Isle Royale
Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
4 - 8 days (variable distance)

Wolves and moose, the wild North Woods forest, ever changing weather and a cool climate, and the crystal clear waters and rugged shoreline of Lake Superior characterize Isle Royale National Park. This wilderness archipelago is 45 miles long and nine miles wide at its widest point. The park encompasses a total area of 850 square miles including submerged lands which extends four and a half miles out into Lake Superior. The archipelago is composed of many parallel ridges resulting from ancient lava flows which were tilted and glaciated. Isle Royale has 165 miles of scenic hiking trails, 36 campgrounds for backpackers and recreational boaters. There is excellent fishing, historic lighthouses and shipwrecks, ancient copper mining sites, and plenty of spots to observe wildlife. Road less Isle Royale is accessible only by boat or float plane. Isle Royale is relatively untouched by direct outside influences and serves as a living laboratory and Unites States Biosphere Reserve.

This very unique Island National Park is a kayakers dream paddling experience. Being America’s least visited National Park, people are few, wildlife abounds, the ancient rocks are stunning, the waters are vibrant, and the views are simply magnificent. Here you can paddle, fish for lake trout, take beautiful hikes in the woods, listen to the Loons laughing cry, and the lonesome howl of the wolves, gaze at the stars, pick thimbleberries and blueberries, see moose and other wildlife, and experience a place where time has forgotten. This is a sea kayaking experience that has to be classified as an “adventure of a lifetime” and one that you definitely want to but on your “Bucket List”.

We do require that you be at least an intermediate to experienced sea kayaker and have completed a sea kayak safety training course, which can be completed by Paddling Michigan. On the boat ride out to Isle Royale we will provide a safety briefing and at least a couple of drills per day on safety issues. Much of the water around Isle Royale is protected which makes for excellent paddling.

*Beginners are welcome on this trip if they participate in a basic strokes/rescue clinic with us at our base Marquette, Michigan or a similar program close to them.

Our Isle Royale Sea kayaking Adventure requires a minimum of 8 days to realistically complete. These trips are limited to paddling within Rock Harbor to Moskey Basin, or within Tobin Harbor. 2 days are spent traveling out and back. For paddling trips outside of Rock Harbor and around to the west side of the island  we always like to allow at least 1-2 days where we can be shore bound due to weather and waves. This normally gives us at least 4 good days of paddling, a couple doing hiking and other activities, and results in an 8 day trip.

The Isle Royale trip is all inclusive of kayak and equipment, meals, tents, guide services, ferry transport, park permit fees, and a farewell dinner at the Harbor Haus in Copper Harbor. Once you make a reservation we will send you a required equipment and clothing list.

Our guides will prepare all of your meals. Freshly caught lake trout will be served at least one evening. Please advise us of any allergies or anything you cannot eat.

Your physical condition is very important and once a reservation is made we will send you a personal health form that will need to be completed and returned to us.

Itinerary

This Trip Itinerary is a plan and an estimate. In perfect weather conditions it is easily done as scheduled. Murphy’s Law says there will probably be some adjustments to it. Evenings will be spent relaxing, hiking, swimming, and eating. Our guides carry communication equipment for nightly position reports to our base of operations.

Day 1: 7:00 PM - Rendezvous at Copper Harbor, Michigan for a briefing and equipment check

Day 2: 7:00 AM - Boarding the Isle Royale Queen for the 5 hour trip to Rock Harbor. On the trip out we’ll go over basic strokes, braces, rescue drills, and other safety information. We’ll also get our packs ready for the 1st days paddle. The afternoon paddle will be short of only about 3 hours to a campsite where we’ll get set up for the night.

Day 3-8: Paddling an average to 4-5 hours per day allows us plenty of time to leisurely get to our next campsite and get set up to spend the rest of the day hiking, taking pictures, fishing, looking for Moose (this is generally best done in the early evening) , preparing dinner, listening to the sounds of the wild, and generally enjoying some good conversation around the campfire. Musicians are welcome. On day 8 in the afternoon we’ll be back in Rock harbor to catch the Isle Royale Queen back to Copper Harbor and great dining experience at the Harbor Haus before we bid farewell to new friends  and return home with the memories of a truly awesome paddling experience around an island in the world’s largest freshwater lake where you saw moose, heard the laughing loon and the lonesome cry of the Timber Wolves, breathed the fresh air, and saw stars  and sometimes the aurora borealis on the crystal clear nights that  truly light up the sky.

EQUIPMENT YOU SUPPLY FOR WILDERNESS CAMPING TRIPS

EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES SUPPLIED BY Paddling Michigan