Isle Royale: Michigan's only national park takes real planning
ISLE ROYALE. Michigan's only national park sits 56 miles out in Lake Superior, and it's one of the least visited parks in the country. There's no road in. Visitors take a ferry, a private boat, or a seaplane from Houghton County Memorial Airport to Rock Harbor.
Rock Harbor Lodge is the easiest way to stay, and it's also where backcountry campers pick up permits. The 40-mile Greenstone Ridge Trail runs the length of the island, and Mount Desor is the high point for a view of it. Timber wolves and moose live there, and campsites along the main trails are first come, first served.
Weather can turn fast out there, so the park tells visitors to pack extra supplies. It doesn't check the ferry schedule first.
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