Isle Royale National Park guide · 1 min read
36 Hike-In Campgrounds and Backpacking Routes
Isle Royale has 36 campgrounds spread across the island, and each is reached by foot or by water.
Certain sites can be entered only along the trails, others only from the water, and many by either route. Backpackers commonly walk from one campground to the next, covering roughly six to eight miles in a day.
Daisy Farm Campground is the largest campground on the island, set on Rock Harbor Channel. Hikers can reach it from the Rock Harbor, Daisy Farm, or Mount Ojibway trail, and boaters can tie up at its dock overnight. The campground has 16 shelters as well as food storage lockers for campers.
Facilities stay basic. Expect enclosed pit toilets and little else, since there is no power, no showers, and no garbage bins. Shoreline sites typically include picnic tables, while inland sites use large logs as seats. A few shoreline campgrounds also have covered wooden shelters with a floor, walls on three sides, and screening on the fourth. Those shelters cannot be reserved, so pack a tent that can handle wet weather as a backup.
Parties of six or fewer camp on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot reserve a site. Overnight permits are free for boaters and for these smaller groups. Parties of seven or more need to make advance group reservations, which are handled in the order received.
Canoe and kayak campgrounds sit inland and accept only non-motorized boats. Cross-country camping suits visitors who want a rougher trip, and it requires an additional permit addendum. Because the island is remote and hard to reach, booking ferry or seaplane transportation well in advance is strongly advised.
