NPS / NELSON DECKER
About the Harbor to Hills Loop
- Mileage: About 26 to 33 miles (dependent on itinerary)
- Rating: Beginner/intermediate backpackers
- Duration: Five to six days
- Essential Reading: Isle Royale's newspaper, The Greenstone
- Rock Harbor
- Windigo via the Greenstone Ridge Trail
For Queen IV Passengers
Mileage: about 33 miles
- Night 1: Daisy Farm Campground
- Via Rock Harbor Trail (about 8 miles)
- Night 2: West Chickenbone Campground
- Via Rock Harbor, Lake Richie, and Indian Portage Trails (about 9 miles)
- Night 3: Daisy Farm Campground
- Via Greenstone Ridge Trail and Mount Ojibway Trail (about 9 miles)
- Night 4: Three Mile Campground
- Via Greenstone Ridge Trail or Rock Harbor Trail (about 4.4 miles)
- Next day: Hike into Rock Harbor via Rock Harbor Trail or Tobin Harbor Trail (about 3.6 miles) and leave on Queen IV
For Ranger III Passengers
Mileage: about 24 miles
- Night 1: Three Mile Campground
- Via Rock Harbor Trail (about 3.6 miles)
- Night 2: Moskey Basin Campground
- Via Rock Harbor Trail (about 8 miles)
- Night 3: Daisy Farm Campground
- Via Rock Harbor Trail (about 3.7 miles)
- Day hike to Ojibway Tower via Mount Ojibway Trail (3.4 miles round trip)
- Night 4: Rock Harbor Campground
- Via Rock Harbor Trail (about 8 miles)
- Alternative Route to Rock Harbor: Via Mount Ojibway Trail, Greenstone Ridge Trail, Mount Franklin Trail, and Tobin Harbor Trail (about 9 miles)
- Leave on Ranger III the next day
Transportation
- Planning a trip to Isle Royale can feel complicated. Figuring out your transportation is the first step.
- Isle Royale is only accessible by seaplane, passenger ferry, or private boat. There are no roads or cars on Isle Royale.
Permits
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Permits are required, regardless of group size or method of travel, for all overnight stays at campgrounds, cross country sites, docks, or at anchor.
Entrance fees
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There is no camping fee. There is a daily entrance fee of $7 per day. Plan ahead and pay your fees before your trip.
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Traveling with a group of 7 or more? You will need advanced reservations to camp. Learn more about group camping at Isle Royale.
Help Isle Royale Stay Wild
- Isle Royale is isolated. Services are limited in the park. Be conservative and self-sufficient during your trip.
- Cell phone service is unreliable. Do not depend on it.
- A State of Michigan fishing license is required to fish Lake Superior; you do not need a license for interior lakes and streams.
- Check current conditions in the park before your trip.
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Stay hydrated.
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Watch the weather. Conditions deteriorate quickly and unexpectedly.
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Basic emergency services are available on the island, but response and evacuation take time. Self-reliance is the only immediate option in an emergency.
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Leave what you find. Removing, possessing, or disturbing park resources is prohibited.
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Pack it in, pack it out. All trash and leftover food must be packed out of the backcountry.
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Store food properly by securing in a hard sided, scent proof container, or doubled zip-lock bags.
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Campfires are permitted only at a handful of campgrounds. A backpacking stove is recommended.
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Respect wildlife. Observe from a safe distance. It is illegal to feed, touch, tease, or intentionally disturb wildlife, their homes, nests, or activities.
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Dogs, cats, and other mammals are not allowed, including pets on boats within park boundaries.
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Mosquitos and black flies peak in June or July and can continue into August. Wasps are common. Bring an epinephrine kit if allergic to stings.
