Isle Royale National Park


Explore a rugged, isolated island far from our connected communities. Isle Royale offers adventures for backpackers, hikers, boaters, paddlers, and divers. Cross Lake Superior and make a commitment: Become a part of this island, and let it become a part of you. Find peace and refuge in island wilderness – because Isle Royale, in turn, finds refuge in us. Help Isle Royale stay wild.

Isle Royale National Park headquarters is located in Houghton, MI. Visit the Houghton page on the Isle Royale National Park website for additional information and a map on how to access the visitor center.

  • Arts and Culture
  • Astronomy
  • Stargazing
  • Boating
  • Motorized Boating
  • Sailing
  • Boat Tour
  • Camping
  • Backcountry Camping
  • Canoe or Kayak Camping
  • Group Camping
  • Fishing
  • Freshwater Fishing
  • Food
  • Dining
  • Flying
  • Guided Tours
  • Boat Tour
  • Hiking
  • Backcountry Hiking
  • Front-Country Hiking
  • Off-Trail Permitted Hiking
  • Paddling
  • Canoeing
  • Canoe or Kayak Camping
  • Kayaking
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • SCUBA Diving
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Birdwatching
  • Park Film
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store
  • Gift Shop and Souvenirs

  • Arts
  • Industry
  • Mining
  • Maritime
  • Lighthouses
  • Ships and Shipwrecks
  • Schools and Education
  • Transportation
  • Animals
  • Birds
  • Fish
  • Wolves
  • Coasts, Islands and Atolls
  • Fire
  • Forests and Woodlands
  • Coniferous Forests
  • Deciduous Forests
  • Geology
  • Lakes
  • Night Sky
  • Astronomy
  • Aurora Borealis
  • Scenic Views
  • Trails
  • Unique Species
  • Rare
  • Endangered
  • Wetlands
  • Wilderness

Duncan Bay Narrows

View from above the trees looking down at Duncan Bay Narrows, trees, Lake Superior, and Canada.

Isle Royale, located in the northwestern corner of Lake Superior, offers views of the Canadian shoreline.

Winter Ice Floes

Ice floes float in a harbor

Isle Royale National Park is closed in winter, with the exception of a few visiting researchers.

Aerial View of Belle Harbor

Aerial View of Belle Harbor

Isle Royale is also called Minong, which means "the good place" by the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Minong is a part of the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabe/Ojibwe peoples who have cared for these lands from time immemorial.

Bull Moose

Young bull moose browsing for food

Moose are one of the few mammal species who have journeyed to the island.

Rock of Ages Lighthouse

Aerial view of Rock of Ages Lighthouse

Rock of Ages is one of four lighthouses at Isle Royale National Park.

Aurora Borealis Over Isle Royale National Park

Diverse colored Aurora Borealis in the night sky

Isle Royale National Park's dark skies make it an excellent location to enjoy nighttime phenomenon, like the Aurora Borealis.