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Isle Royale NP: Island Mine Trail

Trail Details

County
Houghton
Regions
Western Upper Peninsula
Latitude
N 47° 54' 45.36"
Longitude
W 089° 00' 47.88"
Distance
4.8 miles
Trail Type
Foot paths
Terrain
Siskiwit Bay, Greenstone Ridge
Difficulty
Moderate
Nearest City or Town
Houghton
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The 4.8-mile Island Mine Trail is an historical walk through much of the park's past. You could probably hike from Siskiwit Bay to the Greenstone Ridge in 3 hours or spend an entire day exploring artifacts in brush alongside the trail.
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Description
The 4.8-mile Island Mine Trail is an historical walk through much of the park's past. You could probably hike from Siskiwit Bay to the Greenstone Ridge in 3 hours or spend an entire day exploring artifacts in brush alongside the trail.

The trail is often used by backpackers to complete a 30-mile loop out of Windigo that includes the Feldtmann Lake Trail (8.5 miles), Feldtmann Ridge Trail to Siskiwit Bay Campground (10.3 miles) and the western portion of the Greenstone Ridge Trail back to Windigo (7.1 miles).

Others use the Island Mine Trail to depart the Greenstone Ridge for a night at Siskiwit Bay, adding an extra day to their cross-island trek. The hike from Siskiwit Bay to Windigo is 11.9 miles but Siskiwit Bay is worth it. Some have dubbed the spot "Riviera of Isle Royale" as it features warmer air and water temperatures than much of the park and has long stretches of red sandstone beach. The campground has two shelters, group and individual campsites, tables, and pit toilets, and a large dock.
Amenities & Services
Camping
Difficulty - Moderate
Foot Path
Trail Guide

The Island Mine Trail is covered  with maps in Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes by Jim DuFresne. To order the 192-page guide to the wilderness island, Click Here.

Facilities

Shower tokens, clean towel, and bar of soap can be purchased at the camp store at Rock Harbor or Windigo. It\'s also possible to book a cabin at Windigo for lodging. The Windigo Cabins feature table and chairs, a sofa, two bunk beds and electrical outlets but no indoor plumping. For reservations, contact the park concessionaire, Forever Resorts (866-644-2003 or 906-337-4993 in summer; www.isleroyaleresort.com).

Supplies

In the Upper Peninsula, on the way to Isle Royale National Park, the best place to pick up equipment is Downwind Sports which has two stores at 514 N Third St. in Marquette (906-226-7112) and 308 Shelden Ave. in Houghton (906-482-2500). Once on the island, information, maps and backcountry permits can be obtained from the Rock Harbor or Windigo Visitor Centers at the foot of the ferry wharf. There are also small stores at each entry port with limited and very expensive supplies.

Hours & Fees

Isle Royale National Park opens April 16 and closes on Nov. 1 to all visitors for the winter.  The park has a entrance fee of $7 per person per day or an annual pass for $60. You can pay the entrance fee once you arrive at the park or in advance at at pay.gov  and avoid congestion and long waits on the island. All park visitors who plan to camp overnight at campgrounds or cross-country sites are required to obtain a camping permit. This permit can be obtained free of charge at the visitor center at Windigo or Rock Harbor when you arrive or on board Ranger III on the way to the Island.

Directions

To reach Windigo and return to Rock Harbor, book passage on the Voyageur II. Alternatively, you can book a flight to Windigo with Royale Air Service, which flies out of the Houghton County Memorial Airport. You can also arrange an inter-island flight between Windigo and Rock Harbor.

Information

Call the Isle Royale National Park headquarters in Houghton (906-482-0984) or check the Isle Royale National Park website (www.nps.gov/isro).


Geo-referenced maps from MichiganTrailMaps.com range from $1.99 to $2.99 each.

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