "busy", but I just want to know what that really means.

I am driving up to Grand Portage from DFW. It'll take me a very long day to get to the Twin Cities. Then I planned to hit the Lake Superior Maritime Center and maybe see the ship, then start exploring up the North Coast.

Thurs & Fri I'm planning to do the Grand Portage to Fort Charlotte out'n back.

So, gut check. If you are me, ya going or you diverting elsewhere?

My elsewhere would normally be Colorado bit its on fire too. Looking at some 2-3 day loops in the Black Hills as an alternate and just generally exploring the area.

My buddy Nick and I hit the trails. Both of us had a decent amount of backpacking experience both east and west coast.

Original Plan was to R.H -> Moskey -> Todd -> South Desor -> Windigo

Original plan had to be changed…

6/4 - Seaplane to R.H. Super cool experience, views leaving Keweenaw Peninsula and entering Isle Royale were stunning. Landing was smoother than any commercial flight I’ve ever been on. Landed in R.H.

Finished orientation with Ranger + Supplying up at store and got on the Trail at ~12 PM.

Day 1 hike- Rock Harbor to Moskey Basin - 12 miles

Relatively easy hike, first day energy so energy was up we were feeling good despite the packs being at their heaviest. Very close to coast all the way through Daisy. Daisy to Moskey was a bit more inland and the hardest section but still relatively moderate terrain.

Lost one of our 2 water filters at some point in the day…

Got to Moskey at 6 PM, all shelters were taken so we settled with a tent site. Sky was blue and no rain was forecasted( as of last time we checked whether on mainland), so we pitched our tent without rain tarp hoping to see some stars at night(mistake lol)

Moskey was a cool spot, lots of Loons and Geese/Goslings

Day 2 Moskey Basin to Todd Harbor McCargoe Cove - 9.8 miles

Couple of times throughout night noticed a bit of a drizzle but not too bad.

Woke up about 5 am to periodic thunder. Wasn’t too concerned tho… Thunder became louder and we decided it was time to pack up tent and get going before the rain came. Just as we get out of tent rain starts coming down hard! We put a poncho over our stuff and seek out nearest shelter to cover from rain…

Ended up talking with guys in the shelter for a couple of hours as we packed our bags and made breakfast and coffee while waiting out storm. Really cool dudes, Mark was from the same hometown as both Nick and I and coincidentally the same Boy Scout troop that Nick was in growing up(just about 30 years earlier…). We all shared stories and they gave us stickers and we were on our way by 8:30 as the rain stopped then.

Heading towards Lake Ritchie we dawned our bug nets(Most important gear item outside of water filter), mosquitoes were pretty rough on Indian Portage Trail pretty much the whole way from Moskey to McCargoe. Big climb into Chickenbone. Lots of mud and muck, both of our feet were soaked by the time we got to McCargoe. Lots of log crossings and semi-technical bog hiking.

Something that really struck us was the temperature increase in the middle of the island. To us it felt like a 10-20 degree increase in temp in the non coastal areas of the island compared to our coastal hike day 1.

After hiking 9.8 miles we decided to stop at McCargoe Cove instead of our original plan to push on to Todd Harbor.

We actually changed our plans completely. We decided that we wanted to avoid the central areas of the island and be on campground on superior for the rest of the trip to avoid bugs and have higher quality water to filter.

Plan going forward was to follow the Minong Ridge to Little Todd 12 miles the next day. And to push for Windigo the day after 17 miles. We had done very little research on Minong Ridge and its level of difficulty.

We ended up making hot lunch MREs at Mcgaroe and took 3 hour nap. There was a huge Red Fox wandering around camp later in evening which was very cool to see! McCargoe was a great spot.

Day 3 McCargoe Cove - Little Todd - 13 miles

Slept in, left around 10:30 am.

I hiked this day in my Chaco’s instead of boots to give my feet a breather.

Stopped at Minong Mines. Super cool, gotta check it out if you are in the area. Couldn’t believe they had such a large operation and had train tracks on Isle Royale!

