Hiking 50 Miles Across Isle Royale National Park | Michigan

6 days, 5 nights backpacking across the island wilderness know as Isle Royale. I was joined by my comrades, Dave and Matt, for this epic adventure on the remote island inhabited by wolves and moose. Located in the Lake Superior, the island is only accessible by boat or seaplane. We elected to take a seaplane, making a point to point route across the island more feasible. The plane dropped us off at Windigo and we finished on the other side of the island at Rock Harbor, hiking East to West. Our route gave us a taste of everything the island had to offer including inland lakes, hardwood & boreal forests, beaver dams, expansive views, wildlife, and of course, Lake Superior. It was one for the books.
Recorded Sept 11th - 16th, 2021
Route Breakdown:
Day 1 - Windigo ➡ North Desor [12.6 miles]
Day 2 - North Desor ➡ Little Todd [5.7 miles]
Day 3 - Little Todd ➡ McCargoe Cove [13.5 miles]
Day 4 - McCargoe Cove ➡ Lake Richie [6.3 miles]
Day 5 - Lake Richie ➡ Lane Cove [12.7 miles]
Day 6 - Lane Cove ➡ Rock Harbor [6.9 miles]
Total Mileage: 57.7
Mileage above based on official NPS figures.
Satellite map of the full route:
fatmap.com/rou...
My full gear list:
lighterpack.co...
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[@KathysOutdoorAdventures]

Something about the nighttime out in the middle of nowhere that I love the best. Beautiful trail and footage

[@OutdoorOperator]

Couldn't agree more! Wilderness nights are the best. Thanks for watching.

[@beyondthecampfire]

Wow, this is fantastic! Great editing, and every shot is very well-composed. Love the underwater shot, the fox, the sunsets, the sunbursts, and the outtakes at the end. I like how you made creative use of crossfades. The loon cries gave me chills. That's one of my favorite sounds. This hike is near the top of my bucket list, and I've always wanted to reach the island by seaplane. I'm glad you got the opportunity to do it. Keep up the great work, man. You deserve many more subscribers.

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks, BtC! Comments like this add fuel to the fire. It was quite the scene at Lake Richie with two golden eagles squawking over a high perch, trumpeter swans fishing for breakfast, and the loons reckoning with the dawn! I can't recommend IR enough. Feel free to reach out for additional insights if you decide to plan a trip there.

[@beyondthecampfire]

@@OutdoorOperator Wow, that Lake Richie scene sounds like something out of my dreams. I went back and watched it again and I think I can hear the golden eagles squawking in the background. Awesome stuff. I'll let you know when I decide to plan a trip. The logistics seem fairly complicated, so I'll probably have some questions!

[@OutOnTrail]

Isle Royale is definitely on my list... Looks like you had a great trip! You got some great campsites and sunrise/sunset shots on the water 👍Particularly enjoyed your fire-to-water transition around 6:00 and that shot of the fox!

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks, OutOnTrail. I would definitely recommend getting up there at some point! We were blessed with great weather which provided us some nice sunrises/sunsets. The wildlife viewing was great too!

[@lauren7923]

Really enjoyed this, thank you. This is so far my favorite video while trying to decide on making my own trip to the island. So refreshing to have no talking, just wow, really love the soft music it feels like this video puts a focus on the raw sounds of the hike and nature. And then the bloopers at the end hilarious.😆

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks for watching Lauren! I'm glad this video was helpful for your trip planning. I try to make these as immersive as possible, so it's great to hear you felt that way as well. Good luck with your trip. I hope you enjoy the island as much as we did!

