Hiking Across On The Greenstone? Read This First.

Let me begin, by stating that most/all Isle Royale hiking routes are good ones that are worthwhile to hike and they offer interesting things to see and do. THAT BEING SAID, it is my opinion that many people are overly eager (and overly quick) to want to hike across the Island from end-to-end between Rock Harbor and Windigo (particularly via the Greenstone Ridge Trail). Thus, they overlook many other great Isle Royale hikes that (in my opinion) offer more to see and do than hiking across the Island on the Greenstone Ridge Trail.

Many of these other hikes are also simpler, less expensive, and wiser from a logistical standpoint.--than hiking across the Island from end-to-end. Thus, I would really invite people--especially Isle Royale "first-timers"-- to be more open to the great possibilities that exist -that DON'T involve a hike across the Island using primarily the Greenstone Ridge Trail.

Let me reiterate. Hiking across the Island (using solely or primarily the Greenstone Ridge Trail) is a perfectly fine hike. (I did it again last summer and will probably do it again this summer). However, I find it to be one of the more boring and least scenic hikes on the Island (particularly between Chickenbone Lake and Lake Desor). There are very few great scenic views from the trail in that section of trail.

I have attached an image from a report/study done in early February 2021 by Liz Dengate. She did a survey of people who have been to Isle Royale in the past. The survey asked people many questions. This particular chart shows people's LEAST LIKED campgrounds on Isle Royale. Please notice that most of the campgrounds that people stay at as they cross the Island between Windigo and Rock Harbor (using the Greenstone Ridge Trail) made the "least liked" list. Thus, while I am certainly stating my own personal opinion in this Facebook post--it would seem that there are other people who would concur that the campgrounds between Rock Harbor and Windigo (along the Greenstone Ridge Trail) are among their least favorite Isle Royale campgrounds. (Other folks LOVE these very same campgrounds).

SOMETHING TO REMEMBER: If you hike from one end of the Island to the other--you also have to then figure out how you will get back across the Island to your starting point (or figure how to get back home from the other end of the Island). That involves more logistics--and oftentimes (but not always) requires more money for the cost of an additional ferry ride or additional sea plane ride). Then, let's imagine that your transportation TO the island is late--by a few hours--or by a day or two. Unless you have built some extra free days into your hike across the Island--you may now have to really hustle to get across the Island in time to catch your return transportation.
It is frequently a lot less complicated--and less expensive--to just confine your hike to one end of the Island or the other. That way, if your transportation to the Island is delayed, you don't have to rush all the way across the Island (in a shorter time frame) in order to meet your return transportation

Frankly, some of my favorite Isle Royale hikes are confined to only one side of the Island. If I had the time and money, I would hike the Feldtmann Loop several times each summer ... especially if you gave me the option to also throw in a day hike (or an overnight stay ) on the Huginnin Loop. (Both of these "loops" are on the Windigo end of the Island). There are also dozens of great "loop hikes" (that you can create) on the Rock Harbor side of the Island. You can tailor the distance and difficulty level of these self-designed loops to match your time schedule and skill level

If you have the skill, experience, and physical conditioning--you can cross the Island using primarily the Minong Ridge Trail instead of the Greenstone Ridge Trail. PLEASE NOTE--there are several rescues done by the Park Service staff and/or the Coast Guard each year on the Minong Ridge Trail because inexperienced, unprepared, and/or poorly conditioned people try to hike the entire Minong Ridge Trail. If you have doubts regarding whether you are prepared enough or experienced enough to hike the Minong Ridge Trail--you probably aren't ready to hike it.

HERE IS ANOTHER GREAT POSSIBILITY THAT MANY PEOPLE OVERLOOK: You can use the water taxis (or the Voyager II ferry) to drop you off --or pick you up-- at places other than Rock Harbor or Windigo. (I usually prefer to have them drop me off sometime near the start of my hike--instead of picking me up later in my hike. I don't like to wonder if storms or slowness in my hiking --will cause me to miss my boat and/or cause me to wait a day or two extra for it to arrive).

I think one fun hike is to be dropped off at McCargoe Cove by the Voyager II (out of Grand Portage, Minnesota) and then hike from McCargoe Cove to someplace like Rock Harbor or Windigo, or even Chippewa Harbor or Malone Bay to be picked up. YOU NEED TO SCHEDULE AND BOOK ALL DROP OFFS AND PICKUPS IN ADVANCE. The boat may not even stop if they don't have someone scheduled to be dropped off or picked up that day.

You can also do hikes (end-to-end) across the Island that involve using the Greenstone Ridge Trail JUST PART OF THE TIME--but then departing from the actual Greenstone Ridge Trail to see other places-- like the Feldtmann Loop, or the easier part of the Minong Ridge Trail from Hatchet Lake Junction through Todd Harbor to McCargoe Cove. You can leave the Greenstone Ridge Trailo to visit places like Malone Bay, Chippewa Harbor, Moskey Basin, Lake Richie--(and even Lane Cove--although Lane Cove is technically sort of located "on" the Greenstone Ridge Trail).

My FAVORITE hike on Isle Royale is probably this next one. (It is long--but great). You can also do it in the opposite direction-- but I prefer this route. Note: This is just the hiking route and not the nightly stopping places, You can choose which camprgounds you wish to stay at or skip. You can also choose to stay at some campgrounds multiple days.

Start at Windigo. Hike to Feldtmann Lake. (Do a side hike to watch sundown at Rainbow Cove "near" Feldtmann Lake). Hike from Feldtmann Lake to Siskitwit Bay, to Island Mine, to S. Lake Desor to Hatchet Lake. At Hatchet Lake, take the connecting trail to cross over to the somewhat "easier" part of the Minong Ridge Trail. Hike on the Minong Ridge Trail to Todd Harbor then to McCargoe Cove. Then, once you are at McCargoe Cove, you pick any route that you want in order to get from McCargoe Cove to Rock Harbor. You can get to Rock Harbor from McCargoe Cove in one LONG day--or in a few shorter days. (I sometimes like to try to see Mt. Ojibway and/or Mt. Franklin on my way back to Rock Harbor). You can even go from McCargoe Cove down to Moskey Basin--and then to Rock Harbor (or fro McCargoe Cove to Lane Cove (13 miles) and then to Rock Harbor the next day.

BOTTOM LINE: I would invite people to be less eager to hike across the Island via just the Greenstone Ridge Trail--and be more open to considering many of the (in my opinion) far better hikes that Isle Royale has to offer.

An additional note  (creator of the survey) on how the original survey question was worded: "A 4 meant 'one of your top favorites' on the whole island, and you could select no more than three sites at number 4. A 1 meant that you would tell people to skip it and stay somewhere else. 2 was thus fair, and 3 was well liked. There was also an option to not rank any site that you were unfamiliar with".

A FINAL NOTE: I am always open to giving people free route advice. (I like to do this through a back and forth discussion via Facebook private messenger (o email) --as my schedule permits).  See my email address under the "Contacts" tab.