Rock Harbor, Michigan, United States

5Erin C 5:00 PM Jul 7, 2021

Peaceful and Unique!
We rode the Queen into Rock Harbor in late June 2021. We were immediately given a brief talk by the rangers on island safety. Then we had to form lines to register our camping itinerary with a ranger and pay the park entrance fee. You can save some time here by purchasing the NPS interagency pass or the Isle Royale annual pass ahead of time. Then we used the flush bathrooms, filled up our water bottles and dropped off a bag at the lodge office. We did 3 days backpacking and 2 nights at the lodge. The lodge allows you to check small bags for a fee of $4/day and they do not allow food or fuel in your luggage. We set off down the trails for our adventure! On our return to Rock Harbor we really enjoyed the Greenstone Grill. Due to Covid the restaurant is not currently table service style, but more Panera style - place order at the bar and they bring food to you outside when it’s ready. We enjoyed dinners at their tables and took breakfast to the tables on the guest house deck for a quieter meal with an amazing view of Lake Superior. We also did a load of laundry for $8 but worth it to have more fresh clothes. We rented canoes and enjoyed a paddle on Tobin Harbor, did a day hike to Scoville Point but mostly enjoyed relaxing on the Adirondack chairs in our housekeeping cabin and watching the sea planes come and go! Beautiful views everywhere! Be sure to take some time to chat with the staff. They all have great stories and are super friendly. Also enjoyed the solitude and quiet in the evenings. Everyone seems to retreat to their rooms in the evening - one night it felt like I had Rock Harbor all to myself! We were disappointed to find that all ranger programs are currently cancelled due to Covid. Not sure why they couldn’t have them outdoors but it seemed like they are a little short staffed this season.

5honorabley 5:00 PM Jul 9, 2022

Pure Michigan at is Finest! Isle Royale is the most beautiful are of Michigan that I have seen.
Pure Michigan at its finest! Peaceful nature at its most beautiful. Lots of hikes to do from the lodge, fishing was excellent (lake trout) just off shore, you can rent small john boats and head to neighboring islands, the sky at night (well during the 4 hours that it was dark) was amazing. The lodge itself is comparable to an old roadside motel. Our room (room #1) had been fumigated recently, and we could not get the smell out. We left all windows and doors open with the screens in during our entire 4 night visit, but it smelled just as bad when we left as when we arrived. At least we had no bugs in our room. Also, the showers in the rooms are like taking a shower in a mist (no pressure, just a heavy mist coming out). With a little effort the Lodge rooms could be so much nicer. I don't get it.