[@chelserhian]

Great video! What was your itinerary? I ask because the first pine campsite on the lake is where I want to find myself when I visit 🌲

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks for watching Chelsea! That campsite at Lake Desor was a real gem. Best sunrise of the trip at that spot 👌 Here's a breakdown of the itinerary: Day 1 - Windigo ➡ North Desor [12.6 miles] Day 2 - North Desor ➡ Little Todd [5.7 miles] Day 3 - Little Todd ➡ McCargoe Cove [13.5 miles] Day 4 - McCargoe Cove ➡ Lake Richie [6.3 miles] Day 5 - Lake Richie ➡ Lane Cove [12.7 miles] Day 6 - Lane Cove ➡ Rock Harbor [6.9 miles]

[@BryanDeLay]

Beautiful video of Isle Royale! The sunset at 3:39 was amazing. So much attention to detail in capturing and editing the videos. I've never been to Isle Royale, but everyone I know that's been there raves about the place. Looks like an epic trip!

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks Bryan! This was definitely one for the books. Isle Royale is a special place. People like it so much that it has the highest revisitation rate of any National Park. I can't wait to get back!

[@skipandcherieadventures116]

Bryan, you have to go to Isle Royale…..we will be making a 6th trip there in 2023!

[@samsungtablet5744]

Your food was less than a pound?

[@Bluebloods7]

Beautiful edit, and appreciate the mute aspect to allow for full immersion in the serenity of the landscape. Erik Normark does similar style films here on KZbin, and you're only the 2nd channel I've come across that has done videos like this (without chatter or commentary). Nice contrast there at the end with the outtakes to show you're all just regular people and weren't solely there for super serious nature walks, but also to have fun! Definitely want to take the wife there (her dream is to see a moose in person, and I can't imagine another place on Earth with greater odds than IR), my daughter (10 now), whom LOVES otters, which also seem to be a good bet to see around the inland lakes on IR, just have to make the plans and research all the requisite gear to make it happen! How were the ticks when you went? It seems from other videos that they've largely not made their way onto the island (YET!), so hopefully they at least hold off a couple more years until we are able to make our journey!

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks JB! It's definitely worth the effort to make a trip to IR happen. And I agree, no better place to see a wild moose than IR. We only saw one over 6 days (wasn't able to get the camera out in time) but we saw tons of sign of them. No ticks on our visit. Hoping that continues 🤞

[@bradb5249]

Very cool, I hiked pictured rocks lakeshore and thought it was beautiful and have been looking for a hike in the same area for a while. Thanks fellas

[@OutdoorOperator]

Isle Royale is a great spot. Haven't been to Pictured Rocks but it's definitely on my list. Thanks for watching!

[@JohnChapman7]

Great stuff! Love the quiet. My son and I crossed the same direction August 2022: Windigo>Island Mine>South Desor>Hatchet Lake>W Chickenbone>Moskey Basin>Three Mile>Rock Harbor. It was uneventful until the last day when the fire and fog made it tough to get off the island!

[@OutdoorOperator]

Very cool! I really liked the idea of hiking the island from end to end. Thanks for watching!

[@skipandcherieadventures116]

Isle Royale is one of our favorite places on earth to go to and backpack and hike. We have been there 5 times and will back in 202for a 6th time. We will spend a night in Windago before having 3 nights at McCargoe Cove and then a couple nights on Belle Island and then several days in Rock Harbor. You have Great photography and editing…..we thoroughly enjoyed being on the trail with you on many of the trails we have hiked. Our favorite places there are down by Feldtmann Lake, Lane Cove, Moskey Basin, Chippewa Harbor, W. Chickenbone, and McCargoe Cove. Once you go there once, the Isle grabs and holds your heart!

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks for the feedback! You are right, Isle Royale is a special place that makes a last impression on everyone who visits. I can't wait to get back there and explore some areas I missed on my first go round (like Chippewa Harbor). Thanks again!

[@kathyswenson8000]

Great video! It was fun to run into you at McCargoe and Lake Ritchie (we were the older couple)

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks Kathy! It was great meeting you two out there. Lake Richie was our favorite campsite when it was all said and done. Hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip!

[@sainteven9244]

Do you think a headnet is needed for keeping bugs away?

[@OutdoorOperator]

Not in September/Oct but I would bring one in the spring or summer.

[@woIf]

Great clips, great editing. No BS.

