Parking
There is no road parking at Ishpeming Tower. Reach the start on foot via Greenstone Ridge Trail. Malone Bay at the far end is reached on foot or by water; Voyageur II stops there only by advance reservation.
Overview
About Ishpeming Trail
Why go
- Connects Greenstone Ridge with a remote Lake Superior shore
- Malone Bay adds pebble beaches and lighthouse views
Heads up
- Minimal maintenance and overgrown stretches demand confident navigation
- No road access; the ferry stop requires advance reservation
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Isle Royale map
Full mapElevation623–1,355 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Isle Royale alerts
- ClosureSeasonal park closure begins November 1Isle Royale closes to public use November 1–April 15 because extreme winter weather threatens visitor safety; the closure extends 4.5 miles into Lake Superior from the island.Official details
- ClosureCamping closures at east-end campgrounds and Zone 9Camping restrictions are in effect at four east-end campgrounds and Off-trail Camping Zones 9–13 and 30–38 because of increased human-wildlife interactions and food-storage concerns.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Isle Royale Tour Guide
Your drive to Ishpeming Trail, narrated.
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.
- 17 audio storiesacross Isle Royale’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Moose, Wolf, Bald Eagle, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 39 trails, 83 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Ishpeming Trail
What the route linksIshpeming Trail is a 7.
Ishpeming Trail is a 7.3-mile, one-way point-to-point route from the Ishpeming Tower junction on Greenstone Ridge down to Malone Bay Campground on Lake Superior. It crosses several ridges, a wetland boardwalk beside Siskiwit Lake, and finishes at Malone Bay on the Lake Superior shore. Allow about six hours. This is a remote link for hikers already planning a longer Isle Royale trip, not a quick loop.
Plan both endsIshpeming Tower is an interior junction reached on foot along Greenstone Ridge.
Ishpeming Tower is an interior junction reached on foot along Greenstone Ridge. Malone Bay has no road access either; you can continue on foot or arrange water transport. The Voyageur II stops at Malone Bay only when passengers reserve the stop in advance, so settle your onward or return plan before you set out. The separate Greenstone section between Hatchet Lake and Ishpeming Tower is not included in these miles.
Ridges, wetland and waterThe trail crosses three ridges and is less traveled and minimally maintained.
The trail crosses three ridges and is less traveled and minimally maintained. Expect a rougher, slower walk than the mileage alone suggests; bring a map and compass and be ready to navigate overgrown stretches. Around Siskiwit Lake, a boardwalk crosses wetland before the route drops toward the bay. Starting from the tower, filterable water is not available until about 3.5 miles into the hike, at Siskiwit Lake. Carry enough water to reach it and treat the lake water.
The tower and the bayIshpeming Tower is a retired fire tower at the starting junction.
Ishpeming Tower is a retired fire tower at the starting junction. Visitors cannot climb it; its wooded setting gives limited views rather than a summit panorama. At the far end, Malone Bay Campground has shelters and a dock, with seasonal composting toilets and non-potable water. From the shore, look for the pebble beaches, offshore reefs, and Isle Royale Lighthouse on Menagerie Island. Pets are not allowed on Isle Royale.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Isle Royale
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.
