Parking
There is no road access or trailhead parking on Isle Royale; visitors reach Rock Harbor by boat or seaplane.
Overview
About Stoll Memorial Trail (Short Loop)
Why go
- A short return option with longer loops available
- Interpretive signs cover natural and cultural history
- Contrasts wooded Tobin Harbor with exposed rocky shore
Heads up
- Rocky footing, boardwalk steps and slick wet rock
- Boat or seaplane access requires seasonal planning
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Isle Royale map
Full mapElevation594–659 ft
TrailheadRock Harbor side trailhead, past the Recreation Hall and Ojibway building48.14646, -88.48375
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 Stoll Memorial Trail (Short Loop), 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.
Recorded for this trailhead
Rock Harbor Lodge and Scoville Point0:00 / 0:34
“You're approaching Rock Harbor Lodge, a useful stop for a hot meal even if you're not staying overnight. Greenstone Grill serves pizza, burgers and sandwiches, with a deck overlooking the harbor.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Isle Royale Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Built for the Dive
- Skiing for Science
- Copper Before the Mine Shafts
- The Fish That Changed the Catch
- 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 Stoll Memorial Trail (Short Loop)
The short returnThe short Stoll loop follows the first signed crossover and returns before the route continues…
The short Stoll loop follows the first signed crossover and returns before the route continues toward Scoville Point. Plan about 1 to 2 hours for roughly 1.8 miles. Longer options continue around the figure-eight or out to Scoville Point.
Footing and exposureThe Tobin Harbor side is mostly wooded and smoother, while the Rock Harbor side is rockier and…
The Tobin Harbor side is mostly wooded and smoother, while the Rock Harbor side is rockier and more exposed. Boardwalks and steps break up the footpath, and wet rocks can be slippery. A steep slope leads down to a bridge near the Rock Harbor trailhead.
Island storiesInterpretive signs along the route introduce Isle Royale’s natural and cultural history.
Interpretive signs along the route introduce Isle Royale’s natural and cultural history. The nearby Smithwick Mine is an early copper-mining site; its fenced rocky opening lies by the Tobin Harbor side trail access.
Reaching the trailStart on the Rock Harbor side just past the Recreation Hall and the Lodge Ojibway building.
Start on the Rock Harbor side just past the Recreation Hall and the Lodge Ojibway building. Rock Harbor is reached by boat or seaplane, not by road, so plan around seasonal transportation. Pets are not allowed.
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.
