Isle Royale National Park guide · 1 min read
Rock Harbor: Lodge, Visitor Center, and MV Sandy
Rock Harbor is the more developed area on the northeast end of Isle Royale National Park, and visitors can reach it by ferry, seaplane, or private boat.
The Rock Harbor Visitor Center is the place to get your bearings. Rangers can answer questions, help with trip planning, and issue backcountry permits. You can also browse displays and publications, check the schedule of interpretive programs, or ask for directions to the Artist-in-Residence gallery.
Rock Harbor Lodge sits on the shore of Lake Superior, with its buildings set among the forest. A concessioner runs the lodge under contract with the National Park Service, and it is the only full-service lodging on the island. Tickets and information for tours aboard the MV Sandy are available at the Rock Harbor Lodge Office.
The MV Sandy runs sightseeing tours from Rock Harbor to places such as Passage Island, Raspberry Island, Edisen Fishery, and Hidden Lake and Lookout Louise. If you prefer to explore on your own, the lodge rents boats, canoes, and kayaks. Private boats can dock at Rock Harbor Marina, which offers dockage with power and water, a pump-out service, and fuel.
Rock Harbor Ranger Program talks run 20 to 60 minutes at the Rock Harbor amphitheater and are free to everyone. Topics include moose, wolves, geology, shipwrecks, and wilderness. The Rock Harbor Campground has 23 sites off the Rock Harbor and Tobin Harbor trails, and it can be reached on foot, by canoe, kayak, or private boat. There is no cell phone reception or internet at the campground, but food storage lockers are available year-round.
