Parking
Start at the Feldtmann Lake Campground trail junction. There is no road access or drive-up parking at this backcountry camp; the approach to the campground is separate from the 1.6-mile Rainbow Cove return.
Overview
About Rainbow Cove Trail
Why go
- A short walk to a rocky Lake Superior cove
- Clear-day views of Rock of Ages Lighthouse and Minnesota
Heads up
- The shore is rocky, not sandy
- Reaching the campground is a separate backcountry trip
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Isle Royale map
Full mapElevation610–689 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 Rainbow Cove 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.
More stories near here in the app
- Minong Ridge Overlook from Windigo
- A Moose's Underwater Lunch
- The Squirrel's Winter Pantry
- A Lodge with an Underwater Door
- 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 Rainbow Cove Trail
A short route to Lake SuperiorRainbow Cove Trail is a 1.
Rainbow Cove Trail is a 1.6-mile out-and-back from Feldtmann Lake Campground to a rocky shore on Lake Superior. The cove is 0.8 mile from the campground, and you return on the same path. Allow about 45 minutes to an hour with a pause at the water. This is a short side hike once you reach Feldtmann Lake; the backcountry approach to the campground from Windigo is a separate trip.
Swamp, then shorelineThe trail crosses a swampy patch and has a small rise around the middle, but it stays mostly…
The trail crosses a swampy patch and has a small rise around the middle, but it stays mostly level. At the end, the beach is covered in rocks rather than sand. On a clear day you can see Rock of Ages Lighthouse and the Minnesota shoreline across the lake. The cove is also a good place to pause around sunset. For a photo, get low and let the pebble shore lead toward the tree line; it gives the water and curved beach a sense of scale.
Access and rulesStart at the Feldtmann Lake Campground trail junction.
Start at the Feldtmann Lake Campground trail junction. It is a backcountry access, not a drive-up trailhead, so plan the separate hike to the campground as part of your wider route. Dogs, cats and other mammals are prohibited on Isle Royale; service dogs need a park permit arranged before the trip. Water at Rainbow Cove is listed as non-potable, so don't count on it as drinking water.
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.
