Isle Royale National Park requires a backcountry/camping permit from all who stay overnight in the campgrounds, at dock, or who anchor out. The permits are used to – monitor campground use, deliver emergency messages to hiking parties, find lost campers, and serves as a tool to measure backcountry use.

Individual Parties
Individual parties, 1-6 people, will receive their backcountry permit onboard the National Park Service ship the Ranger III or when they arrive on the Island at the Rock Harbor or Windigo Visitor Center.  There are no fees associated with this permit.

Group Camping
There is a $25 group camping processing fee for each permit issued to a group, 7-10 people.  Groups must reserve their campsites in advance of their trip. Click here to submit an on-line reservation request. Please note - credit payment is required to submit this on-line form. For more information on group camping, click here.  

Boaters
To make an on-ine request for campsites, anchorages, or dock space, click here. Please note - for those that do not have a season pass, the on-line submission will require a credit card payment. For additional information on boating Isle Royale National Park, please review the park's newspaper and boating brochure by clicking here.