Isle Royale Hub

09/01/2026

Some sunsets at Blake Point are just KNOT REEL. 🌅😎

Orange lichen-covered rocks, Lake Superior glowing in the background, and a quick pan over to the little bay where Knot Reel is tucked in for the evening.

Hard to beat this place at sunset.

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09/01/2026

One advantage to September—the sun finally sleeps in a little. 😂🌅

Up at 6:30 this morning after a couple days camping at Merritt Lane. Packed up camp, loaded the boat and headed out just before sunrise. Lake Superior decided to send me off with quite a show.

Not a bad way to start the trip back to Rock Harbor.

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09/01/2026

🍓 Mapping Isle Royale… one thimbleberry at a time.

I gathered these right around the Rock Harbor marina and along the path up toward the housekeeping cabins. I've been watching and waiting on these bushes for weeks, and the thimbleberries are finally starting to ripen.

It's funny how they come along — I'll pick the one ripe berry on a branch, then come back the next day and another one is ready on the same branch.

I've also noticed they bloom and ripen pretty late here around Rock Harbor. Being right next to the cold waters of Lake Superior keeps us a little cooler than farther inland.

So naturally, I had to put today's harvest to good use and mark a few Isle Royale campgrounds. 😂🍓

Late summer has officially arrived at Rock Harbor.

08/31/2026

Just a quiet morning at Duncan Bay Narrows. 🫎

A cow and her calf slowly making their way along the shoreline, with nothing but the birds and a chatty red squirrel in the background.

Mornings like this are hard to beat on Isle Royale.

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08/30/2026

Monday night at Blake Point Light.

I had the day off and was camped over at Merritt Lane, so around 8 PM I headed over to Blake Point Light to catch the evening light. Pretty good decision.

I brought the DJI Osmo 360 along and had some fun getting a few different perspectives from the light structure as the sun dropped over Lake Superior. The orange lichen, rugged shoreline, and that sky made for one heck of a view.

The 360 camera definitely gives you some wild angles you don't normally get to see, especially looking straight down through the structure.

The last photo is a panoramic shot from the Osmo 360, showing the whole scene from up there.

Not a bad way to spend a day off on Isle Royale. 🌅

08/30/2026

A little loon maintenance in Duncan Bay Narrows. Ray spotted this one close by, just taking its time preening and getting every feather back where it belongs. Pretty cool getting such a close-up look at one of Isle Royale’s best-known residents.

08/29/2026

🐇 A little Isle Royale lawn maintenance.

This snowshoe hare seemed pretty content working its way through the greenery.

Cool fact: their famous color change is triggered largely by changing day length-brown for summer camouflage and nearly white for winter. And those oversized, furry back feet really do work like snowshoes, helping them stay on top of deep snow.

Just 31 seconds of one of Isle Royale’s quieter residents doing its thing.

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08/28/2026

Important update from Isle Royale National Park for anyone heading to the island yet this season.

Some camping restrictions are now in place at Three Mile, Daisy Farm, Moskey Basin, and Caribou Island due to continued wolf activity. Definitely worth giving the full NPS post a read if you have an upcoming trip planned.

Due to increased human-wildlife interactions and food storage concerns, individual tent sites and group sites at Three Mile, Daisy Farm, Moskey Basin, and Caribou Island Campgrounds are currently closed. Tent and hammock camping are not permitted anywhere within the campground. Off-trail camping zones 10, 11, 12, 13, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38 are closed. Shelters remain open.

Food, trash, and scented items must be stored in animal-resistant, hard-sided containers or food storage lockers. Backpacks must be stored in shelters.

Closed areas will be patrolled to ensure compliance.

For the most up to date information, check Isle Royale Current Conditions: https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/current-conditions-at-isle-royale.htm

To learn more about food storage on Isle Royale, and how to properly store your food, trash, and scented items, visit: https://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/food-storage.htm

08/28/2026

August 18, 2026 — Superior Diver tied up in Tobin Harbor with the northern lights glowing overhead. Not a bad backdrop for a dive boat on Lake Superior! 🌌

Just another one of those Isle Royale nights.

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08/28/2026

🦦 Dockside entertainment in Snug Harbor!

Caught these river otters playing around underneath one of the docks, diving and popping back up like they owned the place.

Cool Isle Royale fact: river otters are the most aquatic members of the weasel family, and they're built for it—webbed feet, water-repellent fur, and ears and nostrils that close underwater.

About 30 seconds of pure otter entertainment.

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