Matt Anderson

Matt Anderson

Born and raised in Detroit, now a software engineer in Dayton. Enjoy the outdoors, solving problems, and asking the naive question.

Isle Royale Trip 2026

General Isle Royale Info

Check out the 2026 edition of Isle Royale’s annual guide, The Greenstone.

Other Resources

Track Our Progress

I will carry a Garmin InReach and check in periodically with our GPS coordinates from the trail.

Weather

Weather forecast for Isle Royale

Dates

Tentatively departing Wednesday, August 12, 2026, returning Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Thursday, August 13 to Tuesday, August 18 on Isle Royale.

Transportation

To/From Copper Harbor

We will travel from the Detroit area to the Copper Harbor on Wednesday, August 12. This will take 9.5 hours of driving.

To/From Isle Royale

We will be taking the Isle Royale Queen IV ferry to/from Isle Royale.

Ferry Information

The ferry departs at 8:00 AM ET from Copper Harbor. We need to arrive 30-45 minutes prior to departure. The price is $175 for a round trip and the trip takes about 3.5 hours to Rock Harbor. Parking is $10/day and starts at 7:00 AM. 70 lbs. gear weight limit per person. The ferry will transport stove fuel.

Lodging

On the Way There

I have a reservation for cottage #4 at the Minnetoka Resort in Copper Harbor for Wednesday, August 12.

They offer free parking for ferry passengers if they have space available; otherwise, we will need to park in the ferry lot ($10/day).

Copper Harbor is pretty small, so it seemed wise to lock something in. It’s only $15 if we want to cancel and stay somewhere else.

On the Way Back

For the return trip, we should be back on the mainland around 6:00 PM. FWIW, last time we drove five hours back to Cheboygan after getting off the island. That was a rough drive; something shorter is probably better. We could stay in Copper Harbor and leave all the driving for the next day or go 3-3.5 hours to Marquette or Munising.

Jeremy would remind us to remember the “Seney Desert”; i.e. there is very little on the stretch of highway east of Munising before heading south towards St. Ignace.

Entrance Fees & Permits

Standard entrance fee is $7 per person per day. $60 national parks season pass covers 1 person + 3 guests for a calendar year. I will purchase a season pass, which will cover the rest of the group. We must also fill out a trip permit at the Rock Harbor visitor center.

Route

Tentative route: a 6-day, 5-night loop around around the NE part of the island.

CalTopo map

Day Section Miles Shelters Tier
1 Rock Harbor to Lane Cove 6.8 0 B
2 Lane Cove to McCargoe Cove 12.5 6 A
3 McCargoe Cove to Todd Harbor 6.5 1 B
4 Todd Harbor to Chippewa Harbor 18.3 4 S
5 Chippewa Harbor to Moskey Basin 6.1 6 A
6 Moskey Basin to Rock Harbor 10.7 9 D
  TOTAL ~60    

Campsite tiers

Route Options

The route allows the option to go clockwise or counter-clockwise around the loop. We are skipping some possible campsites, so in the event of poor weather several days could be altered. Chippewa Harbor is a hike-in/hike-out spur, so it could be dropped if needed, but I have heard it is a tremendous campsite.

Shorter Trip

Part of the group may do a shorter trip option for just the first two nights. They could take a ferry back to Rock Harbor for a return trip to the mainland. The cost for the ferry is $110-250 per person depending on the option.

Gear

The following describes recommended gear for the trip. Tailor to your personal needs/comfort as desired.

Here is my in-progress gear list with specific items.

Do I need a Bear Canister?

What?!? There are no bears on Isle Royale!

Correct, there are no bears, but apparently some of the wolves have started to get curious about human food. So despite the lack of bears, the National Park Service required everyone to carry bear bags or bear canisters in 2025.

That said, food storage lockers are now installed at almost every campground. Per The Greenstone, backpackers are required to “store all food, trash, and scented items in food storage locker or approved, animal-resistant, hard-sided container.”

Since all the campgrounds we will stay at have lockers, we should not need bear canisters. If NPS changes that guidance, I will let everyone know.

Big Four

  • Pack
  • Tent/Shelter
  • Sleeping Bag/Quilt
  • Sleeping Pad

Water/Food Storage/Cookware

Clothing

  • Trail runners/hiking boots
  • Socks (wool or synthetic, not cotton)
  • Underwear
  • Base layers (wool or synthetic, not cotton)
  • Hiking shorts/pants
  • Rain jacket or poncho
  • Mid-layer (e.g. fleece)
  • Down jacket (may be unnecessary depending on temps)
  • Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Bandanna/buff/small towel
  • Sleeping clothes (if desired)

Misc

  • Toothbrush/toothpaste
  • Toilet paper/wet wipes/trowel
  • Ziploc bags
  • Bug spray/head net
  • Sunscreen
  • Small first aid kit
  • Headlamp/flashlight
  • Trekking poles (if desired)

Food

Aim for 2500-3500 calories/day. Nuts, seeds, trail mixes, dark chocolate, and oils are good calorie-dense options (i.e. offer the most calories for the least amount of weight).

Avoid foods that are heavily hydrated or come in cans. For example, rather than a can of tuna bring the kind that comes in pouches. Instead of a can of beef stew you would want to bring dried ingredients in a freezer bag and then add water in camp or on the trail.

Pre-packaged backpacking meals are also an option.

Breakfast

Coconut Chia Oatmeal (~5 oz, 600-750 calories)

  • 1/4-1/2 cup rolled oats (e.g. Quaker Oats)
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 2 tbsp protein powder
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup coconut flakes
  • 2 tbsp raisins (or other dried fruit)
  • 2-4 tbsp sliced almonds or walnuts
  • few dashes of salt
  • cinnamon to taste

Store ingredients in a plastic bag. Boil 10-12 oz of water. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in ingredients. Let sit for a few minutes to absorb water and cool slightly.

This is my go-to. Can also substitute/add chocolate chips to mix up the flavor a bit. Other ideas include bagels + cream cheese or an egg burrito using instant eggs in a tortilla.

Snacks

  • Trail mix
  • Dark chocolate
  • Protein bars
  • Beef jerky
  • Pringles
  • Chocolate-covered raisins
  • Chocolate-covered pecans
  • Oreo cookies
  • Yogurt-covered pretzels

Lunch

Lunch on the trail will probably look more like a bigger snack unless you want to pack a sub/sandwich/tortilla/etc.

Cookie Dough (~4 oz, 500 calories)

  • 2 oz cashews
  • 0.6 oz rolled oats
  • 0.6 oz chocolate chips
  • 0.7 oz maple syrup
  • 0.1 oz vanilla extract
  • Salt/cinnamon to taste

Put cashews, rolled oats, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor. Chop until fine but not so long that you make cashew butter. Blend in vanilla extract and maple syrup. If too dry, add more syrup. Mix in chocolate chips by hand. Form into 4-5 bars and store in plastic bag.

Dinner

Beans and Rice (~6 oz, 650-800 calories)

  • 2 oz instant beans
  • 1.5 oz instant rice
  • 1 oz hard cheese (cheddar, etc)
  • 1 oz corn chips (e.g. Fritos)
  • 0.2 oz taco seasoning
  • Salt/pepper/red pepper flakes to taste

Boil 10-12 oz of water on stove. Add beans, rice, and seasoning. Simmer for 60 seconds. Dice cheese and stir in. Add fritos and any additional ingredients or spices.

Additional Information