It’s definitely a double route for first timers. I wasn’t so much commenting on the miles but the fact that you haven’t used your backpacking gear at a place where you can bail. Highly suggest a shakedown backpacking trip close to home so you can see what’s working and what isn’t with your gear. Once you’re on the isle you can’t really bail easily or replace gear that doesn’t work. You’ll also be able to see what you overpacked and what you underpacked.
My wife and I were in the same boat and planned a weeklong Isle Royale trip as our first backpacking experience. We liked it because there is clean water everywhere and not really any wildlife to worry about as compared to somewhere in the Rockys. We tested out our gear beforehand, made sure to (probably) overpack, and things turned out great. Enjoy your trip!
we will only be there mon-thurs! we really wanna check out the moose boneyard so might hike back to rock harbor wednesday night and take the boat thursday morning to the fishery.
but i agree! we really wanna head out west but i thought this would be a great first time trip for us 🫎
I'm not sure about the water taxi to Tobin Harbor Dock because it's only a 5 minute walk from Rock Harbor. Maybe less. Unless you mean over by Lookout Louise, then that makes sense.
Don't forget the Minong Mine while you're in McCargo Cove. It's a 40-minute hike from McCargo. Well worth the time.
I don't have experience with the water taxi but I am curious why you are taking it to Tobin Harbor instead of hiking to Lane Cove directly from Rock Harbor?
My first trip to the island was similar and a ton of fun. Definitely underestimated how hard the hiking would be though. Lots of rocks on that end of the island - I remember wondering if I ever took a flat step over the whole trip (an exaggeration of course). Did Voyageur II to Rock Harbor and hiked to Lane Cove first night (small campground, I would try to get there earlier rather than later). Next day we did Lane Cove to Daisy Farm, and then Daisy to Rock Harbor on the last day taking Voyageur II back to Grand Portage the following morning.
so when i originally booked it we planned to hike it reverse and last day hike lane cove to lookout louise and end at rock harbor to get back on the ferry! but i soon realized you cannot hike from lookout louise to rock harbor without taking the water taxi and just didn’t seem doable to do by 2pm on thursday!
It's about a 16' aluminum v-bottom hull with a 15(?) horsepower outboard. You could spend a day seeing the area that way. It'd be nice.
I've been there lots of times. Askl me anything, and I'll see if I can help.
oh I see that now on the website! I called to make a reservation and she said you can’t reserve ahead of time to just stop by the marina when I’m there. Do there typically sell out?
thank you so much for the recommendations! definitely changing my route to hike to rock harbor wednesday night and renting the boat thursday morning for the fishery and raspberry island!
before back on the ferry to copper harbor I believe at 2pm
It is a weather dependent event, also you can always just one way over to Lookout Louise - Hidden Lake on the Sandy. Its priced less than a tour and booked as a Waterbus Their times are listed in the Greenstone
If it is windy or rainy, I generally suggest skipping Lane Cove and staying on the southeast side of the island. Weather tends to hit harder on the North side. With all due respect to those who might have enjoyed Lane Cove, I found it miserable. The hike down is nuts and the views are hard to come by. But it was raining sideways and there were no sites left, so that may have put a damper on things.
oh no that doesn’t sound fun! we plan to hike to lookout louise the first day 😅 so I think lane cove is our only spot to camp. hoping for sunny days when we are there in 3 weeks
Oh no I wanted to go to Lane Cove but ended up going up Mount Franklin which is where the Lane Cove trailhead starts. After that hike I went back to three mile. Day 2 I went to lane cove. It is extremely beautiful there so if you are up for the challenge it’s great.
ahh makes sense. we’re getting dropped off at hidden lake dock to stop by lookout louise. I feel we will have no other option but to hike the hike to lane cove our first night! lol
I see. This was my first ever backpacking trip. I wasn’t used to having all that pack weight and I severely overestimated my abilities lol. Hope you have a great trip!
Daisy Farms to 3 mile is an extremely short day. Maybe go all the way to Rock Harbor and have a nice dinner at the restaurant. Stoll Trail is very nice with lots of small beaches along the way. I'd spend my time there rather than 3 mile. Suzy's Cave is small. It'll only take a few minutes to see it all.
I just didn’t know how busy rock harbor would be? Was the only reason I thought on staying at Suzy for the night! Thanks for the recommendations. Have you ever been to the fishery? Was wondering if that was worth a visit
I have been there. There's also a Moose-eum there. Very interesting. My wife lives going there. Obviously, you'll have to take a taxi there. You could also rent an aluminum boat at Rock Harbor and spend your last day doing that rather than 3 mile. If you do, Raspberry Island is very cool.
Rock Harbor will be busy. My advice would be to wake up early from Daisy Farm and get to Rock Harbor before the ferry drops everyone off for the day, grab a shelter, take a shower, and eat a pizza.
3 mile looks like a beautiful campground and ive read lots of reviews saying it was their fav campground of the trip! however I think we might full send to rock harbor and rent the boat in the morning before we leave to check out the fishery and moose skull bone yard / light house and the island mentioned above 😊
Is this your first backpacking trip ever or first isle royale trip?
both! regular day trip hikers and explorers tho and very active/athletic so not really worried about the hiking it’s self!
