Is Moskey Basin Overrated? Maybe.

I like Moskey Basin. However, the frequent overcrowding can make it less enjoyable. Moskey Basin is many people's favorite isle Royale campground.  Thus, I highly suspect that I will encounter some sharp disagreement when I suggest that Moskey Basin campground may be "highly overrated".

Why I Like Moskey Basin Campground

The views at Moskey Basin are among some of the better views on the entire Island.  This is especially true if you are fortunate enough to be staying at one of the lakeside shelters. (The views from the dock area are nice also).  The sunrises are great. The moon looks wonderful. It is fun to watch the stars and the shooting stars. There is lots of wildlife swimming around in the water--and drinking at the water's edge. Moskey Basin can be a great place to spend one or two days.

In addition to being a great place to hike to, Moskey Basin is also a nice place to reach by canoe, kayak, or boat. Furthermore, if you want to check-out Lake Richie, it is only about 2.5 miles away. Daisy Farm is only 4 miles away. So, there are some nice day hike opportunities if you stay at Moskey Basin. 

I will share some photos from my 2021 THREE NIGHT STAY at Moskey Basin, and you will see why I like the place. Staying in a shelter (right on the lakefront) at Moskey Basin for three nights was pretty awesome.  (I wouldn't normally stay three nights at a campground, but I had become ill during this trip--and I needed to reduce my mileage and increase my number of rest days). Take a look at these photos.

Click on photos to enlarge them.

So, What's the Big Problem?

The biggest problems with Moskey Basin are its over-popularity and the related overcrowding (and sometimes SEVERE overcrowding). In recent years, I have seen times when even the overflow campsite was full and people were setting up tents just about anywhere that there was a semi-flat surface. Such overcrowding  certainly diminishes the overall Moskey Basin experience for everyone.

Moskey Basin has become a victim of its own popularity. Everyone on social media is saying, "You just HAVE to visit Moskey Basin!!!". Thus, the place is overcrowded and not so much fun.   (A few years ago, the people on social media were saying -- "You just HAVE to visit Lane Cove!". Thus, for a few years, Lane Cove was the "must see" campground and was sometimes overcrowded.  Personally, I am just waiting for the day when people start posting, "You just HAVE to see East Chickenbone campground!". (If you know about East Chickenbone--you will understand the sarcasm and humor of that statement.)

I will admit, the views from the shelters at Moskey Basin are awesome. The problem is--there are only SIX (6) shelters at Moskey Basin. The shelters are first come first serve. Thus, there is a very good chance that (if you are party #7 to arrive--or later) you will only get a tent site and not a shelter. If some people (like me) stay in a shelter for more than one night--you might not get a shelter at Moskey Basin--even if you are the fourth or fifth group to arrive on that day. 

The views from most of the the Moskey Basin tent sites are definitely not as good as the views that I had at my lakeside shelter. And, the views from the group tent sites (and from the overflow tent area) are definitely nothing but trees and views lots of other people's tents and hammocks. The experience (at such sites) is pretty "UNDERwhelming".

(These photos show PART of an overflow camping area at Moskey Basin. These photos were taken before we set up our tent and before another group set up.  There were also a few tents not in these photos. Our tent was just a few inches away from the tent next to us. Sadly, I have seen Moskey Basin much more crowded than this. 

I think you will agree, these views are much different than the views from the lakeside shelter.  CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM)

Is Moskey Basin "Overrated"?

I think that the answer to the question, "IS MOSKEY BASIN OVERRATED?"--is both "Yes" and "No".  Part of it boils down to what you are wanting to experience at Moskey Basin. I think it also comes down to how much extra effort you go to in order to plan a significant part of your trip around staying at Moskey Basin.

If I had "high expectations" and had built much of my trip around the hope of staying at the "much hyped" Moskey Basin--and if I ended up staying in an overcrowded tent site--with no views of the lake--on days that were rainy, foggy, or hazy (with no chance to see a sunrise, the moon, stars, and lakeside wildlife) -- I believe that I would be pretty disappointed with my Moskey Basin experience. I would also be pretty frustrated with myself for building my trip around staying at Moskey Basin.

Conversely, if I came  to Moskey Basin with "low expectations"-- and was one of the lucky six parties that secured a lakeside shelter--and if it was a clear and sunny couple of days--with a great sunrise, a gorgeous moon and/or great views of the stars--and if lots of wildlife was coming to the water's edge--Moskey Basin would be one of the highlights of my entire trip.

My Final Thoughts

I certainly would NOT plan my Isle Royale trip around a stay at Moskey Basin.  If (logistically) it made sense to spend a night there (as I was en route to somewhere else on the Island) I would certainly plan on staying at Moskey Basin for a night. However, I would never go out of my way to make Moskey Basin an intentional ("must see") destination for my trip.

I would definitely keep my expectations low regarding Moskey Basin. I would assume that I would NOT get a shelter--and that I would be staying in an overcrowded (overflow) tent area (with zero view of the lake or the sky). I would maybe (cautiously) hope for the weather to be nice--so that I could get some good views of the lake and the sky from the dock (or from one of the few open areas along the lakeshore).

And, if everything turned out far better than expected, and I got a lakeside shelter--on a day with clear skies-- lots of wildlife and a wonderful sunrise--I would give thanks for my good fortune and enjoy the heck out of my time at Moskey Basin. It truly is one of the better campgrounds on Isle Royale.