Hiking on Isle Royale: Best Day Hikes and Things to Do Near Rock Harbor Lodge

You’ve made it to Isle Royale, or maybe you are planning your trip there? Hiking on Isle Royale is one of the best ways to explore the island. Well, hiking is really one of the few things that you can actually do…aside from sitting by the docks and relaxing!

We’re just kidding. You can also go fishing, take a sightseeing tour, and enjoy the sights. This guide will focus on hiking and other activities near the Rock Harbor Lodge, based on our 5-day itinerary to Isle Royale National Park.

Spend a full day on the trails. Here are some details about hiking on Isle Royale, so you can experience the magic of this island, too. We will discuss other things to do as well, so read on.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read our full disclosure for more information.

🌳 Each year, Isle Royale National Park welcomes visitors from April 16 through October 31. The park closes from November 1 through April 15 because of harsh winter conditions and to safeguard both visitors and the island’s natural environment.

Map Of Isle Royale Hiking Trails

Here is a map of the location of the Isle Royale hiking trails that we will discuss below.

The map is a great way to plan your route from Rock Harbor Lodge.

Before You Read This Post

Read our other post. 😄 No, really. If you have not yet read our post with details on visiting Isle Royale National Park, we do recommend that you do that first.

You can find our full itinerary with information on what to expect, how to get there, where to stay, and more. Learning how to get there and securing your stay is the most important thing to start with.

Reading that first will give you a great overview of the national park, and then you can start planning your hikes below.

🛌🏽 Check availability and book your stay directly on the Rock Harbor Lodge website.

Hiking on Isle Royale

With our 5-day itinerary, you will be spending about 2 days total on the island (an afternoon, a full day, and a morning), which will give you a good amount of time to explore the northeastern side of the park. This guide focuses on hikes around the Rock Harbor Lodge Area. Here is a quick breakdown of the best hikes on Isle Royale:

• Stoll Memorial Trail to Scoville Point – hike this on your first afternoon after arrival.
• Tobin Harbor Trail, Mount Franklin Trail, Greenstone Ridge Trail, Mount Ojibway Trail, Rock Harbor Trail – hike this loop, or part of it, during your full day on Isle Royale.
• Rock Harbor Trail to Suzy’s Cave – hike this in the morning before departure.

In full transparency, our full-day hike on Isle Royale came out to about 16 miles. Wait… 16 miles?!? Now, if that seems like too much for you, just turn around whenever you want, or hike part of this loop.

If you check out the map above, you’ll see the long hike along with a few spur trails to cut it short. Let’s start with the Stoll Trail, which you can hike on your first afternoon. This trail is great for folks on a day trip to Isle Royale National Park.

Stoll Memorial Trail to Scoville Point

This 4.3-mile loop hike begins right near the Rock Harbor Lodge. This trail is very flat, so you can make great time if you are a fast hiker.

The trail follows a series of paths through the forest, raised boardwalks, and rocky shoreline bluffs. The scenery is really unmatched! We recommend hiking this one counterclockwise, but in the end, it really doesn’t matter!

Let’s hit the trail. From the dock, head toward the main buildings at Rock Harbor Lodge. Follow the signs for the trail. As you hike here, you’ll have plenty of time to stop and take photos. The views of Lake Superior and the surroundings are beautiful.

After hiking for about 1.6 miles, you’ll reach a spur trail on your right that will lead to Scoville Point. Note that the ending section is on the rocky bluffs, so be careful with your footing here as the rocks can get smooth and slippery.

You’ll arrive at Scoville Point after hiking for another half mile or so. After you have enjoyed your time here, head back to the trail junction and take a right. This will lead you back to the Rock Harbor area along a different section of the trail.

From here, it’s about 1.7 miles. Keep your eyes out for moose as you hike because you never know when you’ll see one. On this section of the trail, you’ll also be able to see some small islands out in Tobin Harbor.

As you approach the end of the trail, stop at Smithwick Mine. This is one of the earliest mines on the island and the one that most visitors can see pretty easily. Finally, end your hike right back at the Rock Harbor dock.

