Photo By: Jacob Lips
Isle Royale and over 400 adjacent smaller islands make up Isle Royale National Park, a 571,790-acre park in Keweenaw County, Micigan.
History
Based on artifacts in the area, human settlement dates back to 3000 B.C. Hundreds of pit houses and mounds, which are associated with American Indian habitation, were found in the area. The mounds consisted of a lot of copper artifacts.
The area is rich in natural resources and cultural history, which is why leaders lobbied for the protection of Isle Royal and the surrounding islands. On April 3, 1940, the Isle Royal National Park was officially established. Then in 1976, the area was established as a wilderness area. Four years later, it was also declared as an International Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
Photo By: Jacob Lips
Things to do
Since the park is made up of hundreds of islands, activities range from water-based and land-based. Whatever the visitor chooses, it will surely be an experience to remember.
Hiking
This is the best way to explore the park during the day. Not only is walking good for a person’s health, walking among the wilderness as a backdrop is just astonishing. For those who are not fit enough for long-range hiking, there are easy trails to follow.
There are two main areas for hiking that have wonderful natural sceneries: Rock Harbor and Windigo. The former features large spruce and fir trees curtained with Old Man’s Beard. When visitors are done with their hike, they can watch over the majestic Lake Superior, which many loons call home, in many of the harbor’s viewpoints.
In Windigo, visitors will walk through maple and birch trees. There is also a chance that they will encounter a cow moose during the trek. This is also a good place to possibly spot an osprey.
Camping & Backpacking
There are 36 campgrounds all over the park. Rock Harbor and Windigo are great areas to camp because of the natural vistas it presents. But there are hundreds of other islands and they are just as serene. Campers have to plan their trips carefully because of the isolation of the islands. Not only will campers experience living in natural isolation, but they will also be breathing amongst the wildlife. Park management discourages feeding wildlife because they are not used to human food and might become a nuisance.
Among the animals, campers and backpackers may spot are bull and cow moose, foxes, loons and otters, among others. Permits are needed to camp as well as insect repellents. Insects are aplenty during summer months.
Canoeing & kayaking
Lake Superior is the largest of the interconnected Great Lakes of North America. Adventure-seekers feel good, bragging about conquering this Great Lake. There are also inland lakes for paddlers to seek out when they canoe and kayak, at the park.
Boat tours
There are guided boat tours available in the park. This is perfect for those who don’t want to walk much on the tour by hiking and paddling. Of course, visitors have to walk for short distances if they want to truly experience the wilderness.
Scuba diving
Isle Royale has a variety of well-preserved shipwrecks, which will give scuba divers great exploration opportunities. Divers should take an underwater camera if they can, as the view under the sea is just as beautiful. Nine shipwreck sites have been preserved by the National Park Service for tourists’ cultural exploration.
The shipwrecks are as follows along with their sunken date:
Algoma, 1885; America, 1928; Chester Congdon, 1918; Cumberland, 1877; Emperor, 1947; George M. Cox, 1933; Glenlyon, 1924; Henry Chisholm, 1898; Kamloops, 1927; and Monarch, 1906.
Resident animals
Two of the most popular animals in the park are the wolves and moose. The latter has always been the iconic mammal of the park, and it is not rare for people to see them at any of the islands’ shallow waters. However, over the years, the cow moose population has diminished.
Part of the decrease of the moose population is directly linked to another park resident: wolves. For those who want to spot some moose, they are usually at Feldtmann Lake, Hidden Lake in Tobin Harbor, Ojibway Lake and Washington Creek in Windigo.
The gray wolf is the main predator of Isle Royal. The population of the animal has decreased over the years, though, as the population of its main prey, the moose, also decreased. But another factor for the wolves’ decline is inbreeding. While they live in the park, wolves are rarely seen because they are generally afraid of humans.
Scientists have been studying the prey-to-predator relationship of the gray wolf and the moose in the park for years.
Photo By: Jacob Lips