Daisy Farm Triangle

Daisy Farm Triangle is a 5.1-mile loop from Daisy Farm Campground, linking Daisy Farm Trail, part of Greenstone Ridge Trail, and Mount Ojibway Trail. It climbs from the campground through wet lowland and boardwalks, crosses a short stretch of ridge, then reaches Ojibway Tower before returning to Daisy Farm. The tower and its views over the island’s east end are the payoff. Allow about three to four hours with a stop at the top; this is a half-day hike with real climbing, not a quick campground stroll. The total includes the short mapped Rock Harbor Trail and camp-path connector between the separate trail ends at Daisy Farm.

I’d take Daisy Farm Trail up to Greenstone Ridge, follow the ridge toward Ojibway, then descend Mount Ojibway Trail back to camp. That saves the steep Mount Ojibway climb for the descent; the other direction puts it near the start. Follow the route junctions carefully, since the trail narrows and vegetation can crowd the tread. A map and compass matter here even though the loop is short enough to look simple on paper.

The Daisy Farm leg rises at a steady, noticeable grade toward the ridge and opens views toward Isle Royale’s eastern side. Long boardwalk bridges carry the trail through wet ground. They can be slippery when wet, and beaver activity sometimes floods the tread. Expect a narrow path, about 18 inches wide in places, with rocks, roots, and overgrown vegetation. The boardwalks are useful, but they don’t make this a smooth or reliably dry walk.

The Greenstone Ridge section is a short piece of the much longer island trail, connecting the Daisy Farm climb to Mount Ojibway. It completes the triangle rather than continuing west toward East Chickenbone. This stretch adds ridge walking between the two steeper legs; keep an eye on trail junctions instead of assuming every Greenstone marker points toward the tower.

Ojibway Tower stands at Mount Ojibway, one of the highest points on the eastern end of Isle Royale. Hikers can climb partway up its stairs, but the tower room is closed. On a clear day, the view reaches across interior lakes and bays; this is the best place to stop and let the island’s shape come into focus.

The tower has had two lives. The Civilian Conservation Corps built a timber fire tower here in 1939, after the 1936 fire. A steel replacement went up at the same site in 1964. The tower later shifted from fire lookout work to park communications and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.

Daisy Farm is an island campground and dock, not a road-side trailhead. Reach it by private boat, passenger ferry or water taxi from Rock Harbor, or hike in on the Rock Harbor Trail. The campground has a seasonal ranger station, vault toilets, and water, but no food service or camp store. Its operating season is April 16 through October 31; overnight camping requires a permit, while the day hike itself does not. Pets aren’t allowed on the trail.