Equipment Considerations
First of all, I am by no means an expert. The following items are suggestions that we found useful
on our excursion. Both of my trips to the island have been in late July, so my perspective doesn't
cover other times.
Food
There is a camp store with very limited supplies at both Rock Harbor and Windigo. White gas can be purchased there if you run out.
You can't supply your entire trip there. Get EVERYTHING you think you will need before your trip.
The taste of freeze-dried food has improved tremendously over the past 20 years. There are many
choices for a wide variety of menus. You can also put together meals right off the shelf of your
local supermarket. Here's what we took:
- Instant Oatmeal for breakfast (2 packs each)
- Lipton flavored rice packages for lunch
- Cup-o-soup for lunch
- Dinner consisted of a variety of freeze-dried meals
- Freeze-dried deserts (every other day)
The deserts tasted like cardboard and could have been left behind. We had a variety of brands, all
the same!
A two-person dinner packet was enough for myself and my son. We had been told we would
want more, but that wasn't the case. We brought a lot of the freeze-dried food back.
One packet of oatmeal was not enough for breakfast. Two would have been better.
Considerations
You are not allowed camp fires on the island (except for two or three places and those
are not next to your tent site) so cooking is done on small stoves. You have a choice of
white-gas or propane. We took a white-gas model.
Think about...
- Most of the freeze dried meals take about 2 cups of boiling water. Test boil 2 cups before you leave to help you measure the amount of fuel you'll need to take.
- Plan your meals around what needs to be heated. You have one burner on the little stove! Food cools quickly waiting for a second dish to cook.
- You'll want hot water for some cleanup chores. Some trail soaps claim they work in cold water. A good hot cleaning once in a while makes you feel safer!
- If you don't take a water filter (you really should!), you'll need to boil your water for drinking (2 minutes at a boil). There is tape worm larvae in the water that you need to kill.
- You probably won't need a water filter impregnated with iodine. We were told that tape worm is the big concern on Isle Royale.
- Iodine flavors the water. Your call
- The filter element clogged. We should have taken an extra one. Of course there were four of us using one filter for 9 days...
- Fires are prohibited in most areas. You will need a small stove for cooking. Remember, no fire for warmth either!
- Trash is carried out in all areas of the park and is not buried, burned, or put into pit toilets.
- Emphasis is placed on low impact camping to preserve the fragile environment and not disturb the abundance of wildlife
- Showers can be rented at Windigo and Rock Harbor. That may be the best part of the trip?!?
- The park is open April 16 to October 31 (transportation services mid-June to Labor Day). It is closed November 1 to April 15.
Equipment
You need a tent that will hold you AND your gear. Animals can come in the night and carry off you supplies. That would be devastating. Don't believe the ratings the tent manufacturers
place on sleeping capacity. They never include the occupant's gear. Add one person for each two in the tent for the gear. If possible go to a store that has some set up and get in it and
check it out.
Consider taking collapsible buckets. One for carrying fresh water and one for washing.
Mosquito dope is a must. Some areas of the island were mosquito free, others... you don't want to know.
A good ground mat is a must. Adjust the thickness based on the surface you're used to sleeping on.
Clothing
Remember, this is for July! Weather is always cooler than you might expect due to Lake Superior. Temperatures
rarely get over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It can rain any time of the hiking season with thunderstorms possible. Remember,
you will hike rain or shine. Prepare for rain!
- You will need water proof boots.
- The days get quite warm, especially on the interior. Take shorts and T-shirts.
- The evenings go from chilly to cold, especially along the shoreline. Long pants, long-sleeved shirt, jacket, thermal underwear should be considered based upon how warm you want to feel. Remember, there are few places for a camp fire!
- Rain gear.
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Suntan lotion, there isn't any pollution in the air to block those rays!
Fees
There is a $4.00 per-person per-day fee. Children under 11 are free. Check the NPS Isle Royale web site for reasons behind the fee and what it is used for.
Camping and Campsite Information
If you follow this link to the NPS Isle Royale Camping page, you'll get information about the rules of the island as well as a table showing individual campsite information.
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