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks Wolf!

[@dalesmithiii5999]

Are fires allowed on Isle Royale? I heard you're not supposed to have fires

[@OutdoorOperator]

Fires are allowed but only at certain campsites with designated fire rings (most sites are no fires). Also, make sure there isn't a fire ban in place when you visit.

[@stevehanke1842]

You are allowed to have a fire,even if there are no fire rings at your site,just have to pack a twig stove(they are allowed)some even are foldable ,lightweight and very enjoyable!

[@NitroBoarder17]

Very well done video!!

[@OutdoorOperator]

Glad you liked it!

[@VagabondTurtle]

50 miles hiking! Oh wow, most I did was 50 km, so... roughly 31 miles. Amazing colors, the sound of the forest, it makes me want to go out again, as soon as possible.

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks for the feedback! Even though we covered 50 miles there is still souch we didn't see. Can't wait to go back someday!

[@SulisGunawan]

Hai dear new friend from Indonesia, but so Amazed at this great content, lety stay connected ❤️👍

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks, Sulis!

[@HerbSeasoned]

How much does a seaplane cost?

[@OutdoorOperator]

Seaplane cost $330 per person round trip. Flight was out of Houghton, MI via Isle Royale Seaplanes. Thanks for stopping by ✌️

[@JohnChapman7]

Up to $360pp in 2022 for this type of service!

[@OHIOKAYAKER]

Really great video…especially the editing, which is the hard part…what to cut out of such a great adventure. So thanks.

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks Jim! It's always nice when someone appreciates the amount of editing that goes into these ✌️

[@Fatallica]

Cant wait to come back for a weekend. Easily my favorite backpacking spot, the wildlife, good walleye and trout fishing, clean campsites. Isle Royale is a special place to be sure

[@OutdoorOperator]

This was my one of my favorite treks for sure. The people who put in the effort to go to IR seem to respect the land so others can enjoy as well. I can't wait to get back!

[@patjohnston4094]

How many days did you hike? Wonderful views…looking forward to my hike this fall!

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks Pat! We did this over six days. Really enjoyed hiking the island from end to end. Good luck with your trip this fall 👍

[@UnsettledJourney]

Great video! Thanks for sharing, looks like a wonderful hike!

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks, I appreciate you watching!

[@madmaxhiking6455]

Wow, this video definitely makes me want to check out isle royal now. How did you get the shot of the fox?!?! Also what’s your camera setup? Excellent quality.

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks Max! IR is definitely a bucket list trip. I was already set up on a shot for the caterpillar when Matt whispered 'Fox!'. I just had to move the tripod to get the fox in frame. I use the fuji xt4 for shooting. Been trying out some different lenses; I used the 10-24 zoom for this one.

[@madmaxhiking6455]

@@OutdoorOperator impressive! I like how you make sure to capture lots of b roll and nature. Putting the xt4 on my fantasy camera gear list 👍

[@RandyBishopHikes]

Great job! Beautifully shot and edited!

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks, Randy. Looks like you had a pretty epic adventure to IR this year too!

[@thomaskelly3265]

Awesome vibes/views! Feels like I'm there!

[@OutdoorOperator]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ebzovi]

Pure and colorful. Great video

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks Erick!

[@onestepatatime5584]

I didn’t even know you could have campfires on Isle Royal!

[@OutdoorOperator]

Only some of the campsites allow campfires (most don't). Some are community fire rings only. There was a fire ban this summer due to a fire on the island which was just lifted upon our arrival!

[@andrewwhipple7586]

Which tent site were you at that had a fire ring, going beginning of june, doin a little planning

[@stevehanke1842]

You can,if you bring a lil twig stove.Some even are the folding type to take up less room.

[@DaveCollierCamping]

Awesome video-new. friend here

[@OutdoorOperator]

Thanks, Dave. Good to have you aboard!

[@DaveCollierCamping]

@@OutdoorOperator drop by the channel when you get a free moment