Backpacking and Photographing Isle Royal National Park

by Tom Kirkendall

Isle Royale National Park in Michigan is located in Lake Superior, closer to Minnesota and Canada, but belongs to Michigan. Isle Royale National Park is a 40 some mile long stretch of rock breaching the surface like a giant gray whale frozen in place.

Trails can take you the length of the island east to west or bisect it north to south. This maze of trails allows for numerous hiking possibilities.

This past spring I found myself in Minnesota on a separate adventure but the need for more adventure drew me to the rock in the lake for a second trip. Leaving from Grand Portage Minnesota I rode the Voyageur II ferry to the island and into promising weather with visions of a good hike.

(C) Tom Kirkendall

The plan was a six day 65 mile walk from Windigo on the west end to Rock Harbor on the east end crossing back and fourth to the north and south sides.

Six days by ones self is not that long but once you start loading the backpack with food, clothing and essentials the weight begins to add up.

Photo Gear

Then there is the camera equipment. I hiked the island seven years ago and carried a tripod, 4×5 camera 3 lenses, 10 film holders, changing tent, extra film, 120 back with extra film, 35mm camera with one lens and extra film and a flash.

(c) Tom Kirkendall

Thank you for the digital revolution! This time all that was needed was my Canon EOS 5D Mark II a 24-70mm zoom, flash, extra batteries, a few memory cards, and the same tripod from years past. One more essential piece of photo equipment was my Holga wide angle pinhole camera and extra film. Never leave home without a Holga in some form or another.

(c) Tom Kirkendall

Hiking alone presents an open book to go and do what you want. It also presents a major problem with nobody to photograph for those adventure images except yourself. Thanks to the digital camera you can set the timer and run and get into place, shoot, then view each photo before trying again until you get it right. A tripod and the self timer gives you 10 seconds to get yourself in place. With some practice it is possible to get good at positioning yourself.

The Island

Hiking most of the inner island trails are spent in the forest for many miles with only the occasional peek-a-boo view. Fall, with its blaze of color is a far better time for this part of the island. Drinking water can at times be far and few between so be sure to throw in the pack a quart or two. The trails will often pass by swamps, ideal breading ground for winged blood suckers so be sure and bring the bug goop!

(C) Tom Kirkendall

When the trails bring you to the edges of Lake Superior, wonderful opportunities to photograph abound. This is an area that is truly helped with odd or unusual weather. Sunny ‘blue bird’ days tend to really flatten out the scenery in photographs so dramatic skies or even inclement weather really helps add drama to the landscape.

(c)Tom Kirkendall

Most published images of Isle Royale include Lake Superior as an element of the composition.  The challenge is to bring a new vision to not only the editors but to somehow show off the grand scenery and scale of the island, making the viewer think: ”That is a great image of Isle Royale-I want to be there.”

(c) Tom Kirkendall

The birch forests are the best area to photograph on cloudy days, however, on this trip I was blessed or you could say cursed with blazing sun most days. As I hiked through spectacular forest scenes, I passed many that just did not work in the light-that sunlight filtering through the forest canopy. Beautiful as the scenes were the light was just not right.

All the more reason to plan to come back at a different time in the future!

The Hike

The hike from Windigo to Rock Harbor is a relatively easy hike with gently rolling trail through the forest and pretty easy for most hikers if you follow the Greenstone trail. A more challenging hike with a little more open views is to follow the Minong Ridge Trail. This trail is often more bushy and rocky and a slower hike.

(c) Tom Kirkendall

(c) Tom Kirkendall

If you have less time, consider a 2 day hike from McCargoe Cove to Rock Harbor. This trail is 16 miles long and winds through the forest and has beach camping opportunities. As you hike inland you might see wildlife such as moose, fox, osprey, and possibly the Isle Royale gray wolf.

Directions

To get Isle Royale from the Minnesota side, take the Voyageur II ferry out of Grand Portage. Everyone must get off at Windigo for the official do’s and don’ts and to pick up you hiking permit from the National Park Service. From there the boat will take you on to any number of stops. If you get off at McCargoe Campground, start backpacking and you will reach Rock Harbor Campground 16 miles later. Here you can visit the lodge for a hot meal and await the ferry ride pickup and return to Grand Portage, MN. You will need to get a reservation in advance for the boat ride and your hike. All the information can be found on the National Park Service web sight.

(c) Tom Kirkendall

The following images were shot with the pinhole camera.

(c) Tom Kirkendall

(c)Tom Kirkendall

Tom Kirkendall and Vicky Spring have been combining a love of adventure and photography for twenty years. The thrill of capturing the best of the outdoor world on film has led them around the globe. Currently they are concentrating on the amazing diversity of the Pacific Northwest to fill out their file of calendar quality images of mountains, glaciers, oceans, rivers, rain forests, sand dunes and deserts.

Tom and Vicky love assignment work, the more challenging the better. Among their more memorable assignments are the photographing of a bright and cheery freeway exit ramp in the rain for Compaq Computers, documenting a winter climb to the summit of Mount Rainier in a blizzard for Condé Nast Magazine and chasing Sasquatch through the freezing sleet for Backpacker Magazine.

Their stock files are deep. They have in-depth coverage of the Pacific Northwest landscape as well as mountain biking, climbing, hiking, backpacking, canoeing and kayaking.
What they don’t have …. they will be happy to get.

HAVE YOU BEEN ON A PHOTOGRAPHIC ADVENTURE LATELY? IF SO AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IT WITH OUR READERS PLEASE DROP US AN EMAIL.

Books by Kirkendall-Springs:

Bicycling the Pacific Coast

California Hikes by Kirkendall-Spring