For those on a day trip, if you hiked this one quickly, you can probably check out Suzy’s Cave, too. More on that later.

Hiking Loop on Isle Royale

On your second full day on the island, it’s time to hike as much as you can! As we mentioned above, this hiking loop is 16 miles, but you can choose to do way less! Just turn around whenever you want, take one of the cutoff trails, or create your own route.

We won’t lie, this 16-mile loop was long, but it had some amazing scenery! You’ll walk along the shoreline, through dense forest, up on the ridge, enjoy views from a fire tower, and then hike back down to a beach along some fun boardwalks.

This loop hike uses the following trails: Tobin Harbor Trail, Mount Franklin Trail, Greenstone Ridge Trail, Mount Ojibway Trail, Rock Harbor Trail. Starting at the housekeeping cabins, head out on the Tobin Harbor Trail.

🌲 Need more information on how to get to Isle Royale? Check out the complete guide right here.

Tobin Harbor Trail

The Tobin Harbor Trail will lead you along the south shore of Tobin Harbor with some great views of the water. This section of the loop hike is 3.1 miles long and mostly flat. This is a great trail to watch the seaplanes come in and take off. They are loud, so you’ll definitely know when one is coming!

This trail is also pretty smooth and flat, so you can hike fairly quickly along this trail, compared to the Rock Harbor Trail, which we discuss more below. At the end of this trail, you’ll reach the junction of the Mount Franklin Trail. At this point, take a right.

If you head left, you’ll end up at the Rock Harbor Trail and the Three Mile Campground. Can you guess how many miles it is from there back to the Rock Harbor Lodge? This is a good way to complete a shorter 6-mile loop hike that ends right back in Rock Harbor.

Mount Franklin Trail

The Mount Franklin Trail crosses a stream just after the turnoff. This section of the loop is about 1.4 miles and will lead you to the Mount Franklin scenic overlook along the Greenstone Ridge Trail. This section of the hike is mostly flat until 1 mile in, where you’ll gain some good elevation to get you up to the ridge.

At the top, you’ll have some excellent views of the island from a great vantage point. You’ll even be able to see Canada off to the north.

🚙 Still need a rental car? Now is the perfect time to book. Check out your options at Booking.com or Expedia.

Greenstone Ridge Trail

At the trail junction, make a left and head toward Mount Franklin. This section of the hike is along the Greenstone Ridge Trail, and you’ll hike for about 3 miles until you reach the Mount Ojibway Fire Tower.

Along this section of the loop, you can expect some overgrown trails, as well as some very scenic ridge views of Isle Royale and the surrounding area. You might even get cell service up here.

As you hike, the fire tower will come into view, and that is your next turn-off point. The Mount Ojibway Fire Tower is the highest point on the eastern end of Isle Royale. Once a working fire tower, the structure now houses the communications system equipment for the island. You can climb a little way up for extra epic views!

Mount Ojibway Trail

After enjoying your time up on the ridge, it’s time to head back toward the lakeshore. From the fire tower, head south, using the Mount Ojibway Trail. Just 1.5 miles is all it is between this point and the beach, right near Daisy Farm Campground.

This section of the trail was pretty fun as you descend toward the lake. Along with a series of boardwalks, you may spot some moose here! When you reach the shore and Daisy Farm Campground, you can take a rest.

This is a great spot for some snacks out on the dock or to relax on the beach. This campground area is one of the biggest on the island.

Alright! You have made it this far, and it’s time for the last leg of this epic 16-miler on Isle Royale. Using the Rock Harbor Trail, head back east and follow the signs toward Three Mile Campground and Rock Harbor.

Rock Harbor Trail

This section of the hike is the longest at about 7 miles. It is a bit busier than the other trails, as this is a main route for hikers and backpackers between Daisy Campground, Three Mile Campground, and Rock Harbor.

As you hike along the shoreline, pay attention to your right-hand side and look across the lake. Here, you’ll be able to see the Rock Harbor Lighthouse off in the distance. The lighthouse was built in 1855.

