320

Trails Reviewed

Find Trails & Maps

Search for Trail
Search by Location
Search by

Back to listing

Isle Royale NP: Mott Island Trail

Trail Details

County
Houghton
Regions
Western Upper Peninsula
Latitude
N 48° 06' 37.08"
Longitude
W 088° 32' 7.44"
Distance
2.6 miles
Trail Type
Foot path
Terrain
Mott Island shoreline
Difficulty
Easy
Nearest City or Town
Houghton
(map loads here)
view map
A full day can be spent paddling from Rock Harbor Lodge to Mott Island and hiking the beautiful and little-used Mott Island Trail. The paddle is about 4 miles from Rock Harbor, and in good weather conditions you can plan on 2-3 hours each way. Mott Island Trail is a 2.6-mile loop that hugs the Mott shoreline. A cross over spur allows you to reduce that to 1.8 miles but the most scenic portion of the trail is at east end. 
Expand All
Photos
Description
A full day can be spent paddling from Rock Harbor Lodge to Mott Island and hiking the beautiful and little-used Mott Island Trail. The paddle is about 4 miles from Rock Harbor, and in good weather conditions you can plan on 2-3 hours each way.

Mott Island trail is a 2.6-mile loop that hugs the Mott shoreline. A cross over spur allows you to reduce that to 1.8 miles but the most scenic portion of the trail is at east end.

Mott Island is the site of park headquarters and is a bustling place during the summer, as rangers, maintenance people, and trail crews pass through. Paddlers secure their boat to the beach on the east side of the harbor. The circular trail begins and ends near the seaplane dock. By staying to the left, the trail follows the protected shore of Rock Harbor, rising and dipping gently.

This is a great adventure for backpackers who have been hauling a backpack for a few days and have a final day on the island before heading home. Canoes and kayaks can be rented from the Rock Harbor Marina.
Amenities & Services
Difficulty - Easy
Foot Path
Trail Guide

Mott Island Trail is covered with maps in Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes by Jim DuFresne. To order the 184-page guide to the wilderness island, Click Here.

Isle Royale Cover

Facilities

Shower tokens, clean towel, and bar of soap can be purchased at the camp store at Rock Harbor or Windigo. Some backpackers like to book a room for their final night at Rock Harbor, either at the lodge or in one of the housekeeping units that can be shared by six people and feature small kitchenettes. For reservations, contact the park concessionaire, Forever Resorts (866-644-2003 or 906-337-4993 in summer; www.isleroyaleresort.com).

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

Canoes and kayaks can be rented from the Rock Harbor Marina through Rock Harbor Lodge Contact the lodge in advance for rates and reservations (866-644-2003 or 906-337-4993 in summer; www.isleroyaleresort.com).

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.

Download the Avenza app from the App Store or Google Play

App Store Google Play

Michigan TrailMaps.com Michigan's Premier Trail Resource Contact

Trail Mix News

by travel and outdoor writer Jim DuFresne!

Sign Up
Enews Signup
Find a Trail

Find Trails & Maps

Search for Trail
Search by Location
Search by