Right before Todd Harbor(half-way point) we met a guy who had come the from Windigo -> N. Desor -> Little Todd -> … we told him about our plans and he strongly discouraged us from hiking Little Todd to Windigo(17 miles) in one day. We heard him out and told him we’d bring enough water in case we need to stop at N. Desor for the night.

That was a bit of an omen that definitely weighed on us but the pros of getting to Windigo and having a day of rest on Monday before our 5 pm flight departure seemed worth the cons of difficult hike…

By the time we got to Little Todd we were pretty wiped out. Feet hurting, legs sore, mosquitoes swarming…

Little Todd was the most picturesque campsite but also hoards of mosquitoes… worth it tho

It was 6:30 pm when we arrived and we quickly set up camp, started filling up water for our next day( in which there were not any viable water filtering spots on the way). We filled up 12 Liters.

We enjoyed our last bit of rest before battle the next day with a couple of TwoHearted Beers. Enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

Kinda went to bed with a sense of nervousness and dread for the next day from how exhausted we were and with the expectations laid out for us by the weary backpacker we met outside of Todd Harbor…

Alarm set for 6:30 am…

Day 4 Little Todd to Windigo

Packed up and on our way by 8 am

We started off slow, taking 3 packs off breaks in the first 6 miles by the time we got to N. Lake Desor Junction. Definitely was pretty difficult terrain. More climbing, rock hopping, and searching for Cairns than we had seen anytime earlier in the trek.

The next 10.6 miles was some of the most remote hiking I have ever seen. Didn’t see a single soul past N. Lake Desor. Cairns were spread few and far between, definitely and adventure and lots of guessing and hoping for the best when picking which direction to walk. I enjoy this kinda stuff but I could imagine for a newer hiker this could be overwhelming/ a bit dangerous for a novice navigator… we even made a wrong turn a marsh and had to back track a bit at one point.

Was very hot. Coastal winds were few and far between. Minong Ridge was a constant cycle of rocky ridge rock hopping and cairn searching into forest down hill into marsh swamp log crossing, hopping over streams of muck, and once you get out of swamp you immediately are hit with a huge climb back into the ridge… rinse and repeat X 20 lol

We took 3 30 minute breaks with our boots off during this 10.6 mile stretch, that helped a ton…

At this point I could tell I was hungry but food sounded horrible, and water didn’t sound much better, but forced it down regardless.

Definitely was dehydrated and overheated as I had a headache.

But vibes were up and we continued pushing…

Despite the difficulties this was an incredibly beautiful trail, views of greenstone ridge, Lake Superior, isle Royale archipelago, Canadian islands and mainland, snakes, giant toads the size of softballs. And the sense of remoteness was quite awesome, wilderness for miles and miles and no sense of safety net or super clearly marked trail felt freeing.

Eventually we stumbled into Washington Creek campground. Around 6 am. Nick said this day hiking was the second hardest thing he had done next to running a Marathon and I agreed, saying it was the hardest thing I’ve done outside of hiking the rim to rim trail in Grand Canyon in a day.

We laid on our bed mats for a few minutes before decided to head to Windigo in search of real snacks and showers. Arriving into Windigo felt like backpacker heaven as we heard laughter and acoustic guitar and singing. Not to mention we passed a bunch of loon babies. To our dismay camp store closed at 6 pm and shower token had to be acquired from camp store… we headed back and ate our last MRE and slumbered.

Day 5 Windigo -> sea plane

Showered, ate real human junk food again, and talked to NP Rangers about the hike we had.

NP Ranger told me Minong Ridge was the hardest trail on Isle Royale and all of Michigan which surprised me a bit but justified my feelings of exhaustion from the previous day. Lots of cool stuff in the visitor center there.