Continue hiking, and after about 2.5 miles, you’ll also be able to see Mott Island across the lake. Mott Island is Isle Royale’s summer headquarters.

The trail continues along the rocky and wooded shoreline as you make your way past Starvation Point and Three Mile Campground. You’ll have some amazing views of the barrier islands as you hike.

When you reach the trail junction for Suzy’s Cave, you have just over 1.5 miles until you reach Rock Harbor. As we noted above, this trail is a bit less smooth than the Tobin Harbor Trail. Some sections are dirt and wooded, while other sections branch out to the rocks, making this part of the loop a bit slower.

Finally, you’ll reach Rock Harbor. You can now fall to the ground and crawl back to your room! Just kidding, but 16 miles is quite a bit of hiking. End your day with an ice-cold beverage and a delicious dinner at the Greenstone Grill or Lighthouse Restaurant.

Rock Harbor Trail to Suzy’s Cave

End your epic trip here with some more hiking on Isle Royale. Just one last hike before you depart in the afternoon! For the final hike, we recommend taking a short loop hike from Rock Harbor to Suzy’s Cave.

From Rock Harbor, take the Rock Harbor Trail about 1.7 miles to reach the cave. Suzy’s Cave is an inland sea arch that was formed about 4,000 years ago. Using the 0.2-mile spur trail, link up with the Tobin Harbor Trail and make your way back to Rock Harbor, another 1.7 miles.

Finally, it’s time to make sure you are all packed up and have dropped your luggage at the Rock Harbor front desk for them to load on the Isle Royale Queen IV.

🧭 Looking for more fun in the national parks and beyond? Check out all of our itineraries here!

Other Things To Do On Isle Royale: Rent a Boat, Sightsee, or Go Fishing

If you don’t want to hike the entire time while on the island, there are some other enjoyable activities to try near Rock Harbor. Boating, fishing, and sightseeing tours are offered. Here’s a closer look at each option:

Boat Rentals at the Marina: At Rock Harbor Lodge, you can rent kayaks, canoes, or motorboats for either a half-day or full-day adventure. Renting a boat is a fantastic way to explore the surrounding waters at your own pace. Paddle along the shoreline or visit nearby islands while taking in views of Isle Royale’s historic cabins and natural beauty.

Fishing Charters: If you are interested in fishing, Rock Harbor Lodge offers guided fishing charters. The lodge provides the boat, an experienced captain, and all the necessary equipment for a successful outing. As a bonus, the Lighthouse Restaurant can prepare your fresh catch for a memorable meal.

Sightseeing Tours: If you prefer a more leisurely experience, consider joining a sightseeing tour. Open to all island visitors, these guided boat tours highlight the history, scenery, and unique features of Isle Royale. Each tour includes different destinations and points of interest, and some itineraries also offer opportunities for hiking along the way.

🛥️ Check out all the options on the Rock Harbor Lodge website!

Where To Stay On Isle Royale

There are limited options here unless you are camping! Check out our full post about Isle Royale to learn more about where to stay if you are not camping.

Final Thoughts About Hiking On Isle Royale

We absolutely loved hiking on Isle Royale! The scenery is really unmatched. It’s such a beautiful destination. If you are planning on multiple days, this guide is perfect for you, but if you are only on Isle Royale for a day trip, we recommend the Stoll Memorial Trail to Scoville Point.

As we talked a little bit about above, we hiked about 16 miles during our full day on Isle Royale, and it was a lot! However, it was so worth it. We got to see all the different habitats on the island, including the dense forest, rocky outcroppings along Lake Superior, wetlands, and the amazing views from the ridge trail.

We will never forget our memories of feeling like we were the only ones on the island as we hiked around. With the loons calling and the moose sightings, Isle Royale will literally MAKE you want to return. It’s such a special place, and we are so fortunate to have been able to visit this one-of-a-kind national park.

🛏️ Don’t forget to book your ferry ride on the Isle Royale Queen IV and your stay at the Rock Harbor Lodge. When you have your travel dates in stone, book these immediately – we are talking 9+ months in advance, right when the reservations open up for the season!