Isle Royale Backpacking Adventure

A park unlike any other, explore this isolated realm of untamed adventures, breathtaking scenery, and unparalleled solitude. Isle Royale National Park is one of the least visited National parks in the US but is one of the most revisited. It is home to moose, wolves, loons, beaver, fox, and other small mammals and birdlife and offers excellent fishing, pristine forests and waterways.

Renee and Alisha will be your guides, each of whom have guided many trips in Colorado, Alaska, the midwest and Isle Royale. They will show you the wonder of walking through this beautiful wilderness as you backpack through dense covered forest, open meadows and along interior island lakes. 

Day one, we’ll make the 8 hour drive from Waverly to Grand Portage where we will camp in two large group tents the first night. The next day will start with a 6 hour ferry ride to the island and Rock Harbor. You will hike from Rock Harbor to Windigo on a 40+ mile journey over 6 days, carrying 40-45 pound packs on sometimes rocky and steep trails, stopping to set up camp in a new location nightly. Upon reaching Windigo on the final day, we will end the journey with a 2-hour ferry ride back to the mainland, where we will pack the vehicles and make the return drive to Waverly, arriving well after midnight.

This is a physically demanding wilderness trip that will require you to train. You should be capable of hiking 6 to 12 miles per day for multiple days in a row, carrying your own loaded backpack.

We highly recommend participants take advantage of our Free Backpacking for Beginners Clinic on April 5th to learn the basics of planning, packing, gear, food, physical training, foot care and more.

What’s Included: 

Professional instruction and guiding, transportation from Waverly, IA to Isle Royale and back, all meals and snacks, cooking gear, first aid kit, safety gear, and backpacking & camping gear, if needed. We highly recommend you use your own backpack for proper fit and training, however we do have backpacks available for you to use, if needed. A full packing list will be provided closer to the trip date.

We do our best to accommodate all dietary restrictions and preferences. Upon sign-up, you will receive a short questionnaire, to share these needs with us.

Activities: 

Backpacking, hiking, tent camping

Skill Level:

Beginner. You do not need to have backpacking skills or experience to sign up for this trip. We strongly recommend you attend our Backpacking for Beginners Clinic (link), which will teach you backpacking basics to help you succeed and have fun. We will camp and paddle in most weather conditions–rain or shine, hot or cold, windy or still.

Physical Fitness Level:

This is a physically demanding wilderness trip that will require you to train to hike 6 to 12 miles per day for multiple days in a row carrying your loaded backpack of 40-45 lbs.

Accommodations:

Tent camping–one night in group tents and individual tents the remainder of the trip. Bathroom facilities on the island are pit outhouses near campsites or wilderness bathroom practices along the trail.

Not Included:

Optional guide gratuities, items of a personal nature.

Registration:

Limited to 6 people. A minimum of 3 registrants is required to offer the trip. 

We have intentionally limited the number of participants on our trips in order to provide a safe and rich outdoor experience. 

Cancellation:

Please read our full Trip Cancellation Policy here.