Troutbirder II

Troutbirder II
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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Isle Royale


Mrs. T. and I have visited and/or camped in many of our wonderful National Parks across the country. Our latest a few weeks ago was Isle Royale.  Join us for a quick look…..
We joined our local tour group, Historic Travel and Adventures, for the bus ride to beautiful Copper Harbor on Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The next day  we hopped aboard a ferry for the trip to Isle Royal.
 


The Park, located in Lake Superior's northwest corner is a wilderness archipelago - a roadless land of wild creatures, unspoiled forests, refreshing lakes, and rugged, scenic shores - accessible only by boat or floatplane. Travel on and around the island by foot, boat, or float plane. Isle Royale has 165 miles of scenic hiking trails ready for exploration and 36 campgrounds for backpackers and recreational boaters. Excellent fishing opportunities abound on one of the Island's many inland lakes or on Lake Superior.
Approaching Isle Royale
 
Ninety nine percent of the island is wilderness though there was a visitor center and a nice lodge nearby.  The wilderness aspect was exemplified by the fact that the vast majority of people aboard the ferry were young and carrying heavy looking backpacks.  The atmosphere was remindful of Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness (BWCW) without the canoes. That kind of living was long past for us and we were just visiting for the day. We joined a Ranger for a short walk/talk after a picnic lunch provided by our tour director.
Later, after a "required" visit to the gift shop, the shopper and I hike a trail for about an hour.  We checked out one campground which surprisingly had some shelters. This was a new wrinkle for me as I was used to pitching my tent under the stars. I don't know if this was typical of all the camping areas or not.
Along the trail lots of woodland wildflowers.  For us Minnesotans used to red it's an unusual purple columbine.
 

To explore a rugged, isolated island, far from the sights and sounds of civilization, Isle Royale offers unparalleled solitude.  My kind of place..... 

21 comments:

  1. What a beautiful place, Trout!

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  2. Hubby and I enjoy secluded places too! We never made it to Isle Royale when we lived in the U.P.----I'm not much (read:NOT AT ALL) of a camper---If they'd put up a Hilton over there, I'd go see-ha ha. Seriously though, you look like you're in heaven sitting in front of that cabin.

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  3. I have never been but have seen a lot of info about it. We see the site where people take the ferry over from Grand Portage , Minnesota. It is a beautiful place in the middle of Superior.

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  4. I read a novel once that was about a Ranger stationed on Isle Royale. It sounded beautiful then and it is nice to see pictures.

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  5. Very nice. My husband and I are talking about getting back into camping more. I miss our tent days...although I wish we could do a small camper instead. Tent camping is a lot of work. And I don't like being a tent camper in the world of giant motorhomes and campers. It sort of ruins the ambiance to have air conditioners running all around us.

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  6. Someday...oh someday I will get to Isle Royale. My husband went to school at MTU. I love that area of the UP. :-))
    Carla

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  7. I'm all for the day trip experience! I found purple Columbine popping up throughout our woods when we first moved here, decided it needed digging up and transplanting into my garden. I should have left it as I've sadly neglected the garden. You would think it would be fine neglected, but no.

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  8. A great trip to a unique spot. What is the moose situation there now? I haven't been following it closely lately.

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    1. There are only three wolves left & over 1000 moose...

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  9. Looks like a wonderful place to explore and take photos! Hopefully there aren't a lot of ticks.

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  10. Looks like a great place to explore. I didn't know there were red columbines, ours are purple.

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  11. Thanks goodness we have nature reserves such as this.

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  12. And my kind of peace as well. Wonderful area.

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  13. Beautiful. Love the picture of the purple columbine.

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  14. I think you can get there from Minnesota too, I have always wanted to go! So glad you went! I bet Lily missed you:(

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  15. Ever since I wrote a high school term paper on the wolves-moose-spuce of Isle Royale, I've wanted to visit. Thanks for the virtual tour!

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  16. I bet it was your kind of place after reading of your adventurous drive to Alaska and back. I've never been up that high on Lake Superior. Just along the Wisconsin coast side. Beautiful place. And so much more to explore than I have.

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  17. Ha! Remember that list I posted a couple of weeks back on which you commented? The one about travel goals? When thinking of NPs I want to visit but wonder if I can practically make it, Isle Royal is absolutely on that list. Perhaps when the Vikings open their new stadium I can finagle something...

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  18. Great article, Thanks for your great information, the content is quiet interesting. I will be waiting for your next post.

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  19. Every summer I wish to go to Isle Royal, and yet here we are in August and summer has been full of good things.. but no Isle Royal. So glad you went! We were on the North Shore and Tettegouche State Park Thursday. I simply love that great Lake.

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