For years I knew of it's existence - this wild and unspoiled island somewhere in Lake Superior. I seemed to always catch glimpses of it in outdoor magazines and national park guide books. And even though the paragraphs were always short and the pictures few (it is the least visited national park in the lower 48), my thoughts and attention were drawn to it. After years of imagining myself hiking there amongst the moose and wolves, I shared the idea with a few close friends. Late this past May, we finally made it a reality.
After an 11-hour drive to Copper Harbor, Michigan, we boarded the Queen IV for our trip across Lake Superior. We were on the second sailing of the year, and after hearing that several people got sick on the first sailing a couple days before, we were thankful that the weather was calm for our journey. Most people slept the entire way, but I spent most of the trip standing on the bow of the ship, freezing and underdressed, waiting impatiently for the island to break through the fog.
After several hours it finally did, and within minutes we were standing on the dock at Rock Harbor waiting for our gear to be unloaded. With each pack that the crew set on the dock, their faces seemed to quietly wonder how some of the hikers would pick them up, let alone hike with them for miles across rugged terrain. We grabbed our packs, listened to a quick orientation by the park rangers (basically telling us to filter our water and be careful because help would be a long way away), and headed south on the Tobin Harbor Trail.
Everyone else on the boat had taken the more direct Rock Harbor Trail, so within minutes, we were completely on our own. We stopped to filter some water out of Lake Superior. It was the best tasting water I have ever had.
On the first day, our goal was to take it easy and hike only 2.7 miles to Three Mile campground. We arrived mid-afternoon, claimed one of the available shelters, and spent the rest of the day setting up camp, filtering water, making dinner, and relaxing.
In the middle of the night, I woke up freezing. Convinced it wouldn’t be that cold in May, I had only brought my 40-degree sleeping bag to save weight. But even with multiple layers of clothing on, I was so cold I couldn’t sleep. I walked around the shelter for a while to warm up, and then boiled two liters of water and put the bottles in my sleeping bag. This wasted a lot of fuel but definitely kept me warm. They were still warm to the touch when we woke up late the next day.
Click here for specific details to help you plan a trip to Isle Royale NP.