2022 Isle Royale Minong Trail Backpacking Trip
2022 Isle Royale Minong Trail Backpacking Trip
August 30-September 4, 20222
Trip Length: 7 Days/6 Nights
Distance: 49 Miles
Includes:
ALL major gear
Flight to/from Hancock, MI and Isle Royale on a 6-passenger DeHavilland Beaver Floatplane
1st night's accommodation and welcome dinner
ALL camping
ALL food, including a celebration dinner at trip’s end
A certified guide
On-trail instruction
A comprehensive packing list
Post-trip e-photos
Trip Rating: 4 - Ambitious Backpacker (Click here for Trip Rating Descriptions)
All Genders Welcome
We will cross Michigan’s rugged Isle Royale National Park on a 7-day backpacking trip, traversing the entire island from east to west on the Minong Ridge Trail.
“The Minong” is the most challenging stretch of Isle Royale’s 161-mile trail system and is considered by many to be the hardest hike in Michigan. The Minong Ridge Trail is often discernable by only rock cairns, with open stretches affording breathtaking views across Lake Superior to Canada’s giant mesas (Sleeping Giant, considered one of Canada’s Seven Wonders, and Pie Island) rising almost 1,500 feet above Lake Superior.
Isle Royale National Park is a remote island in Lake Superior, one of the world’s largest freshwater lakes. The entire island of Isle Royale is a National Park accessible only by boat or plane, making it extremely remote.
With over 100,000 acres of protected wilderness, Isle Royale is home to a myriad of songbirds, colorful migrating waterfowl, a significant, legendary moose population, Red Fox, turtles and more. If we listen carefully, the Common Loon will lull us to sleep with its extraordinary call. Maybe we will even hear the coveted howls from the Grey Wolves recently reintroduced to the Island’s ecosystem – we’ve heard them on prior trips!
Spend your days backpacking stunning trails deep in a lush boreal forest in early Autumn splendor and your nights in campsites along the full traverse of the Island, including some shoreline campsites. All 36 campsites are reached only by watercraft or on foot. There are no roads, no vehicles, and no bears. Campsites on the periphery of the island have traditional tent sites, as well as sheltered huts.
This one-way hike across Isle Royale is geared toward those with prior backpacking experience. Each participant will need to be able to carry a full backpack (about 32 pounds) 7-13 miles each day on designated trails. With professional guidance, participants will set up their own tent and prepare their own food.
Want to see more? Check out Michelle’s Field Notes and Photos from her 2019 Isle Royale Trip.
LEVEL 4 TRIP: Participants should be in good physical condition, and able to hike up to 13 miles a day, on uneven terrain, carrying 35lbs.
We provide all major high-end, lightweight gear for participants to use, as well as all food for the entire trip. If you would like to use your own gear, we will consult with you to ensure that your gear is appropriate for this trip.
Registration closes 30-days prior to trip start.
Not sure if this is the right trip for you? Questions about this trip? Contact us!