Parking
Siskiwit Bay Dock is reached by water; Isle Royale has no roads or vehicle parking. Start at the dock and plan your boat connection and onward or return route before you go.
Overview
About Island Mine Trail
Why go
- A bridge, rocky Lake Superior shore, and old mine remains make the walk varied.
- The old steam engine tucked behind a rock stack is an unusual piece of island history.
Heads up
- Beaver washouts, loose cobbles, rocks, and roots slow the footing.
- It is a remote one-way leg with no road-based shortcut or return.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Isle Royale map
Full mapElevation594–1,325 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 Island Mine 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 Island Mine Trail
Is this the right leg?Island Mine Trail is a one-way, about 4.
Island Mine Trail is a one-way, about 4.9-mile walk from Siskiwit Bay Dock to the Greenstone Ridge junction by Island Mine. That total includes the dock access and the approach to the river bridge; the park’s trail page lists about 4.3 miles, so use 4.9 for the full dock-to-junction route. Allow about 3 to 4 hours on foot, longer with a loaded pack or a stop at the ruins. This is a Feldtmann Loop connector, not a loop by itself, so plan your return or onward route before leaving the dock.
Shoreline to forestThe route crosses Big Siskiwit River on a large bridge, then follows Lake Superior shore.
The route crosses Big Siskiwit River on a large bridge, then follows Lake Superior shore. Beaver activity often washes out the tread, so this stretch can mean walking over loose cobbles on the beach. You cross Senter Point, follow Carnelian Beach, then turn inland. After the shore, expect narrow trail with rocks and roots and repeated ups and downs. The beach is the last water-treatment opportunity before the inland section; treat any water you collect.
Find the old engineThe inland trail passes an old well and the rubble of Island Mine.
The inland trail passes an old well and the rubble of Island Mine. Look behind a stack of rocks in the woods for an old steam engine; leave the remains in place. Island Mine Campground is about half a mile from the junction if that is your overnight stop. Overnight stays require a park permit, pets aren’t allowed, and the island has no roads or cars.
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.
