Isle Royale National Park is NOT the type of place that you should visit without doing a great deal of advance planning and preparation. This is ESPECIALLY true is you are going to go backpacking, paddling, or boating--and stay overnight in the back country at Isle Royale. Isle Royale is an island out in Lake Superior. It can only be reached by boat or seaplane (no motor vehicles allowed and no pets allowed). Many aspects of your trip may POSSIBLY need to be booked months--or even a year-- in advance (including transportation, boat, canoe and kayak rentals, overnight stays at the Rock Harbor Lodge, or overnight stays at the Rock Harbor housekeeping cabins, and Windigo camper cabins). Thus, you just can't realistically just show up unannounced. You need to start planning and reserving things long in advance. Also, because Isle Royale is a remote wilderness area--you need to do your research regarding many of the unique aspects of visiting Isle Royale --otherwise you may encounter difficulties and challenges.
SOME OF THE BEST PLACES TO START YOUR PLANNING:
Here are some links to a few of the best places to get official information regarding planning your trip.
1. THE OFFICIAL ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK WEBSITE. (Click the title) The official Park website has everything you could possibly ever want to know about Isle Royale National Park. I encourage you to spend a few hours--looking at all of the pages, and sub-pages, and sub-sub-pages, and links. That being said, the site can sometimes be a little difficult to navigate if you don't know where to look for stuff. (That is also why I included some links -on our own "Helpful Links" page-- to help you find some of the important stuff and hidden gems that can be found on the National Park Service Isle Royale Website)
2. THE OFFICIAL PARK NEWSPAPER, "THE GREENSTONE" (Click the title). This current link is to the 2024 "Greenstone". The current year's edition tends to be published in March of each year (give or take a few weeks). THE GREENSTONE has lots of great information. Be sure to look at all parts of every page carefully. You can't begin to imagine how much important and helpful information they can put into a small newspaper.
3. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE OFFICIAL ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK (Online) "FIRST TIMER GUIDE". (Click the title). The First-Timer section of the National Park Service website has great information---even folks who have been there MANY times will probably learn some new things if they check out the First Timer Guide and it's links.
OTHER GREAT PLACES TO GET HELPFUL INFORMATION
4. The site you are currently using-- "The Isle Royale Guy" (www.theisleroyaleguy.com). (Click the link). Just about anything that you could want to know (especially for an Isle Royale backpacking trip) can be found on this website--or in the links. Furthermore, paddlers, boaters, Lodge and Cabin people, and day visitors will also find lots of great information here. Check out the PHOTOS of the trails to see what the trails look like. Check out the dozens of links on the HELPFUL LINKS page--to be taken to other other great and interesting Isle Royale information. You can read about some of my more recent Isle Royale trips (and see trip photos) in the TRIP REPORTS section. In the BLOG section, you will see my thoughts and opinions regarding many things. I also talk about many topics (and give more helpful links) in the HELPFUL INFO SECTION. If you want me to give you some free personalized advice regarding your trip--go to the CONTACT INFO and reach out to me.
5. Check out the THE ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK COMMUNITY (on Facebook). (Click the Link). It is a private Facebook group and you have to request to join. However, the group has over 18,600 members. Thus, someone should be able to assist you if you raise a question. BE SURE TO USE THE SEARCH FEATURE in that Facebook group--there is a good chance your questions have probably already been asked and answered many times. Thus, you can start reading helpful information right away.
6. Jim DuFresne's book, ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK: FOOT TRAILS AND WATER ROUTES. (Fifth Edition). Click the link. The book discusses all of the various sections of trail on Isle Royale, the water routes, the campgrounds--and so much more. Check it out!
7. Pay a visit to ISLE ROYALE FORUMS (Click the Link). Isle Royale Forums--is a place where people discuss and answer questions (and share information) regarding Isle Royale. (The site has years of questions and answers for you to explore)--all sorted by category.
8. You can find helpful information--and some free informational courses covering many topics-- at WISE OLD MAN OF ISLE ROYALE. (click the link). Take a look at what they have to offer.
The information that you find at these various websites (and at the web links that these sites provide) should help you to plan a fun, safe, and successful Isle Royale trip. Enjoy!
Here are some links to a few of the best places to get official information regarding planning your trip.
1. THE OFFICIAL ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK WEBSITE. (Click the title) The official Park website has everything you could possibly ever want to know about Isle Royale National Park. I encourage you to spend a few hours--looking at all of the pages, and sub-pages, and sub-sub-pages, and links. That being said, the site can sometimes be a little difficult to navigate if you don't know where to look for stuff. (That is also why I included some links -on our own "Helpful Links" page-- to help you find some of the important stuff and hidden gems that can be found on the National Park Service Isle Royale Website)
2. THE OFFICIAL PARK NEWSPAPER, "THE GREENSTONE" (Click the title). This current link is to the 2024 "Greenstone". The current year's edition tends to be published in March of each year (give or take a few weeks). THE GREENSTONE has lots of great information. Be sure to look at all parts of every page carefully. You can't begin to imagine how much important and helpful information they can put into a small newspaper.
3. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE OFFICIAL ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK (Online) "FIRST TIMER GUIDE". (Click the title). The First-Timer section of the National Park Service website has great information---even folks who have been there MANY times will probably learn some new things if they check out the First Timer Guide and it's links.
OTHER GREAT PLACES TO GET HELPFUL INFORMATION
4. The site you are currently using-- "The Isle Royale Guy" (www.theisleroyaleguy.com). (Click the link). Just about anything that you could want to know (especially for an Isle Royale backpacking trip) can be found on this website--or in the links. Furthermore, paddlers, boaters, Lodge and Cabin people, and day visitors will also find lots of great information here. Check out the PHOTOS of the trails to see what the trails look like. Check out the dozens of links on the HELPFUL LINKS page--to be taken to other other great and interesting Isle Royale information. You can read about some of my more recent Isle Royale trips (and see trip photos) in the TRIP REPORTS section. In the BLOG section, you will see my thoughts and opinions regarding many things. I also talk about many topics (and give more helpful links) in the HELPFUL INFO SECTION. If you want me to give you some free personalized advice regarding your trip--go to the CONTACT INFO and reach out to me.
5. Check out the THE ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK COMMUNITY (on Facebook). (Click the Link). It is a private Facebook group and you have to request to join. However, the group has over 18,600 members. Thus, someone should be able to assist you if you raise a question. BE SURE TO USE THE SEARCH FEATURE in that Facebook group--there is a good chance your questions have probably already been asked and answered many times. Thus, you can start reading helpful information right away.
6. Jim DuFresne's book, ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK: FOOT TRAILS AND WATER ROUTES. (Fifth Edition). Click the link. The book discusses all of the various sections of trail on Isle Royale, the water routes, the campgrounds--and so much more. Check it out!
7. Pay a visit to ISLE ROYALE FORUMS (Click the Link). Isle Royale Forums--is a place where people discuss and answer questions (and share information) regarding Isle Royale. (The site has years of questions and answers for you to explore)--all sorted by category.
8. You can find helpful information--and some free informational courses covering many topics-- at WISE OLD MAN OF ISLE ROYALE. (click the link). Take a look at what they have to offer.
The information that you find at these various websites (and at the web links that these sites provide) should help you to plan a fun, safe, and successful Isle Royale trip. Enjoy!