Isle Royale Forums

I'm am trying to plan a trip to the IR. I had been originally planning on going to hike another section of the Superior Hiking Trail but thought it'd be great if I could make a trip to Isle Royale.

3 nights is about the longest I'll be able to spend on the island, but I think I've come up with a decent plan for it. However, I haven't seen anything online of people making this same route, and I thought I'd be good to hear if anyone had anything to add or suggestions/comments.

Current plan:
Day 1: arrive at Windigo, hike to N Desor
Day 2: N Desor to Lake Hatchet
Day 3: Lake Hatchet to Malone Bay
Day 4: pick up from Malone Bay, back to Grand Portage.

Does anyone know the conditions/difficulty of these hikes? I'm in fairly good condition, but am not sure what to expect of the route.

I've also heard good things of Little Todd campsite and the Feltmann Ridge loop, but not sure how to make a 3 night trip with the little todd site, or a 3 night trip of the feltmann ridge loop.


Thanks!

I may not the best to respond, since I haven't hiked those trails myself, but it seems rather aggressive to me unless you're exceptionally fit and experienced. Those are, by all accounts, the most difficult trails on the island. Your first day would be especially long with a late start off the boat and probably the most difficult section of trail.

A 3-day Feldtmann Loop would be Feldtmann Lake, Siskiwit Bay, and Windigo. It's not uncommon to hit Feldtmann Lake off the boat, nothing particularly difficult trail wise. A side trip to Rainbow Cove is almost mandatory, hopefully for a great sunset. From there, you climb Feldtmann Ridge and get great views from the fire tower. After you descend the ridge it's a rather long, flat, straight stretch that can be boring and rather overgrown, but Siskiwit Bay makes it worthwhile. The last day, the longest, follows the shoreline, ascends the Greenstone ridge, but from there is an easy, gradual downhill trail into Windigo. An alternative is to stay at Hugginin Cove the the last night, and hike in to Windigo in the a.m. to catch the boat.

For a first trip, I'd recommend the Feldtmann option, but do see the appeal of the road less traveled--but only if you have the experience to be up to it.

I second Ingo's post.

3 nights is perfect for the Feltmann loop.

Your route is certainly doable but you will be on the trail the majority of the time.
Windigo to N Desor is haul. Depending on when you arrive it'll be pretty late when you get there.

Hatchet to Malone (when I did it mid August a few years ago) was super slow going. Not difficult per say in terms of elevation or terrain but it's one of the lesser traveled trails so can be pretty over grown. There is a 5' tall person within arms reach of the camera lens in this photo.

At what point during the season do you propose to go?

Your suggested route could be enjoyable for the right person.

Many find the Feldtmann loop more doable.

You could also consider hiking from Windigo to Malone Bay via South Desor. The trail to Malone Bay is indeed one of the less-traveled routes. If you arrive a day early (because of your hiking speed), it's a fine place to relax.

Another option if you are arriving on the Voyageur II would be to take the boat on to McCargoe Cove and hike back on the Minong. You'd be on trail at 1pm Central. You could camp the first night at Todd Harbor, then choose your stops from Little Todd, North Desor and Huginnin going back. Nothing wrong with the suggestions of the Feldtmann loop, but I prefer being near and seeing Lake Superior as much as possible.

Tagging off of S_R_I's post above, I did the trail down into Malone Bay last spring, at the time there were a couple points I went off trail and had to find my way back. It's not a difficult or challenging trail, but it does take some time. It's worth it as an end destination in my opinion. You may be more limited by boat schedules than anything else at this point.

One quick note about the Feldtmann loop that is often not mentioned: there is no water to be found between Siskiwit Bay and Feldtmann Lake and the ascent either diection is steep. In a good year, if you know where to look, there is a crevice near the fire lookout that a little water seeps out of, but it is minimal and cannot be counted on even if you find it. Plan on starting this 10+ mile section early in the morning and carry enough water to get you through the hike.

JavaHiker wrote: ↑Sun Aug 06, 2023 7:31 am One quick note about the Feldtmann loop that is often not mentioned: there is no water to be found between Siskiwit Bay and Feldtmann Lake. In a good year, if you know where to look, there is a crevice near the fire lookout that a little water seeps out of, but it is minimal and cannot be counted on even if you find it. Plan on hydrating well when you start this 10+ mile section and carry enough water to get you through the hike

In May, I was surprised to find a waterfall along the Feldtmann trail, which would have been a great water source! I had never heard anybody talk about it before. It was probably 1 mile west of the fire tower. Not huge, but not small either. It is fed from a beaver pond, so while it might get quieter in summer, it probably still runs. It's easy to find: The trail follows the beaver pond, then drops down on rock steps to cross a small stream right in front of the waterfall.

dcclark wrote: ↑Sun Aug 06, 2023 7:45 am

JavaHiker wrote: ↑Sun Aug 06, 2023 7:31 am One quick note about the Feldtmann loop that is often not mentioned: there is no water to be found between Siskiwit Bay and Feldtmann Lake. In a good year, if you know where to look, there is a crevice near the fire lookout that a little water seeps out of, but it is minimal and cannot be counted on even if you find it. Plan on hydrating well when you start this 10+ mile section and carry enough water to get you through the hike

In May, I was surprised to find a waterfall along the Feldtmann trail, which would have been a great water source! I had never heard anybody talk about it before. It was probably 1 mile west of the fire tower. Not huge, but not small either. It is fed from a beaver pond, so while it might get quieter in summer, it probably still runs. It's easy to find: The trail follows the beaver pond, then drops down on rock steps to cross a small stream right in front of the waterfall.

Good info. There must have been some busy beavers working in the area since my last hike up from Feldtmann Lake two years ago. I may make it a day trip in a few weeks to see its status.

It was a magical little place, made even better because it was unexpected. I definitely recommend checking it out. Here's a photo with my wife and hiking partner for scale. The stream continues through the large boulders at the bottom and drains into a lowland area. The coordinates on the photo are N 47.8541972, W 89.1244917.

That is the crevice I mentioned earlier. I have seen waterflow like this in May as well, but in dry years by mid-summer it can be down to barely a trickle. If a beaver dam now exists there may be water behind it that can be filtered for use. I would encourage anyone hiking this section to visit this beautiful spot, but still be prepared with all the water they need for the day, just in case.

dcclark wrote:It was a magical little place, made even better because it was unexpected. I definitely recommend checking it out. Here's a photo with my wife and hiking partner for scale. The stream continues through the large boulders at the bottom and drains into a lowland area. The coordinates on the photo are N 47.8541972, W 89.1244917.

I have done the Feldtmann Loop twice before this year's trip, and remember seeing the waterfall during each trip. Although, during our trip in May this year, I must admit that I forgot about it until we stumbled upon it.

You're right dcclark, it's not a large waterfall, but it's definitely more than a trickle, and it appeared to be pretty clear water even before filtering.