Isle Royale
National Park
Located on Lake Superior, Isle Royale National Park spans almost 900 square miles, with one major island and 450 smaller islands that surround it. Here you’ll find pristine forests, countless inland lakes, wildlife, rocky shorelines, and lots of camping opportunities. But with its remote location and vast wilderness, it’s a place that not many people get to experience.
In 2025, it was the least visited US National Park in the Lower 48, with just under 29,000 visitors. To put that into perspective, the 10 most popular parks in the United States had at least 3 million visitors each.
Isle Royale At a Glance
The entry fee for Isle Royale is $7 per person per day. Pay ahead of time online at pay.gov. If you have the America the Beautiful pass, that covers your entry too! It is highly recommended to pay your entrance fee before you get to the island to avoid wait times once there.
Isle Royale is located on Lake Superior and while it sits close to Minnesota’s North Shore and the Canadian border, the island is technically part of Michigan. It can be accessed from Minnesota or Michigan by ferry or seaplane, or by private boat.
See our guide on how to get to Isle Royale for everything you need to know!
Reservations are not required to enter the park, but you will need to plan your lodging and transportation to the island well in advance. If you plan on camping in a group smaller than 6, reservations are not required, but you’ll need to obtain a free camping permit once on the island.
Isle Royale is open to visit and camp from April 16 to October 31. July and August are the busiest months, with September being a great time to dodge the summer crowds and avoid the worst of the mosquitos. We personally visited in late June and it was very buggy, but not that busy.
different areas of the park
The main island is 50 miles long, 9 miles wide and is divided into two main visitor areas on opposite ends of the island: Rock Harbor on the eastern side and Windigo on the western side. Both offer visitor centers, campgrounds, rustic lodging, small camp stores, and limited services. In addition to the main island you can also visit the visitor center and mainland headquarters in Houghton, MI.
The Best Things to do in the park
We spent 7 days backpacking across the entire island, from Windigo to Rock Harbor, which allowed us to experience many of the best things the park has to offer!
In this guide, we’re sharing the top things to do at Isle Royale National Park, plus where to stay, the best time to visit, and helpful tips to know before you go!
HOW TO GET TO ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK
In this guide, we are covering all of the public transportation options to reach Isle Royale National Park.
We’ll share the pros and cons of the different ferry routes, details on taking the seaplane, and logistics to consider when planning your route. We’ll also share details about our own personal experience flying in!
Camping on Isle Royale
Looking to camp at Isle Royale National Park? We’re sharing all of the important things to know, like permits, rules and safety tips, and our top campgrounds.
backpacking on Isle Royale
In this guide we’ll cover everything to know, including what to expect at backpack, route suggestions, and important rules.
Isle Royale National Park Video
Watch us tackle 50+ miles as we crossed the entire island from Windigo to Rock Harbor. Along the way we experienced the park’s forests, inland lakes, rugged Lake Superior shoreline, and famous wildlife, all while tent camping and staying in the park’s wooden shelters.
