I’ve Visited 30 National Parks Across the U.S., and This Is the Most Underrated

On a clear, warm May night in Michigan, I sat atop a rock and eavesdropped on howling loons as the northern lights shimmied above a mirror-still lake with no other soul in sight.

It’s the kind of secluded awe national park travelers dream about, but it’s increasingly tough to find in well-trodden showstoppers like Zion, Arches, and Great Smoky Mountains national parks. That’s why I’ll forever urge nature lovers to follow my footsteps to Michigan’s far-flung Isle Royale—arguably the most underrated national park in the U.S. It’s also among the country’s least-visited.

The 850-square-mile Isle Royale National Park lies in an isolated stretch of Lake Superior. This archipelago, with one main island and hundreds of tiny islands, is reachable via a multi-hour ferry ride or seaplane from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and northern Minnesota. The journey to get here keeps many travelers away.

While Zion sees around five million annual visitors, Isle Royale draws around 25,000. Those who do make the journey are in for a treat. The isolated, car-free getaway is the ultimate backcountry escape, with thick fir and spruce forests, boggy swamps, and wildlife like moose, wolves, and beavers, plus my favorite Great Lakes soundtrack: an all-night symphony from the local loons.

Here’s how to visit the underrated Isle Royale National Park, including what to do, when to go, and how to reach this isolated archipelago.

What to Know Before Visiting

Isle Royale isn’t like most other national parks. Visitors arrive via ferry or seaplane and explore this wilderness, which is almost entirely backcountry, on foot or via paddle.

For accommodations, you can book the Rock Harbor Lodge, which has two on-site restaurants. Or, try reserving one of the two rustic Windigo Camper Cabins.

Many overnight at the park’s nearly 40 first-come, first-served campgrounds, which are sprinkled across the island. Others boat over from the mainland and sleep on their vessels.

Isle Royale National Park is open from mid-April through October; it’s closed from the late fall into winter due to the region’s unpredictable weather.

What to Do

Go backpacking.

With minimal lodging, backpacking is the main way to experience Isle Royale, and it’s a great place for beginners to try it. For starters, you don’t have to worry about bears or mountain lions. Plus, the elevation isn’t too treacherous when compared to the mountains out west, although the terrain can get uneven, so bring sturdy hiking boots.

Where you go backpacking depends on your trip’s origin. I arrived in Rock Harbor on a ferry from Copper Harbor, Michigan, and spent five days trekking the island’s northeast end, logging between five to 12 miles per day to pack in as much scenery as possible. Those who visit from Minnesota typically traverse the western side. That said, many intrepid travelers also cross the entire 40-mile Greenstone Ridge Trail, which takes around five to eight days.

Take a hike.

If you’re sleeping in the lodge or cabins, or visiting for just one day, consider a scenic hiking trip. From Rock Harbor Lodge, take the Stoll Memorial Trail for views of Lake Superior and a quiet stretch through the woodlands. Suzy’s Cave, accessible along the Rock Harbor Trail, is another highlight from the lodge.

Starting at the Windigo Visitor Center, hikers can amble up to the Minong Ridge Overlook, which is around six miles round-trip, or take the four-mile round-trip route to Grace Creek Overlook, where wildlife abounds.

Go paddling.

Some adventure-seekers kayak or canoe around Isle Royale instead of backpacking. To do this with a guide, try Keweenaw Adventure Company. The Copper Harbor-based outfitter runs multi-day excursions to paddle around the park’s eastern edges, with days spent on the water and nights beneath the stars in less-trodden campsites.

Stargaze and watch for the northern lights.

Given Isle Royale’s remoteness, the night skies are sublime. You can see the Milky Way, shooting stars, planets, and galaxies when the weather cooperates. On lucky nights, you can even catch the northern lights like I did—although doing so requires a bit of planning.

When you’re chasing northern lights in the lower 48 states, you need clear views to the northern horizon, where the display typically occurs. (If it’s an especially major geomagnetic storm, the ribbons may sashay overhead, but that’s relatively rare.) Many campgrounds on Isle Royale are on the park’s southern side, so chasing the aurora will require a trip over the ridge to the north.

My aurora-watching bonanza took place at Lane Cove Campground. Other north-facing options include Little Todd Campground and Grace Island Campground on the western Windigo side.