Parking
Join the spur from Indian Portage Trail just before Chippewa Harbor Campground; reach it on foot via the backcountry route.
Overview
About Lake Mason Access Trail
Why go
- A clear lake-view payoff for a short side trip.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Isle Royale map
Full mapElevation616–642 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 Lake Mason Access 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 Lake Mason Access Trail
A short detour with a lake viewLake Mason Access Trail is an out-and-back spur off Indian Portage Trail near Chippewa Harbor…
Lake Mason Access Trail is an out-and-back spur off Indian Portage Trail near Chippewa Harbor Campground, ending at a rock bluff above the west end of Lake Mason. It is about 0.6 mile round trip: 0.3 mile to the bluff and the same way back. Allow about half an hour for the walk and a pause at the lake. It makes a worthwhile add-on if you are already hiking this part of Indian Portage.
What the walk offersThe mapped spur is about 0.33 mile one way, close to the published 0.3-mile figure.
The mapped spur is about 0.33 mile one way, close to the published 0.3-mile figure. One description calls it easy; another puts it between easy and moderate. Specific footing and grade details are sparse, so do not assume a smooth or formally accessible path. The payoff is the view over Lake Mason from the bluff.
Start and park rulesTake the spur from Indian Portage Trail just before Chippewa Harbor Campground; access is on…
Take the spur from Indian Portage Trail just before Chippewa Harbor Campground; access is on foot from the backcountry route. Pets are prohibited throughout Isle Royale. Service dogs are allowed only with a park permit arranged before the trip.
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.
