National Park · NPS · MI · Roosevelt connection
Isle Royale National Park
Photo: NPS Photo / Paul Brown, Aerial View of Belle Harbor
Alerts and conditions
Park Closure Isle Royale National Park to Reopen April 16, 2027
From November 1 - April 15 annually, Isle Royale and its surrounding islands are closed to all visitors. Lake Superior waters are open to navigation. All islands reopen April 16. Call (906) 482-0984 to discuss trip planning, obtain permits, or pay fees.
Park Closure Visitor Centers are Closed for the Season
All park visitor centers have closed for the season. This includes the Houghton, Rock Harbor, & Windigo/Ozaagaateng Visitor Centers.
Overview
Explore a rugged, isolated island far from our connected communities. Isle Royale offers adventures for backpackers, hikers, boaters, paddlers, and divers. Cross Lake Superior and make a commitment: Become a part of this island, and let it become a part of you. Find peace and refuge in island wilderness – because Isle Royale, in turn, finds refuge in us. Help Isle Royale stay wild.
From the National Park Service
History
The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.
The Roosevelt connection
His proclamations and orders
- October 10, 1905: Executive Order 357-C, “Establishing Siskiwit Islands Reservation as a Preserve and Breeding Ground for Native Birds.” Today’s site absorbed into it. The 1942 act abolished the bird reservation and made it part of the park.
Executive Order 357-C in Theodore Roosevelt’s Executive Orders and Proclamations
What to see and do
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Boating
- Motorized Boating
- Sailing
- Boat Tour
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Group Camping
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Food
- Dining
- Flying
- Guided Tours
- Boat Tour
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Off-Trail Permitted Hiking
- Paddling
- Canoeing
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Kayaking
- Junior Ranger Program
- SCUBA Diving
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
Plan your visit
Hours
Isle Royale National Park Open Season (April 16 through October 31): Isle Royale National Park is open annually from April 16 to October 31. Transportation services are offered from May to September. The island and its surrounding islands are closed to all visitors from November 1 to April 15 due to extreme winter weather conditions and for the safety and protection of visitors. This closure extends 4.5 miles out into Lake Superior from the island. Park headquarters during the winter is in Houghton, Michigan. Summer headquarters is located at Mott Island on Isle Royale.
Fees and passes
- Entrance - Per Person — $7.00
- Annual Entrance - Park — $60.00
The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at federal recreation lands across all four agencies.
Getting there
Isle Royale National Park headquarters is located in Houghton, MI. Visit the Houghton page on the Isle Royale National Park website for additional information and a map on how to access the visitor center.
Visitor centers
Campgrounds
- Beaver Island Campground (3 sites)
- Belle Isle Campground (7 sites)
- Birch Island Campground (2 sites)
- Caribou Island Campground (3 sites)
- East Chickenbone Campground (4 sites)
- West Chickenbone Campground (9 sites)
- Chippewa Harbor Campground (7 sites)
- Daisy Farm Campground (25 sites)
- North Desor Campground (3 sites)
- South Lake Desor Campground (10 sites)
- Duncan Bay Campground (3 sites)
- Duncan Narrows Campground (3 sites)
- Feldtmann Lake Campground (7 sites)
- Grace Island Campground (2 sites)
- Hatchet Lake Campground (8 sites)
- Hay Bay Campground (1 sites)
- Huginnin Cove Campground (5 sites)
- Intermediate Lake Campground (3 sites)
- Island Mine Campground (6 sites)
- Lake Richie Campground (6 sites)
- Lake Richie Canoe Campground (3 sites)
- Lake Whittlesey Campground (3 sites)
- Lane Cove Campground (5 sites)
- Little Todd Campground (4 sites)
- Malone Bay Campground (7 sites)
- McCargoe Cove Campground (12 sites)
- Merritt Lane Campground (2 sites)
- Moskey Basin Campground (10 sites)
- Pickerel Cove Campground (1 sites)
- Rock Harbor Campground (23 sites)
- Siskiwit Bay Campground (9 sites)
- Three Mile Campground (15 sites)
- Todd Harbor Campground (9 sites)
- Tookers Island Campground (2 sites)
- Washington Creek Campground (19 sites)
- Wood Lake Campground (3 sites)
Weather
Isle Royale National Park is a remote island wilderness in the middle of Lake Superior. Weather influences traveling to and from the island, as well as your trip once you arrive. For the most up-to-date weather information, call (906) 482-0984 or email isro_parkinfo@nps.gov prior to your trip.
Phone: 9064820984
Whose lands these are
These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.
Photos
Pair it with
- Grand Portage National Monument NPS · 43 miles
- Keweenaw National Historical Park NPS · 59 miles
- Huron National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 83 miles
- Ottawa National Forest USFS · 109 miles
- Apostle Islands National Lakeshore NPS · 112 miles
- Superior National Forest USFS · 121 miles