TRIP PLANNING RESOURCES

Planning Your Isle Royale Trip Is Important

Isle Royale is probably different than many places that you will visit. Isle Royale is the type of place where a failure to PLAN your trip in advance (and a failure to properly PREPARE for your trip--in advance) can cause you to have a very frustrating and disappointing experience. A failure to plan and prepare may also lead to illness and injury.  One of the biggest challenges of Isle Royale is its remoteness. You can't just jump in your car and drive to Isle Royale--nor (once you are at Isle Royale) can you just jump back in your car and leave whenever you want.  For all practical purposes, you can only reach (and leave)  Isle Royale in three ways: 1) Seaplane (for which you need advance reservations). 2) Ferries (for which you need advance reservations). 3) Private watercraft.

Furthermore, you usually need to be pretty self-sufficient at isle Royale (especially if hiking, paddling, or boating in the "backcountry").  It you didn't bring something that you will need --there is a pretty good chance that you might NOT be able to acquire the item once you are on the Island. Plan well and pack appropriately.

Advance planing, research, and preparation are essential for a successful Isle Royale trip.

You May Need to Plan and Reserve Things Up to a Year in Advance

As I write this (on January 1, 2024) many/most nights at the Rock Harbor Lodge,  Rock Harbor housekeeping cabins, and Windigo camper cabins--are already booked to capacity--or are getting filled very fast--for the entire 2024 season.  There are no waiting lists kept.  In many instances, your only hope now (to book lodging for 2024) is that someone cancels their lodging reservations and you are fortunate enough to discover the cancellation and book your own lodging immediately. Reserve your lodging NOW--and if your dates are already not available, keep checking the reservation website regularly and frequently for cancellations.

Transportation does not usually fill as fast as lodging. HOWEVER, in 2023, already in February I could not book all of the transportation for the dates that I wanted for my 2023 trip. I had to modify my preferred 2023 trip dates. Again, this was IN FEBRUARY! The same was true in early March 2022. I could not book the exact dates that I wanted.  I needed to be flexible in my trip dates--IN EARLY MARCH!

You will hear occasional stories of people who planned their Isle Royale trip on very short notice-- in the middle of summer--and were able to get transportation and lodging--with no problems.  Such things can (and do) sometimes happen--but they are not the norm.  Yes, you might be able to plan and book your Isle Royale trip on very short notice during the middle of the Summer--but I sure wouldn't count on it.

Book your Isle Royale transportation and lodging reservations NOW!

DO YOUR (OWN) RESEARCH!

There is SO much for a person to learn prior to coming to Isle Royale (especially before coming to the backcountry areas). You need to do your research. Here are just a few of the many things you will need to know.

• You will need to acquire, filter, and treat all of your own water in the backcountry from lakes and streams.  You will need to bring a water filter--AND (ideally) some form of chemical  and/or ultraviolet treatment in addition to the filtering.
• Most campgrounds on Isle Royale have consecutive night stay limits. Some stay limits are as brief as JUST ONE NIGHT.  Thus, don't assume that you are going to be able to stay multiple nights everywhere and anywhere that you so choose.  (This includes the Rock Harbor Campground-- which is one of the places that has a ONE CONSECUTIVE NIGHT stay limit).
• Campfires are allowed at only a few places on Isle Royale.  Thus, don't plan on having fires for cooking, warmth, or entertainment. Sometimes, there are complete burning bans for the whole park.
• DO NOT plan on being able to stay in a wooden shelter. So, bring, a tent or tarp--or similar form of shelter with you. 1) Only a limited number of campgrounds have wooden shelters. 2) The shelters  cannot be reserved and are occupied on "first come" basis.  3) Unlike the shelters at places like the Appalachian Trail--people ARE NOT required to share Isle Royale shelters. Sharing of shelters is merely "encouraged". (Tent sites are a different story--and sharing of tent sites is expected and "required".
• You cannot bring your pets, dogs, and cats with you to Isle Royale. (There are some VERY limited exceptions made for actual SERVICE DOGS--but not for support dogs or support animals. But, this exception requires much advance preparation, paperwork, permits, vet visits, immunizations, etc.)
• You cannot bring a motor vehicle to Isle Royale.  You cannot ride a bicycle or use a wheeled cart on Isle Royale. (There is some limited use of Isle Royale supplied carts at Windigo and Rock Harbor to get your stuff to/from your lodging).
  