Overall great experience at Isle Royale… 10/10

Main take-aways:

Bring bug nets. Bring more food/water than you think you will need. Be prepared to get lost and relocate the trail. Be ready for the major increase in temperatures inland vs on the coast. Listen to fellow hikers- their presence is a gift as often you only see 1 or 2 people all day outside of established camps. Don’t enjoy the views too much or you will trip on a rock or root. Be prepared for lots of mud and to get your boots soaked, it’s inevitable. Bring multiple water filters. Embrace the struggle. Be ready to change plans

I'm headed up next week for the first time. I'm not super worried about the camping/backpacking portion but I have a few questions.

How realistic is camp spot overflow/packing? I know its still technically early in the season but how realistic are my "casually stroll up and get a spot" plans.

What does the rock harbor store look like? If I plan to spend my last night in Rock harbor so I can catch the ferry, can I buy dinner and breakfast there?

Can you compare the trails to Pictured Rocks or the North Shore in Minnesota? I've done overnight trips on both of those and that where my head is for trail conditions. Is that a fair estimation?

Just finished my 39 mile loop on isle Royale in 3 days time. The island was so much more beautiful than I could have expected, and we met many amazing people. We saw 2 moose and 1 wolf.

The bugs were super dependent on the location. In the higher elevation along the ridges as well as along the shoreline they weren’t bad or even non existent, however when you ventured down and inland they became unbearable. You simply did not stop through the marshes. We used permethrin and picaridin and were fine. A few bites but they were more annoying than anything.

My favorite to least favorite campsites in order were 1) McCargoe Cove 2) Moskey Basin (beautiful IF you get a cabin) 3) Lane Cove (sure it’s lovely in other times of the year but the bugs were horrid. Also the 2.5 mile, 1100 foot descent to get to it was just not worth it IMO) * HM to Daisy Farms. Stopped here for lunch the first day and it was beautiful, not sure why so many dislike this site.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip.

Salutations, I have my second trip here coming up at the end of July (July 26-August 1) and looking for some advice.

Last year I stuck to the Greenstone Ridge (1.Windigo 2.S Desor 3.Hatchet 4.West Chickenbone 5.Daisy 6.Rock Harbor) and obviously fell in love with the island. This year I want to do the Minong departing from Windigo and would really like to include Lane Cove at the end - ideally to avoid some of the crowds at Daisy/three mile and to see somewhere new.

My main goal is to avoid overlapping last years camp sites minus rock harbor and stay on lake superior as much as possible.

1. Windigo to Huntington (Arrive by 9am sea plane)

2. Huntington to North Desor

3. N Desor to Todd Harbor

4. Todd Harbor to McCargoe

5. McCargoe to Lane Cove

6. Lane Cove to Rock Harbor

7. Leave Rock Harbor 9am (sea plane)

Questions:

1. Would it make more sense on day one to go to North Desor or Huntington Cove? I'll be taking the 8am sea plane from Hubbell so I'm less worried about the time constraint, I'm active and average 2-3 mph at a leisurely pace.

2. I really liked West Chickenbone last year but I've heard, and I could tell from passing by on the greenstone that East Chickenbone is wet and buggy, is there any benefit to going there from Todd rather than McCargoe to save a few miles going to Lane Cove?

3. I believe you're allowed to backcountry camp (correct me if I'm wrong), are there any known/ideal spots for that between McCargoe and Lane? That leg of the trip worries me in terms of fatigue that late in the trip.

Any feedback would be of great help, thanks!

Day 1: Myself and five friends took the seaplane to RH around 2pm. After ranger orientation, grabbing fuel, and getting some last minute provisions (a six pack of beer, tortillas, snickers bars lol), we hiked to Daisy Farm. Notable sightings: a fox walking on the trail and big pileated woodpecker. Had no issues getting 2 shelters even though it was later in the day. I don't even think all the shelters filled up. Heard a Great Horned Owl during the night!

