Campground · Isle Royale National Park
A three-site stop in the island's inland paddling country.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Isle Royale Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Isle Royale National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Lake Whittlesey Campground is a small backcountry camp on the north shore of Lake Whittlesey, with three individual tent sites. Reach it by canoe or kayak after a 0.6-mile portage from Wood Lake or Chippewa Harbor; there’s no trail or private-boat access. It works as an overnight stop on Isle Royale’s inland lake route, not a quick drop-in.
The setup is simple: seasonal composting toilets, a nonpotable water source, and food lockers available year-round. There’s no camp store, staff, trash pickup, cell service, or internet. Plan your supplies before paddling in, and filter and chemically treat water before drinking.
Wildlife
308 sightingsMooseMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
93 sightingsWolfMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
77 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
150 sightingsLoonMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
24 sightingsTrumpeter SwanMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
71 sightingsBeaverMost seen around 8 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Isle Royale. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyLake Mason Access Trail0.6 mi · 24 min · 3 mi awayA short side trip to the bluff above Lake Mason.
ModerateIndian Portage Trail10.6 mi · 8 hr · 3 mi awayA rugged 11-mile crossing through Isle Royale’s inland lakes.
ModerateLake Richie Trail1.9 mi · 1.3 hr · 3.5 mi awayA narrow backcountry connector through wetlands and rocky outcrops.
Campground · 1.5 mi awayWood Lake CampgroundThree boat-to tent sites on the inland canoe route.
Campground · 1.9 mi awayIntermediate Lake CampgroundA tent-only overnight for paddlers crossing the island's inland lakes.
Campground · 2.5 mi awayLake Richie Canoe CampgroundThree tent sites on a remote canoe-only lake route.
Campground · 3 mi awayChippewa Harbor CampgroundFour shoreline shelters make a remote harbor stop easier to plan.
Campground · 3.2 mi awayLake Richie CampgroundA lakeside overnight on the interior paddling route
Campground · 3.9 mi awayWest Chickenbone CampgroundA backcountry lake camp reached on foot or by portage.
Sight · 4.3 mi awaySS Glenlyon WreckA 328-foot freighter scattered across a Lake Superior reef.
Campground · 4.6 mi awayEast Chickenbone CampgroundFour forest sites for an inland night, not a lakeside stay.Parkwolf’s Isle Royale ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
