A cluster of islands in Lake Superior remains one of Americas last truly wild places.
Erin Dietsche
The lake trout must have been hungry.
Its mottled, silvery body glistened in the sun.
Credit:Erin Dietsche
They are so pissed off when they get caught that they will work you.
The park encompasses a total area of 850 square miles, and 99 percent of it is designated wilderness.
Four-fifths of the park is water, part of one of the largest bodies of fresh water on earth.
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times/Redux
At its center is the 45-mile-long, nine-mile-wide Isle Royale.
Tony Cenicola/The New York Times/Redux
Options for getting to the car-free island are limited.
And the winter weather is harsh, so the park is open for only half the year.
So whats the attraction?
But I prefer the simplicity of backpacking.
As with many U.S. national parks, interest in Isle Royale is rising.
Visitation to the island reached a record 21,654 people in 2023.
That may sound paltry compared with other parks, but the increased traffic has strapped Isle Royales overnight accommodations.
(you’ve got the option to also sleep on your own boat.)
Our cabin had large windows overlooking Tobin Harbor, providing a pleasant view of seaplanes landing from the mainland.
We boiled water for pasta, swapped stories with our new friends, and turned in early.
Waking at dawn, we headed down the trail to Daisy Farm Camp.
Like other visitors with private boats, they were willing to make the potentially perilous crossing from the mainland.
The chill zapped my limbs like an electric current.
While submerged, I thought of other, more serious ways to get in trouble on Isle Royale.
Despite these moments of terror, she said, I love storms out here.
The weather is humbling.
That sense of natures power is what keeps me (and many others) intrigued.
The two rusticWashington Harbor Camper Cabins, on the southwestern end, are the other option.
The two most popular areWashington CreekandDaisy Farm.
How to Get There
Cars are not permitted on Isle Royale.
If coming by private boat, call the Houghton Visitor Center ahead of time to get a docking permit.