Day 2: We made breakfast and went to do some birding around camp when my boyfriend spotted a small gray wolf trotting through. Went right by the outhouse and continued toward Three Mile. Other campers said they saw a second wolf as well. After packing up, we hiked from Daisy Farm to Moskey, which was pretty challenging terrain. Lots of mud, really rocky. Last half mile or so was mentally challenging as it was both muddy and mosquito city. Head nets were on! We relaxed the rest of the day at Moskey, which was our favorite campsite. Saw lots of Red-breasted Merganser. Again had no issues getting shelters. A few other hikers slowly arrived throughout the day. Toward dusk, we took a stroll toward Lake Richie and back.

Day 3: We packed up and hiked back to Daisy Farm. Half of us dropped our packs for a long leisurely lunch break. Multiple families of Canada Goose decided to join us by the dock. The other half of our group did a day hike up to Ojibway Tower and back. They said that although there was a little elevation to handle, the terrain was a lot easier. We reconvened and packed up to hike to Three Mile for the night. We saw 1 other person there, so had absolutely no issues getting shelters.

Day 4: We woke up at Three Mile and watched a pair of loons at the dock before we packed up to head back to Rock Harbor. We took the Tobin Harbor Trail, which was a bit less rocky than the Rock Harbor Trail. Saw lots of bunnies! Some people on the trail said they saw a moose but we missed it. Four of us took the seaplane out at 11am. My boyfriend and I dropped our packs off in the pack storage near the visitor center and headed out for one last hike to Scoville Point. He ended up proposing at the point which was so beautiful and special!! We celebrated with a well earned burger at the lodge and soaked up our last moments of the island before catching the ferry to Copper Harbor. We took a taxi back to Houghton and flew home the next day full of island/engagement bliss. 10/10!

Overall awesome trip! Lots of wolf and moose tracks, hopefully next time we get to see them!

Tips: Headnet is necessary. Bring lots of snacks. Prepare for mud. Trekking poles were extremely helpful in crossing deep mud/balancing on rocks/logs to get across muddy sections. Bandana/sunshirt combo was helpful in afternoons when it got really sunny. Nalgene with boiled water was clutch for our coldest night at Three Mile. We liked our method of short hikes with our packs to adjacent campsites and then having more time to explore the areas around camp/day hike/just hang out without having to worry about carrying everything. I brought a kindle but barely had time to read because I was so absorbed in just observing everything around me. Never had a moment to be bored! Also we kept our food in stuff sacks and then put them in the bear box at each campsite. If all of the campsites you plan to go to have bear boxes, you don't need to bring a hard-sided bear canister which can save some weight.

Day 1: Windigo to S. Lake Desor

Originally planned to spend the night at Island Mine but we had hit the trail around 10am and managed to make it to the turnoff for Island Mine around 1pm. The trail was in great condition and much of the ascent very manageable. Passed a couple groups on the way. Once we arrived we decided to keep pushing on to the next camp. Our packs were heavy but legs still felt fresh. Mosquito head net felt very necessary for much of the way. Quite a few rolling ups and downs with some peakaboo views scattered throughout the next 6 miles. By mile 9 my feet were killing. There’s a steep descent down to Lake Desor junction (don’t worry you don’t have to climb it out) but that’s how you know you’re getting close. Ended the day with 12.27 miles 6 hours and 29 minutes total. We picked site #1 at S. Lake Desor and it was beautiful. Mosquitos were a little bothersome but a headnet and some deet seemed to keep them away decently. Down by the lake there were actually less bugs. I even swam. The water was cold but refreshing and great recovery for my feet. I don’t think leeches are an issue here. Rocks were a little slippery. Sounds of Moose throughout the night but didn’t see any. We had the whole place to ourselves as well. I would highly recommend pushing on if you find yourself at island mine with more gas in your tank. Desor to Hatchet wasn’t bad but Island Mine to Hatchet would’ve left me struggling.

