​Jim DuFresne, who wrote this newsletter, also penned a Trail Talk blog entry for us recently that has drawn quite a bit traffic and comments on our and other web sites. Titled “If Not Us, Then Who Pays?” looks into the issue of declining hunter and angler numbers and the amount of revenue the Michigan DNR is losing from the shift in who is increasingly using our woods and waters. You can read it by Clicking Here.

Finally, and as always, our eshop is open in case you’re search around for a fall adventure somewhere in Michigan. Early October is a wonderful time to be on the trail then.

A Stunningly Beautiful Shoreline Walk  

By Jim DuFresne

The first time I hiked Rock Harbor Trail at Isle Royale National Park was in the late 1970s when my brother, sister and I flew into Windigo and spent four days conquering the mighty Greenstone Ridge Trail. But just beyond West Chickenbone we dropped south to stay at Moskey Basin because someone told us it was a beautiful spot. It was.

But that gave us less than a day to hoof it back to Rock Harbor to catch a late afternoon ferry to Houghton. We made it with an hour to spare primarily because all I could think about that final day was the overpriced camp store where I could obtain such end-of-the-trip necessities as ice cream bars, Doritos, chip dip of course, a cold can of Coke-Cola, etc.

Too bad.

I don’t remember much about the trail the second or third time I hiked it either. I had just stepped off the Ranger III with 250 other eager backpackers and it seemed like all of us were determined to hightail it down that path in order to get a campsite at Daisy Farm if not a shelter.

On your mark, get set, go!

​It wasn’t until mid-September in the late 1990s when I leisurely followed the trail to Daisy Farm, knowing that there would be a shelter waiting for me at that time of year. At such a leisurely pace I suddenly realized that Rock Harbor Trail was not just a scenic hike but a stunningly beautiful one.

At least the first two-thirds of it is as the trail hugs the shoreline to provide you a watery view with every other step. Your view isn’t just the endless blue of Lake Superior, as impressive as that can be, but Rock Harbor Inlet with its many islands, reefs and even a lighthouse.

Slowed down and savor the scenery. You may also conclude that Rock Harbor Trail is the most beautiful path on Isle Royale and one of the top lakeshore trails in Michigan.

Trail Guide 
Click on the map to the right to view a larger version or print. Click Here to download the northern half of the Rock Harbor Trail.

From Rock Harbor Campground this 11.1-mile trail is a well-worn footpath that winds through the spruce forest for 0.5 mile before breaking out on a bluff above the water. From this point to Three Mile Campground, Rock Harbor Trail is at its best. It stays within view of water and islands most of the time and is constantly crossing flat rock outcroppings. If the sun is out and the bugs are not too bad you can take a nap on any one of them, falling asleep to blue sky and an even bluer Lake Superior and green islands.

At Mile 1.8 you arrive at the short spur to Suzy's Cave. The cave is actually an inland sea arch carved by waves when the shoreline of Lake Superior was higher. Named for Suzy Tooker, a fisherman’s daughter who often played here, the cave is 80 yards to the north and provides an excellent viewing point of the Rock Harbor waterway.

Beyond the cave the trail returns to the edge of the shoreline for the remaining mile to Three Mile Campground. The campground is pleasant, situated right off the shoreline, and a much quieter alternative to the one at Rock Harbor. Three Mile Campground has eight shelters and, most unusual, two docks. From either dock you can listen to the water lap onshore in the evening or watch the waves rush through the gaps between Inner Hill Island and Mott Island across Rock Harbor.

A quarter mile west of Three Mile Campground, is the junction with Mount Franklin Trail that leads 2.3 miles north to climb to the scenic viewing point on the Greenstone Ridge. Rock Harbor Trail continues its easy course along its namesake inlet. At Mile 4.9 you reach the remains of the Siskowit Mine. One of the first mines developed along Rock Harbor, Siskowit operated from 1847 to 1855 and during that time produced almost 200,000 tons of copper. Several fenced-off shafts and the stone foundations of former buildings the miners built are in the area.

The rest of the walk to Daisy Farm Campground is a very pleasant and level 2.3 miles. At times the trail crosses clearings where you should be able to see Caribou Island Campground and then Rock Harbor Lighthouse and Edisen Fishery. Roughly a half mile from Daisy Farm, you will spot the long dock jutting out in the channel.

Daisy Farm was originally a company village known as Ransom that was built in the late 1840s by the Ohio & Isle Royale Mining Company to service its nearby copper mines. In 1903, the area was still an open field when the operators of Rock Harbor Lodge purchased it to grow vegetables for their guests and locals. The area became known as Daisy Farm when the operation grew more daisies than tomatoes or cucumbers.

From 1935 to 1941, the CCC also had a camp here with up to 156 men who worked on docks, firefighting and the construction of the park headquarters on Mott Island. When not working the men could entertain themselves at two horseshoe pits, a badminton court and a boxing ring. At one point they even had a piano and a three-piece orchestra and Isle Royale’s only billiards table. Even as late as the early 1960s Daisy Farm was still more of an open field. Today the campground is a major gathering point for backpackers, kayakers, sailors and boat campers.

Rock Harbor Trail departs Daisy Farm and in the final 3 miles sadly swings inland as an up-and-down course over one rocky crest after another.  

But before you can say “how much longer?” a foot bridge across an unnamed creek pops up and leads you to the foot of the Moskey Basin wharf. The view is amazing. Especially on a clear evening when you can sit on the dock and gaze down the length of Rock Harbor Inlet painted in purples and pinks by a sun setting below the Greenstone Ridge.

Such a scene leaves you thinking that final 3 miles was more than worth it.

Facilities 

Rock Harbor Trail connects to four campgrounds. It begins at Rock Harbor Campground and then reaches Three Mile (2.8 miles) and Daisy Farm (7.2 miles) before ending at Moskey Basin (11.1 miles). Needless to say all four campgrounds are among the busiest during the peak summer season of July and early August.

Shower tokens, clean towel, and bar of soap can be purchased at the camp store at Rock Harbor or Windigo. Some backpackers like to book a room for their final night at Rock Harbor, either at the lodge or in one of the housekeeping units that can be shared by six people and feature small kitchenettes. For reservations, contact the park concessionaire, Forever Resorts (866-644-2003 or 906-337-4993 in summer; www.isleroyaleresort.com).

Getting There 

Rock Harbor Lodge runs a water taxi that can drop backpackers and campers at Three Mile Campground, Daisy Farm Campground and Moskey Basin Campground. Contact the Rock Harbor Resort (866-644-2003 or 906-337-4993 in summer; www.isleroyaleresort.com) to find out current schedule and costs of its water taxi service.

Additional Information 

To download the map to the northern half of the Rock Harbor Trail Click Here. To order a copy of Jim DuFresne’s Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes Click Here. For more information on the park check the Isle Royale National Park website.