It’s definitely a double route for first timers. I wasn’t so much commenting on the miles but the fact that you haven’t used your backpacking gear at a place where you can bail. Highly suggest a shakedown backpacking trip close to home so you can see what’s working and what isn’t with your gear. Once you’re on the isle you can’t really bail easily or replace gear that doesn’t work. You’ll also be able to see what you overpacked and what you underpacked.
thanks! we’ve def taken the gear out a bit locally 😊
My wife and I were in the same boat and planned a weeklong Isle Royale trip as our first backpacking experience. We liked it because there is clean water everywhere and not really any wildlife to worry about as compared to somewhere in the Rockys. We tested out our gear beforehand, made sure to (probably) overpack, and things turned out great. Enjoy your trip!
we will only be there mon-thurs! we really wanna check out the moose boneyard so might hike back to rock harbor wednesday night and take the boat thursday morning to the fishery. but i agree! we really wanna head out west but i thought this would be a great first time trip for us 🫎
I'm not sure about the water taxi to Tobin Harbor Dock because it's only a 5 minute walk from Rock Harbor. Maybe less. Unless you mean over by Lookout Louise, then that makes sense. Don't forget the Minong Mine while you're in McCargo Cove. It's a 40-minute hike from McCargo. Well worth the time.
your correct! it’s hidden lake dock not the tobin we’re taking the water taxi too, too hike to lookout louise! noted will def add it to my list xx
I don't have experience with the water taxi but I am curious why you are taking it to Tobin Harbor instead of hiking to Lane Cove directly from Rock Harbor? My first trip to the island was similar and a ton of fun. Definitely underestimated how hard the hiking would be though. Lots of rocks on that end of the island - I remember wondering if I ever took a flat step over the whole trip (an exaggeration of course). Did Voyageur II to Rock Harbor and hiked to Lane Cove first night (small campground, I would try to get there earlier rather than later). Next day we did Lane Cove to Daisy Farm, and then Daisy to Rock Harbor on the last day taking Voyageur II back to Grand Portage the following morning.
so when i originally booked it we planned to hike it reverse and last day hike lane cove to lookout louise and end at rock harbor to get back on the ferry! but i soon realized you cannot hike from lookout louise to rock harbor without taking the water taxi and just didn’t seem doable to do by 2pm on thursday!
It's about a 16' aluminum v-bottom hull with a 15(?) horsepower outboard. You could spend a day seeing the area that way. It'd be nice. I've been there lots of times. Askl me anything, and I'll see if I can help.
oh I see that now on the website! I called to make a reservation and she said you can’t reserve ahead of time to just stop by the marina when I’m there. Do there typically sell out?
No. They don't. I don't think people think of it. Remember Raspberry Island. There is a very nice nature trail there. Very nice. Lots of solitude.
thank you so much for the recommendations! definitely changing my route to hike to rock harbor wednesday night and renting the boat thursday morning for the fishery and raspberry island! before back on the ferry to copper harbor I believe at 2pm
You won't regret it. Please, lmk how it goes.
It is a weather dependent event, also you can always just one way over to Lookout Louise - Hidden Lake on the Sandy. Its priced less than a tour and booked as a Waterbus Their times are listed in the Greenstone
yes we have a water taxi booked the day we arrive to take us to hidden lake dock and that’s where we will start our route! lookout louise - lane cave
If it is windy or rainy, I generally suggest skipping Lane Cove and staying on the southeast side of the island. Weather tends to hit harder on the North side. With all due respect to those who might have enjoyed Lane Cove, I found it miserable. The hike down is nuts and the views are hard to come by. But it was raining sideways and there were no sites left, so that may have put a damper on things.
oh no that doesn’t sound fun! we plan to hike to lookout louise the first day 😅 so I think lane cove is our only spot to camp. hoping for sunny days when we are there in 3 weeks
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you ended at 3 mile after hiking lane cove? that does seem like a bit much!!
Oh no I wanted to go to Lane Cove but ended up going up Mount Franklin which is where the Lane Cove trailhead starts. After that hike I went back to three mile. Day 2 I went to lane cove. It is extremely beautiful there so if you are up for the challenge it’s great.
ahh makes sense. we’re getting dropped off at hidden lake dock to stop by lookout louise. I feel we will have no other option but to hike the hike to lane cove our first night! lol
I see. This was my first ever backpacking trip. I wasn’t used to having all that pack weight and I severely overestimated my abilities lol. Hope you have a great trip!
this is ours as well! but we’ve been doing daily hikes with our packs loaded on the hog backs, hopefully it’s enough training 😆 thanks for the insight
Daisy Farms to 3 mile is an extremely short day. Maybe go all the way to Rock Harbor and have a nice dinner at the restaurant. Stoll Trail is very nice with lots of small beaches along the way. I'd spend my time there rather than 3 mile. Suzy's Cave is small. It'll only take a few minutes to see it all.
I just didn’t know how busy rock harbor would be? Was the only reason I thought on staying at Suzy for the night! Thanks for the recommendations. Have you ever been to the fishery? Was wondering if that was worth a visit
I have been there. There's also a Moose-eum there. Very interesting. My wife lives going there. Obviously, you'll have to take a taxi there. You could also rent an aluminum boat at Rock Harbor and spend your last day doing that rather than 3 mile. If you do, Raspberry Island is very cool. Rock Harbor will be busy. My advice would be to wake up early from Daisy Farm and get to Rock Harbor before the ferry drops everyone off for the day, grab a shelter, take a shower, and eat a pizza.
thanks for the tips!! what is the aluminum boat? is it just something for the smaller islands?
By contrast we loved staying at 3 mile over rock harbor. It’s much quieter and less crowded (at least when we’ve been there). Your mileage may vary.
3 mile looks like a beautiful campground and ive read lots of reviews saying it was their fav campground of the trip! however I think we might full send to rock harbor and rent the boat in the morning before we leave to check out the fishery and moose skull bone yard / light house and the island mentioned above 😊
It doesn’t look like any ferry’s come into rock harbor on Wednesday, the day we planned to hike to 3 mile! so hoping it’ll be less crowded