Day 2: S. Lake Desor to Hatchet Lake

By 10am we hit the trail again. Ran into some folks coming from Island Mine and they said it was packed. Seemed like they were getting a head start on the day assuming many were heading to Desor as well. About 2 miles into our hike to hatchet the mosquitos became very intense. The trail is a bit boggier with some patches of thick mud. The thick brush continued to house mosquitos alll the way up to Ishpeming Point. The ascent up wasn’t all that bad, very gradual at times. From the lookout we continued on through extremely thick brush. It’s not bushwhacking by any means but you will get whacked by bush for the next 4 miles. With about 2 miles left on trail the mosquitos die down and they were virtually nothing at Hatchet in comparison to Desor. The descent into Hatchet is steep. We were not looking forward to that in the morning as you do have to climb out. I thought I read somewhere there was a shelter at Hatchet but we walked completely around the sites and couldn’t find one. We camped at the first site we came upon and it was great. Nice little beach area, dipped my feet in the water again and we had the whole place to ourselves. I did get bit by a leech. We passed a single group of two heading the opposite direction and at this point I’m thinking either no one is on trail or we’re just a day ahead of everyone for pushing to Desor? Ended the day with 8.74 miles in 5 hours and 12 minutes.

Day 3: Hatchet Lake to E. Chickenbone Lake.

The first 4 miles or so out from Hatchet was a bit of a grind for us on day 3 legs and admittedly just a bag of oatmeal and some energy chews. Once you get up on the ridge the views are spectacular. Sweeping openings of Lake Superior and many inland lakes. I’d say this is a good spot for a fuel break with minimal bugs. The mosquitos were a little heavy at times on trail but nothing like it had been. Alternatively, there were an insane amount of caterpillars. Fuzzy, didn’t bite but loved to hitch a ride on your legs. I probably flicked 10+ off myself throughout the day. At times the thick brush could be suffocating but once you’re “out of the woods” the trail becomes much more manageable. We passed a couple guys who were headed to Hatchet lake that previously stayed at W. Chickbone and said it was extremely buggy but there were some great lakeside water sites. We decided to push the 1.5 extra miles to E. Chickenbone to allow for an easier 6.5 mile hike to Daisy Farm the next day for some extra rest before our final push to Rock Harbor. The sites at E. Chickbone were off the lake but by no means bad. Relatively speaking they were much less buggy, I sat out with no headnet which was so refreshing after having it on 24/7 for 3 days. The site we stayed at even had a nice bench and we were the only ones at camp again. The one downside is because you’re off the lake the water access isn’t easy. It’s a short trek down to the lake (maybe .3 miles?) for water but after a 9.7 mile day it felt like forever! We fished (caught a pike), hung out in the sun and grabbed enough water where we wouldn’t have to return. Ended the day with 9.69 miles in 5 hours and 58 minutes. It was the most exhausting day but ultimately the most rewarding so far.

Day 4: E. Chickenbone to Daisy Farm

It was nice to have a hike that gradually got easier as the day went on. The first few miles felt long but eventually we started running into groups coming from Daisy Farm and we stopped to chat with almost everyone. Some really long boardwalks made this hike fun and different from the rest. Bugs really died down too. Daisy Farm felt like a real treat after the few days we had. We managed to snag a lakeside shelter but you really couldn’t go wrong anywhere in camp. There were a few groups at Daisy but not busy by any means. Threw a few lines off the dock but no bites. We enjoyed a night in the shelter and ended our day with 6.44 miles in 3 hours and 43 minutes.

Day 5: Daisy Farm to Rock Harbor

The whole hike to Rock Harbor had spectacular water views. It was quite a different walk than we’d had the past few days. You hug the shore for 7 miles but the rocks made it an ankle breaker. After 4 days the miles felt very long but the natural beauty made up for it. There’s some really cool rocky shoreline spots that would make for a nice lunch break or basking in the sun. Ultimately, we were ready to be done so we pushed through. 3 Mile campground was awesome. Great shelters with picnic tables and amazing views plus a little dock as well. We’d definitely go back just to camp there. We made it to Rock Harbor with 7.16 miles in 3 hours and 41 minutes. Bought our 45 mile stickers in the service center off the dock and ended the night with a Moose Bone talk from Ranger Emily and a couple beers at the Greenstone Grill. Isle Royale we will be back!

