# Isle Royale Trip tips and how too's



## thisdogfishes (Jan 9, 2014)

I have been looking to go to Isle Royale but I cant seem to find good direction to make a camping/hiking/fishing trip. My father always told me how great it is but is has been 30 years since he has been up there and It seems different now than it did back them to plan a trip up there. Can anyone point me in the right direction.


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

I'd recommend flying in as opposed to taking the boat. With an early flight you can get a jump start on the boat crowd. If you are going to take a water craft then you'll be taking the NPS boat. The later in the year you go the lower the bug count tends to be. Though a wet year is going to have skeeters till snow falls. You'll want good boots, and a good pack along with a water filter, and a small cook stove. Trails are easy to locate and follow and as you know the fishing is near the water. 
https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/threads/isle-royale-fishing-backpacking.428091/
https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/index.htm
https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/transportation-services.htm

Make a good trip!


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## UPaquariest (May 13, 2010)

If you are taking the boat go out of Copper Harbor as opposed to Houghton, saves you a few hours on the boat.


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## thisdogfishes (Jan 9, 2014)

UPaquariest said:


> If you are taking the boat go out of Copper Harbor as opposed to Houghton, saves you a few hours on the boat.


I was hoping to fly out there, but if i was to take a boat than probably out of copper harbor


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## U D (Aug 1, 2012)

Contact the Isle Royal ranger office. They will get you everything you need.
https://www.nps.gov/isro/contacts.htm


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## thisdogfishes (Jan 9, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the information. I really appreciate it!


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## Curt (Jan 5, 2011)

I hiked the island twice back in the 1970's. On my second my second trip I flew out of Houghton to Windigo, hiked for a week and then caught the plane back to Houghton from Rock Harbor at the other end of the island. That seemed like a very convenient way to do it. I don't know what the air fare is today but, at that time, it seemed reasonable.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

The island is great! You’ll love it. We’ve taken a couple trips out there. Our most recent trip we hiked from rock harbor to Windigo via the minong ridge (and a few other trails). You can see how we did it here:




We also did another trip the year before where we did a large loop on the east end (both starting and ending in rock harbor). You can see that route here if you are interested: 




I will echo what was posted above. The ranger 3 is a great ferry but the plane ride is hard to beat. So quick and an awesome way to see the island. 

My biggest advice would be to pack light! Super light! The trails are rugged and fun, you don’t want to spend the whole time miserable. 

Let me know if you have any other questions.


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

Pretty place. Take a gun. They just turned some more wolves loose recently and they're probably hungry.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Ash said:


> The island is great! You’ll love it. We’ve taken a couple trips out there. Our most recent trip we hiked from rock harbor to Windigo via the minong ridge (and a few other trails). You can see how we did it here:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very cool. Someplace that I've always wanted to go. I wondered how in the world you got your packs so light until I saw that you were staying in shelters and not tents.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

Steve said:


> Very cool. Someplace that I've always wanted to go. I wondered how in the world you got your packs so light until I saw that you were staying in shelters and not tents.


We carried a tent on both trips. You have to. Shelters are first come first serve and you are not gaurenteed one. Our tent on our first trip was a big Agnes cooper spur and a Zpacks triplex on the second trip.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

Here’s our packlist. We keep everything as light as possible. No overpacking. https://lighterpack.com/r/1tohv9


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

We actually started a "how to" series for the island if anyone is still interested in this thread. Check it out if you are thinking about going to the island for the first time. Links below:

*How to get to the island:




*
*Where to stay overnight on the island: 



*


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## 50incher (Aug 23, 2011)

I hate clicking on videos not knowing their run time !, just a per. pet peeve, lol !....the Whitetail hunting forum got me going on Isle Royale !....

Getting there I'm sure is a whole other ballgame anymore from when I was there....any trip mainly depends on how much time you have to actually be there imo….

We backpacked for a week, was awesome but just got us interested....best trip was 26 nights and we took a 17' canoe, 2 guys and 3 backpacks, one each and one just for food, lol....had day packs for food on the food pack & emptied that for day hikes or fishing trips....

We canoed on the inland lakes & got as far away as possible, camped off trail, ditched the canoe and backpacked for 8 or 9 days back to canoe, then took a different route back to the harbor....

Someone said go early or late season ! YES....if you want "a wilderness" feeling !....always had a tent, even put it up in the one shelter we had, was a little warmer !....not sure your experience ?....but Isle Royale is not the place to learn....water filtering, cooking etc....