• Unless you get lucky, your cellphone will not get a signal on Isle Royale. If you do get a signal--it will be only in some very limited --and somewhat unpredictable -- locations.  There will not be any wifi--unless you are a Rock Harbor Lodge guest--and even that connectivity is somewhat limited.
  
  BOTTOM LINE: There is much to learn before coming to Isle Royale--so you better do your (own) research sooner instead of later. It is not anyone else's job to tell you what you need to know.  Take a another look at the brief list (above).  I have personally seen VERY disappointed and VERY frustrated people who arrived at the departure dock on the mainland (or even made it to the Island) and learned that they needed to bring a water filter for the backcountry; discovered that they could not bring their pet or support animal with them (even on a private boat); learned that they could not bring their car, RV, or camper to the Island; had their whole itinerary and plan destroyed when they learned they could only camp ONE CONSECUTIVE NIGHT at some places--like Rock Harbor Campground; and/or had their cooking plans devastated--when they learned that they could not have fires in most places (or sometimes--no fires at all). They were shocked when they learned that they have no cell signal or wifi.

SOME PLANNING RESOURCES

The BEST (and most authoritative) resource for your Isle Royale visit is the official National Park Service Isle Royale website.  www.nps.gov/isro/index.htm

There is a "First timers Guide" on the official Isle Royale NPS website:  www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/first-timer-s-guide.htm

There is much helpful information in the Park's annual newspaper (THE GREENSTONE).  Here is a link to the 2023 edition of the Greenstone.  The 2024 edition will likely be published in late February or early March 2024.  www.nps.gov/isro/upload/Web-Ready-2023-Greenstone.pdf

There is a very active Facebook group called "ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK COMMUNITY".  It has over 18,300 members.  (You have ask to join the group).   www.facebook.com/groups/43490726251

A very helpful book is the (fifth edition of) ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK: FOOT TRAILS AND WATER ROUTES (by Jim DuFresne)  (LINK HERE)

There is my own website: THE ISLE ROYAL GUY (theisleroyaleguy.com)  My site is absolutely free and has all sorts of great information.  There is a page with many helpful articles and topics.  (Click Here: Helpful Information).   There is a page with links to just about every possible Isle Royale webpage--arranged by major topic. (Click here for "Helpful Links).  You simply won't believe what you will find when you browse through those dozens of helpful links.   I have a page with many photos of Isle Royale--including moose pictures, trail pictures, sunrises and sunsets, other animals, and many other photos (Click  here for "Photos").  There is a page with several trip reports from some of my 19 trips to Isle Royale. Those trip reports also have many photos. (Click Here for "Trip Reports").  There are my Isle Royale blog pages were I discuss countless Isle Royale topics and share my opinions.  (Click Here for "Blog Posts").  I like to help people plan their trips, develop customized itineraries, and answer questions. I prefer to be contacted through Facebook private messages or via email. [email protected]  Feel free to contact me.

Another helpful site is ISLE ROYALE FORUMS. (Click here).

I also like the WISE OLD MAN OF ISLE ROYALE website maintained by Duane L'Esperance and Beth Virtanen. CLICK HERE for "Wise Old Man of Isle Royale")

CONCLUSION

It is  important to plan your Isle Royale trip far in advance.  Use the links provided above (and the many pages of links on each of those websites) to help you plan your trip.  Again, the best, first, and most authoritative source to consult is always the official National Park Service Isle Royale website. (Click here for the Official website)