Isle Royale National Park

OutsideApr 29, 2026

Isle Royale Is the Least-Visited National Park in the Lower 48. Here’s Why It’s Worth the Trek.

Getting to this Lake Superior island requires ferries and seaplanes and a lot of advance planning. But with no roads and a wolf-to-human ratio that favors the wild, it’s also one of the most magical national parks you can visit.

24 things in this story

Lake SuperiorSightlargest freshwater lake in the world
Ojibwe PeoplePlaceancestral inhabitants of Isle Royale
MinongNeighborhoodThe population was 548 at the 2020 census.
Isle RoyaleSightleast-visited national park in the Lower 48
Appalachian TrailTrailThe Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost 2,200…
Rock Harbor LodgeHoteloffers hotel-style rooms and full-service restaurant
Windigo Visitors CenterSightvisitor center and arrival point on Isle Royale
Rock HarborSightarrival location on Isle Royale
Greenstone Ridge TrailTrail40-mile trail along Isle Royale's central ridge
Feldtmann LoopTrail45-mile circuit starting and ending at Windigo
Minong Ridge TrailTrail30-mile trek across the island's northern spine
Stoll TrailTrailday hike from Rock Harbor to scenic points
Scoville PointSightscenic point accessible via Stoll Trail
Suzy’s CaveSightglimpse into island's glacial geology
Huginnin CoveSightEast Huginnin Trail is a 5 km blue difficulty singletrack trail located near Rock Harbour Michigan.
Grace CreekSightService Road Atlas is a free to use, community-driven service for viewing and creating reports on the numerous…
National Park FoundationPlace
Gates of ArcticSight
Midcontinent RiftSight
Otis Pike High Dunes WildernessTrail
Burma TrailTrail
Watch Hill CampgroundHotel
Middle Delaware RiverSight
Worthington State ForestPlace

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