Know your gear and also yes, go as light as you can....but also again, do go !!….equipment is better than ever, can't speak as to the crowds, lol.... a water craft will get you away from the most people but is still probably a issue now ?....I still want to get back in a kayak !....cheers....any visit is a good one too, just saying....


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## 50incher (Aug 23, 2011)

I typed before watching, my apologies if I came across the wrong way....dang this instant communication stuff !....I was in story telling mode nothing more....cheers....


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

50incher said:


> I typed before watching, my apologies if I came across the wrong way....dang this instant communication stuff !....I was in story telling mode nothing more....cheers....


Just FYI There’s no way to imbed the YouTube timestamp in this forum format. I wish I could. I like knowing how long vids are too before clicking! Either way if I think others will find them helpful I’m going to post them  

26 nights on the island sounds AMAZING.


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## celticcurl (Apr 4, 2012)

Ash! Good to see you here! 

I posted on your youtube channel a few times (Punky meowster). 

One way to get around the video length not showing up is just add it here... in text. 

I don't know if I'll ever get to Isle Royal. I don't think you can pick mushrooms there 

It sure looks pretty


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

celticcurl said:


> Ash! Good to see you here!
> 
> I posted on your youtube channel a few times (Punky meowster).
> 
> ...



Good to see you. Yea I post on this a bit in the waterfowl section. Naturally I migrated over to the camping and hiking areas once in a while. There are some cool fungi on the island but no sign of morels! But I havent really gone in the right season for them. They allow you to pick blueberries and thimble berries for consumption so I bet you could do the same with mushrooms. I would ask a ranger though.


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## 50incher (Aug 23, 2011)

They do have morels, a ranger told us of a spot along one portage we were taking but yeah, timing is everything, lol....I'm sure you can pick them....he also told us of a spot on lake Siskiwit for Lake Trout that produced !....

Just more story telling, lol....but 4 trips and we only heard the wolves once, told this on the Whitetail forum....we were camped where lake Whittlesey, spell? portages into Siskiwit….after dark and we hear a "moan"....I thought it was a cow moose stuck in a mud hole or something, that's what it sounded like....

Then another "moaner" joined in....then another & another & another....the last to join in was the deepest low "growl" of them all, now at a crescendo, lol....no howling at all....

When they stopped about a 1/2 dozen Loons all over the lake started doing their call, going nutz!!! pitch black out....it was crazy....and the only other campers with us from Wisconsin had a rabbit come flying into their tent and was bouncing off the tent walls, lol !....

Never knew what that "sound/call" vocalization meant....and still don't....but one reply on the other forum confirmed it....I finally looked it up on google and it is either (defensive or threatening) I think, still don't get that....but it was close and awesome, the Loons were a big surprise....

Good stuff, still am planning on another trip there by kayak hopefully....cheers....


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## MichMac (Oct 7, 2016)

Ash said:


> Let me know if you have any other questions.


Ash, thanks for the great videos, we've watched them all. We're flying into RH in Sept, 5 days/4 nights. First trip to IR for both of us. Planning on keeping hikes between camps less than 10 miles, with stays at Daisy Farm, Chickenbone, Richie and last night at Threemile. Hoping short hikes are easier on these 55+ yr olds and give more time for fishing and sightseeing. We'll be basing our packs on your list. Thanks again, I may ask for your advice as we get closer to the trip.


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## LooksMoosey (Aug 29, 2015)

MichMac said:


> Ash, thanks for the great videos, we've watched them all. We're flying into RH in Sept, 5 days/4 nights. First trip to IR for both of us. Planning on keeping hikes between camps less than 10 miles, with stays at Daisy Farm, Chickenbone, Richie and last night at Threemile. Hoping short hikes are easier on these 55+ yr olds and give more time for fishing and sightseeing. We'll be basing our packs on your list. Thanks again, I may ask for your advice as we get closer to the trip.


Thank you for watching!!! There’s some great fishing at Ritchie and Chickenbone. You’ll have a blast!! Feel free to message me anytime.


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## MichMac (Oct 7, 2016)

Ash said:


> Thank you for watching!!! There’s some great fishing at Ritchie and Chickenbone. You’ll have a blast!! Feel free to message me anytime.


Our trip was great! We ended up staying at Daisy Farm the first 3 nights, exploring with day hikes,














then Three mile on the way out. The scenery is incredible. Close encounters with fox and moose. Didn't make it to any of the inland lakes, that will be our next trip.


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