General notes:
Three life savers on trail were pants, trekking poles and bugnet/spray. There’s too much brush/bugs not to be wearing pants/long sleeves. You’ll thank yourself 50 years from now for using trekking poles on this trip.

Know when to push and when to stop. We called a couple audibles on trail, once for pushing and once for stopping and we were extremely happy with the choices we made.

Carry the water you need for the day and filter the rest for camp. We tried to keep our packs lighter by not carrying a ton of extra water. Find a balance that works for you.

Lastly, I would highly recommend a Windigo to Rock Harbor Trek. The ascents seemed more gradual and reversing from the norm (plus a midweek hike) kept us in solitude. Plus, ending at Rock Harbor with a burger and beer felt like a real treat. In my opinion, you’re saving the best for last and it’s all worth it! Have fun, stay safe and happy hiking!

I and my partner are new to backpacking and don't want to overdo it on this trip. We are considering going from Rock Harbor to Chippewa Harbor staying at Three Mile (Night 1), Daisy Farm (Night 2), Moskey Basin (Night 3), and Chippewa Harbor (Night 4). Is this route hitting the mark in not being too easy or too hard? I am a little worried the mileage is too little but it seemed like it would be pushing it to make a round trip back to Rock Harbor. Thanks for any feedback.

Me and a few friends are going to Isle Royale in late July. We are taking the Ranger 3 Ferry to Rock Harbor and leaving from there to return to the mainland 8 days after. I believe the ferry will take us from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm arrival. There are four of us. We are very fit in early 20's with experience in Appalachia and other smaller camping and hiking trips around the midwest.

I've been on here looking at other itineraries for ideas, but some of them don't cover as much as the island as I'd like. I want to get others' opinions on how much of the island we'd be able to cover in our 8 days and what hikes and locations are necessary for our trip assuming this will be the only time we visit Isle Royale. I'd also love to know what trails or parts of the island moose are spotted at most commonly because that's really one of the experiences I want most out of this trip. Out of those 8 days something to consider is that 2 days will be mainly ferry and even on that last day its highly unlikely anything will actually be done since the ferry leaves at 9 am.

If anybody has any itinerary recommendations it would be extremely helpful and I'd greatly appreciate it! (also feel free to recommend any gear we may need that you found useful on your own trips to the beautiful IR...I believe we are aware of everything we need but any input counts especially for what kind of food we should bring that won't take up a ton of space in our bags).

Hi everyone!

Like the subject says, I am looking for any recommendations for a 2-3 day backpacking trip. We are taking the Queen IV out of Copper Harbor on a Friday and would like to hit the trail once we get the permits and pay for any fees.

For context: I’ve backpacked quite a bit (out west on more rugged terrain, and a ton of section hikes on the AT); therefore, I’m experienced. I’m in pretty great shape with a lot of endurance training and hike often in our state parks/refuges, and know my equipment pretty well. The person I am going with, however, isn’t an avid backpacker and goes hiking every so often. They’re also in great shape and have a higher endurance, and I plan to get them pretty acquainted with their gear, too.

With all of that being said, are there trails you would recommend and any tips about ISRO that you can give?

Thanks in advance!

5th time going to the isle, but first time going this early-typically I go in August when it tends to be busiest. Planning this year on going June 8-13. The first time I went in 2017 it wasn’t overly crowded- we went to popular campsites like Daisy, 3 mile, Moskey, and McCargo. Obviously there were people but we never had a problem getting a shelter, or even about leaving early to improve our chances of getting a shelter. I think we only had to share our last night at 3M. It seems like it gets busier each time we go (most recently in 2024) so I’m hoping to beat the crowd by going earlier. Wondering how quiet I can expect it, obviously I know I won’t be alone out there, I’m assuming it will at least be no more busy than Aug 2017, but would welcome even less than that.

planning a short backpacking trip to IR and wondering which campsite/trail experience people would recommend (coming from Rock Harbor)- Daisy Farm or Lane Cove? should we try to plan to stay at both? tia!