While visiting the most popular and well manicured national parks is always a good time sometimes you feel a need to stray off the beaten path at isle royale national park you can do just that. Driving distances to houghton mi national park add an hour if headed to copper harbor.
Photo courtesy alison pontynen.
Isle royale michigan national parks. National park isle royale houghton mi. If you ve been looking for a fall road trip away from the humans you ve found it. Lake superior attracts guests from all over the world to its pristine waters but to truly experience the wild michigan for all it is a visit to isle royale national park adjacent to lake superior should be top of your list.
Isle royale national park is an american national park consisting of isle royale and hundreds of adjacent islands as well as the surrounding waters of lake superior in the state of michigan isle royale national park was established on april 3 1940 then additionally protected from development by wilderness area designation in 1976 and declared a unesco international biosphere reserve in 1980. Surrounded by lake superior isle royale offers unparalleled solitude and adventures for backpackers hikers boaters kayakers canoeists and scuba divers. Formed by the world s largest lava flow and sculpted by glaciers for millennia the island rises from the depths of lake superior which might as well be an ocean when you look at its size and behavior and is accessible only by sea vessel or by float plane.
Established as a national park in 1940 it is known for its moose population. Driving to isle royale national park. April 16 through october 31.
Michigan s isle royale national park is one of the least visited national parks and the most revisited. Isle royale national park in michigan is one of the least visited national parks in the system. There are no real roads on the islands so there is no driving to the park but you can drive to the ferry or seaplane ports in michigan or minnesota.
Explore a rugged isolated island far from the sights and sounds of civilization. National parks continue to grow in popularity with more people visiting america s most treasured landscapes every year. Isle royale keweenaw parks association irkpa is a member supported nonprofit cooperating association that supports isle royale in many ways.
If the outdoors is what you crave you will find no greater wilderness experience than at isle royale national park in michigan. In 2018 there. Isle royale is an island in the middle of lake superior.
If you re looking for a wilderness escape take a seaplane or ferry to michigan s only national park isle royale one of the nation s least visited national parks it s known for its iconic moose population and pristine remote trails in the far reaches of lake superior. Isle royale is a six hour ferry ride from the port in houghton a small city on the upper peninsula. It s difficult to get to for a number of reasons location time money and its main season is incredibly short.
