Planning Your Visit

Welcome

"To step into Isle Royale is to leave behind one's own self and one's world and to begin a new exploration into the nature of life".

-Napier Shelton, Superior Wilderness 1997

Welcome to Isle Royale National Park, an opportunity for connection to the resource through adventure, discovery, and exploration. An Isle Royale personal journey can only begin when one crosses a substantial portion of Lake Superior's northwest section. Once there, one finds a living laboratory, a rugged northwoods wilderness, a road-less backcountry of wild creatures, second growth forests, refreshing lakes and rugged scenic shores. This Island gem houses the highest backcountry overnight use per acre of any national park and at the same time it is one of the least visited.

We hope your experience will be a memorable and rewarding exploration into the nature of life. An exploration that will foster a strong wilderness ethic, leading to the desire to promote stewardship. These personal connections will serve to preserve and protect Isle Royale National Park for future generations.

Operating Hours & Seasons

Isle Royale National Park is one of the few national parks to close during the winter. The Island is closed November 1 and will reopen on April 16. The closure is due to the extreme winter weather conditions, for the protection of wildlife, and for the safety and protection of visitors. The Park Headquarters for the winter is located in Houghton, Michigan, the summer headquarters is located at Mott Island on Isle Royale National Park.

Operating Hours

Rock Harbor Visitor Center

Hours EDT: 
Daily 8am to 6pm—July and August
Reduced schedule in May, June, and September
For updated hours call (906) 482-0984
Location:
Northeast corner of Isle Royale

Windigo Visitor Center
Hours EDT:
Daily 8am to 4:30pm – July and August
Reduced schedule in May, June, and September
For updated hours call (906) 482-0984
Location:
Southwest corner of Isle Royale

Houghton Visitor Center
Hours EDT:
Monday through Friday, 8am to 6:00pm, with reduce hours on Saturday, 11am to 6:00pm - June through July
Monday through Friday, 8am to 4:30pm, with reduce hours on Saturday, 2:00pm to 4:00pm – August through mid-September
Monday through Friday, 8am to 4:30pm – mid-September through May – closed during fall and winter holidays  
Location:
East side of Houghton, Michigan's waterfront at 800 East Lakeshore Drive
Phone number:  (906) 482-0984

Administrative Offices
Hours EDT: Open year round, Monday through Friday, 8am to 4:30pm – closed for federal holidays
Location:  May through September, Mott Island on Isle Royale’s southeast shore
October though April, East side of Houghton, Michigan’s waterfront at 800 East Lakeshore Drive
Phone number:  (906) 482-0985

Fees & Reservations

Park Fees:

User Fee
$4 per person per day

Individual Season Pass, $50 (Optional)
This pass is valid from April 16 through October 31 of the year indicated. The pass covers the User Fee for the person whose signature appears on the pass.

Season Boat Rider Pass, $150 (Optional)
This pass is valid from April 16 through October 31 of the year indicated. The pass covers the User Fee for all persons onboard. When camping, the pass is only valid for passengers included in and following the itinerary of the vessel.

Details:

The User Fee applies to all park visitors except for children 11 and under. The transportation providers collect the user fee from their passengers. Private Boaters can pay their user fees at visitor centers in Rock Harbor, Windigo or Houghton. The Interagency Annual, Senior and Access Passes, plus the Golden Age, Golden Access, and Golden Eagle Passports do not cover the user fee. The Individual Season Pass and the Season Boat Rider Pass are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Eighty percent of the User Fee revenue stays at Isle Royale National Park and is slatted to fund backlogged projects, such as trail and dock maintenance. The rest supports high priority National Park Service projects across the country.

Directions

Public Transportation

Isle Royale National Park is located in the northwest corner of Lake Superior. This Wilderness Island contains a road-less backcountry which prohibits the use of all wheeled vehicles and devices (except wheelchairs). Visitors traveling to this Island paradise must arrive by boat or seaplane. The transportation services depart from Houghton, Michigan, Copper Harbor, Michigan and Grand Portage, Minnesota.  Vehicular parking is available at all departure locations.  The transportation services are found to the right, in the highlight section. The following directions will guide you to the different departure points. 

Michigan Departure Points

Houghton, Michigan
Vehicle: Houghton is located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It is 200 miles north of Green Bay, Wisconsin, 400 miles north of Chicago, Illinois, and 250 miles west of the Mackinac Bridge. Houghton is located off of US-41 at the base of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Airplane: Northwest provides daily flights to the Houghton County Memorial Airport, located eight miles north of Houghton on US-41.  Northwest can be reached by calling 800-225-2525, visiting their website www.nwa.com or call the airport office at 906-482-3970 for additional information.

Bus:  Greyhound offers daily service to Houghton, Michigan. Contact Greyhound at (906) 483-0093 or visit their website at www.greyhound.com.

Copper Harbor, Michigan
Vehicle: Copper Harbor is located at the tip of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. It is located off US-41 just 52 miles north of Houghton, Michigan.

Airplane: Northwest provides daily flights to the Houghton County Memorial Airport, located 44 miles south of Copper Harbor on US-41. Northwest can be reached by calling 800-225-2525, visiting their website www.nwa.com or call the airport office at 906-482-3970 for additional information.

Bus: Unavailable

Minnesota Departure Points

Grand Portage, Minnesota
Vehicle:  Grand Portage, located in Minnesota’s northeastern section, is 150 mile north of Duluth, Minnesota. It is located off US-61 just 50 miles southwest of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. 

Airplane: The closest airport, Thunder Bay International is 50 miles northeast of Grand Portage; they can be reached by calling 807-473-2600. The Duluth International Airport is found 150 miles south of Grand Portage and they can be reached by calling 218-727-2968

Bus:  Greyhound offers daily service to Duluth, Minnesota; they can be reached by calling 218-722-5591 or visit their website at www.greyhound.com.  Bus service between Grand Portage and Duluth or Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada is provided by Happy Times Tours. They can be reach at 800-473-5955 or visit their website at