Isle Royale: Backpacking 85 Miles in the Least Visited National Park in the Lower 48

[@jonathanthomforde6133]

I’m am planning on hiking from Windigo to Rock Harbor this May! We’re gonna do 13 miles per day or so and really spread it out. Your video makes me so pumped!

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thanks for the kind words! It’s an awesome place and I’d love to go back! Are you planning on taking the Minong or Greenstone trail the whole time?! I’d really recommend jumping on the Rock Harbor trail as you get closer to go down towards Mosley Basin or Strawbery Farms(I think it’s called that) campground, so you can hike along the water for a bit too!

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

It’s Daisy Farms I think now that I remember it!

[@thomasmiller2284]

You did a really nice job on this video!

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thanks for the nice words and the watch! I tried to show the whole experience from Houghton, Mi and loved my entire trip!

[@skipandcherieadventures116]

We absolutely love Isle Royale! Have been there 5 times and have hiked/backpacked most all of the trails there. Heading back next summer(2023) for our 6th time there. Our favorite spots are Lane Cove, Moskey, and Chippewa Harbor! We have several videos on our channel about Isle Royale. Thank you for taking us back to the island with visual reminders of places we have been. One of most memorable memories was at West Chickenbone where we had a moose come up and look right in our tent at us! We love to get there by seaplane….tried the Voyageur from Minnesota one time….not my cup of tea! Like your map at the end too….you were there about the same time we were this past July!

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Isle Royale is pretty dang great! Thank you for the comment and watching the video! The moose encounters on the island are for sure the most memorable experiences on the island! Yeah the voyager/ferries do take awhile, but I think its a different experience that is just as fun! Small world and the map at the end is definitly cool to see everywhere I went!

[@WanderingMonkHikes]

Daniel, I hiked the Minong Trail a couple of weeks ago. The first video of my series came out this week. So good to see the island through another’s lens. Glad to be here to support your channel. Monk

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Hey Monk, thank you for the support and glad you got to go visit up there as well, Isle Royale is an amazing place! I'll need to go back one day to hike the Minong as well, how was it when you went, was it muddy?

[@WanderingMonkHikes]

@@AnOccasionalAdventurer it’s a rugged trail with mixed terrain. Nice smooth trails leading out of McCargoe Cove to rocky ridges, followed by tall vegetation, more ridges, and several beaver dams with muddy swampy areas from Desor to Windigo. Lots of beautiful views throughout.

[@mikewanders]

Nice!! This totally makes me want to visit Isle Royals

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thanks for the watch, it’s an amazing place and definitely worth going too!

[@RichardMooreAndJulieMoore]

Nice video! We have been considering a trip to Isle Royale and this was a great way to check it out, thanks.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thank you for the watch and the nice words! It is a bit hard to do logistically, but if you got the time, it is well worth the trip! If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

[@ebzovi]

Do it

[@davelipsiea1553]

Nice hike and well made video - thanks!

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thanks for the nice words! It was an amazing trip!

[@richardmourdock2719]

Thank you for NOT talking over the video. The scenery was what I watched for and it was delivered. I'm debating going to Houghton MI or Grand Portage MN for my starting point. 1000 miles to Minnesota, 700 to Houghton but then a five hour boat ride... That doesn't sound appealing.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thanks for the nice words and watching the video! That is a tough one, if you are dead set on taking a ferry, then the one from Houghton is longer for sure, but I personally really enjoyed it, so I'd lean towards that and have someone else drive me haha! There are also sea planes that fly out of Houghton, more expensive obviously, but that can get you out there in about an hour or so!

[@toddgrant7190]

Nice. Thanks for sharing.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thanks for the watch!

[@rybread81]

Great video, Looks like a great time. I was there in the beginning of June. Subscribed

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thanks for the watch, it was a great time! And thank you for the subscription! What did you hike while there in June?

[@rybread81]

@@AnOccasionalAdventurer Flew into Rock Harbor, we based camped at Daisy Farm, then hiked around from there. Can't wait to go back.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

@@rybread81 Its a great place, definitely worth a return trip thats for sure!

[@vogt666]

Thanks for the video. I'm planning on going hopefully this summer and I wasn't sure what trail system to do but I think I might do this one. 😊

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thank you for the watch! You can’t go wrong with any of them! I’ve heard the the Minong on the west side of the island does get pretty muddy, but I loved my time on the Greenstone and Rock Harbor trails!

[@UnseenGriffin]

Excellent video! I'm doing research for a 2024 trip to IR. First time for me.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thank you for the watch and kind words! If you have any questions feel free to ask them here and I’ll do my best to answer them!

[@sherrierifenberg2199]

You are a beast!

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Haha thank you for the nice words and watching the video! I had an awesome time going out and back of the whole island!

[@Minong_Manitou_Mishepeshu]

Great video!

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thank you and thank you for watching it!

[@Kian2931]

Visiting in a few days! Unfortunately, forecast looks like I'll be hit with some rain D: Hopefully weather changes soon haha.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Have fun, just bring rain gear then haha, I dealt with 2 days full of rain! Thanks for the watch!

