Days 137, June 13, Isle Royale National Park

It’s impossible to write the words to adequately describe the raw unspoiled beauty of Isle Royale. The largest island on the largest fresh water lake in the world, Isle Royale is reached only by a long drive to the top of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan followed by a 3.5 hr cruise to Rock Harbor, one of only two docks on the island. Because of its remoteness and difficulty in getting to, Isle Royale is the least visited of all the national parks. 

The day dawned rainy, cold, and completely miserable without any letup in the forecast, so I will confess to you, dear reader, that Aaron and I changed our plans to kayak and wilderness camp on the island for the three nights planned. As I sat shivering awaiting to board our cruise ship, we opted instead to make it a day trip only. 

I did not regret our decision to forego overnighting on the island. The water temperature was a frigid 38 degrees, the highest air temp a damp 45, and rain fell off and on throughout the day.  My gloves and jacket layers barely kept the cold at bay. We passed a group of kayakers loading their keels for a cold nights stay donned in neoprene wet suits and booties, none of which we possess. I’d have been one miserable puppy had we camped there. 

With about 3 hours to explore the island before catching the boat back to Copper Harbor dock on the mainland. we set off on a hike. The island is simply exquisite, fringed by gently lapping and boulder strewn cold Lake Superior with an interior composed of bogs and wetlands, inlets and bays, and moist lichen-covered pine and aspen forests. With about 25 elusive wolves and 1500 not-so-shy moose roaming about, we quickly encountered a bull moose and watched as he grazed and crashed his way through the forest. An hour later, we came upon a second male bull who crossed the trail directly in front of us. They are impressive, massive, and wildly intimidating creatures especially at only15 yards distance. Aaron was silly giddy about our encounters with these long-legged and ruggedly beautiful beasts. 

Completely made his day. 

Mmm

Almost too soon it was time to board our ship for the return. The weather worsened, the rain returned, and the waves came up making for a sightly rough cruise back. But we shared a table with a delightful couple from Michigan who kept us highly entertained, and the 3.5 hrs flew by. As well, they told us all we ever wanted to know about how to visit nearby Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore, a not-to-be missed beauty we’ve heard about often.

Was I disappointed in the change of camping plans? Not at all. The flat isle is laced with quiet tourist-free hiking trails (some of which we enjoyed) and remote primitive camp sites and is gorgeous in every way, but it lacks much in the way of diversity. We’ve been camping in these boreal forests for several days along the Great Lakes, so I felt little in the way of anything fascinatingly new here. Besides, we slept cozy warm and dry in Bambi while still experiencing Isle Royale. The next few days we now have free to explore another national lakeshore that wasn’t on our original agenda. 

We made the right decision.

Three amazing things: #1- first massive moose encounter,  #2- second humongous moose encounter.  #3- hiking Isle Royale for the afternoon.

Good deeds: We shared our blueberries on the morning cruise, our jerky on the afternoon return, and we gave away our Isle Royale National Geographic map and a paperback I’d finished.