[@jillnorton1680]

Why did you set up the tent in the shelter. Curious since I haven’t seen anyone else do it. Going there in June.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Great question! For me it was just another layer of bug protection, sometimes there were some flies/mosquitos in the shelters, so it was basically a bug net 👍🏻

[@april906outdoors3]

The shelters can get really cold at night, especially near the water. The tent helps retain some warmth.

[@ryanjuarez9428]

I did a 65 mile trip a few weeks ago

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Nice! Where did you go?

[@ryanjuarez9428]

@@AnOccasionalAdventurer windigo to siskiwit bay to Todd harbor back to windigo

[@emmettdizz7782]

How were the bugs on your hike? I’ve heard bitting flies and mosquitoes or bad around that time.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

The bugs weren’t awful, I’d say they were worse on the west side of the island, but I did use bug spray everyday and as long as I was moving, they didn’t bother me! The few people I saw, some had head bug nets

[@wildwanderingthewilderness]

Great video! Did you stay at the Daisy Farm campground your first night or go the cross country route with the additional permit? Planning our first trip out there and trying to decide between campground or getting even more remote.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thank you for the kind words! My first day I hiked the rock harbor trail from Rock Harbor to Moskee Basin (10-11 miles ish) and was able to get one of the little huts there at the established campground! So I didn’t have to use the cross country permit 👍🏻

[@williamweiss6128]

MI!! UP!!

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

The 906 never dissapoints!

[@FoolishPrankster]

NO BEARS, LUCKY YOU !

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

As far as I know, there are no bears on Isle Royale, but there is a pack of wolves! Thanks for the watch!

[@kelseygill6553]

How were the mosquitos?

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Mosquitoes were definitely worse on the West side of the island towards Windigo, I used bug spray the whole time, if you’re moving it was okay, but if you stop to eat or anything, they do tend to swarm! Thanks for the watch!

[@Connected_ToTheVine]

Thanks for sharing, liked and subscribed.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@Ty1on3twelve]

Great video.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thanks for the watch, it’s great up there!

[@derrykvanderjagt1248]

From your experience, would you say it is possible to hike the entire length of Isle Royale in 24 hours?

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Hey Derryk, I think it could be possible to hike one way from Rock Harbor to Windigo, it’d be close to 42+ miles and 9k feet of vert or more, if you have a light backpacking setup or are just really determined with a heavier pack, you could definitely make it from end to end in under 24 hours! I know a park enforcement ranger and some others have ran from end to end in a day with running vests and had lodging at both ends!

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Might be less vert than that now that I think of it

[@dennispine2603]

So, there weren't any wolves, apparently; or they weren't around, where he was.

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Hey Dennis, there are wolves on the island, I think around 20ish was the last pack size, but yes I didn’t see any on my trip, the island is over 45 miles long, so they are pretty spread out!

[@jakeowens1770]

17:44

[@Andy-rp5up]

i’m planning to go but am really worried about the motion sickness on the boat

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

That is an issue I could see, you could try staying in the main section of the boat, but I was fortunate enough to have a calm day for the ride out there, so it wasn't rocking that much. The sea plane is always another option, but it is more expensive obviously, thanks for the watch!

[@stevehanke1842]

Couple warm beers will take care of that problem. Seriously

[@Andy-rp5up]

@@stevehanke1842 ended up taking a dramamine and passed out on the way in! the way back I was exhausted enough to just fall asleep for most of it.

[@mmebettiep33]

Do you feel hammocking is a possibility on this trail?

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Yes you could! The 3 guys who let me crash with them on my long day were hammock camping from Rock Harbor to Windego and taking the ferry back to RH, thanks for the watch! They did say it was a bit harder to find spots

[@mmebettiep33]

Thanks much! I am definitely used to having to work to find a spot.

[@stevehanke1842]

Only allowed to set up hammock in designated tent site areas only,you will get fined.SERIOUSLY,my buddy was napping in his hammock and was rudely awoken by ranger and told to immeadiatly remove it to tent campsite.

[@Aaron-193]

yo, great video!

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thank you and thanks for watching! I loved my time up at Isle Royale and glad I could share it with others!

[@oscarmolinaoutdooradventur1648]

👍🏼👍🏼❤️❤️❤️

[@AnOccasionalAdventurer]

Thanks for the watch!

[@austinstitzel]

I'm going to guess that you are a Sagittarius.

[@drewblanktalks]

Why are you using video game music for a hiking video lol

[@dennispine2603]

Maybe you will say where you live, i. e the town.

[@JamesPanning]

Pronounced isle “royal”

[@jacksondaly7297]

Why

[@JamesPanning]

@@jacksondaly7297 The Isle Royale rangers pronounce it that way, for one. The name comes from the French explorers and missionaries who renamed it from the native Minong to Isle Royale to honor their royal patrons, likely French king Louis XIV. The French pronunciation is “royal.” Cheers!