Top 10 Astonishing Facts about Isle Royale National Park

Top 10 Astonishing Facts about Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale National Park is located in the state of Michigan. The national park is made up of the Isle Royale and other small islands, which are more than 400. The national park attracts many tourists as it is far from the sights of civilization and thus gives them a chance to explore the adventures available and have peace of mind.

Additionally, the park was established in April 1940, and it is managed by the National Park Service. The Isle Royale is unique because it is a completely car-free park and is only accessed via boats, ferries and water planes.

1. The primary reason why the national park was established was to conserve the wilderness

An Isle Royale National Park park ranger boat at the Rock Harbor dock. Picture by Tony Webster–Wikimedia

In 1931, President Herbert Hoover mandated the creation of Isle Royale National Park. The United States Congress established Isle Royale National Park to conserve a good example of North Woods Wilderness. The park was then formally established in 1940 when America’s then President Franklin Roosevelt signed it into legislation.

The natural wilderness area covers 99%  of the park, with the remaining one percent being developed. The developed area is divided into two, with one found on the Minnesota side and the other one on the Michigan side. The areas are used as docking areas for boats and ferries.

2. Wolves and moose can be found on the Isle Royale

A picture of wolves attaking a moose at Isle Royale National Park-By Rolf Peterson on Wikimedia

Since the national park has a dense forest cover, it provides an ideal habitat for wild animals. Wolves and moose can be seen when visitors go to the island. These two are the largest animals on the island. However, wolves tend to be elusive and stay away from tourists as they prefer solitude. Scientists like to look at the interaction between the two species.

3. The park closes for winter

Isle Royale National Park closes for winter, which means visitors are not allowed into the park. The park is open from mid-April to the end of October and closes from November. This is because the region experiences intense winter weather.

The park being closed in the winter months results in a low number of visitors annually, making it one of the least visited national parks in the United States. They are not fully operational throughout the year. However, the national park gets many repeat visitors.

4. The park is home to a variety of bird species

A picture of the Sandhill Crane by gary_leavens-Wikimedia

There are 82 species of birds in Isle Royale National Park. Some of the birds found in the area include a downy woodpecker, great blue heron, winter wren, double-breasted cormorant, snow bunting and the sandhill crane.

There have been changes in the population and species of birds found in the national park over the decades due to changes in habitats. The change is caused by human actions, for instance, fires set to reveal copper and the natural progression of the forest.

5. The national park offers camping opportunities to visitors

A camping shelter nestled in the woods along the Lake Superior shoreline at Isle Royale National Park’s Daisy Farm Campground-By Tony Webster on Wikimedia

Tourists who want to explore and be in touch with nature can go camping in Isle Royale National Park. The park has 36 camping grounds which are distributed across the island. This means that the visitors get to choose which camping grounds will be ideal for them depending on the number of people and the location of the grounds.

Additionally, all the camping grounds provide a water source, tent sites and outhouses. Others have additional amenities like picnic tables and shelters.

6. Hiking in the wilderness

The Ridge Trail in the Isle Royale by © 2006 Todd VerBeek-Wikimedia

The national park offers day hiking to visitors. It has more than 166 miles of hiking trails. The park is ideal for adventurous people in that it has a hiking trail known as Greenstone Ridge Trail, which is 42 miles. The trail is 18 inches wide and is also rocky and uneven, which requires an individual to have sturdy shoes.

Additionally, it is critical for a tourist to pack essential things like a water filter, compass, and food that will sustain them for multiple days while they backpack. The trail goes through swamps, forested wilderness, rocky ridges, wooden bridges and steep inclines. Therefore, this makes for an interesting experience as the tourists will explore different features the national park offers.

7. It is an International Biosphere Reserve

In 1980, UNESCO designated Isle Royale National Park to be an International Biosphere Reserve. The park provides outstanding opportunities for research in that human influence on the ecosystem is minimal. With good ecological characteristics like the availability of different types of vegetation and a unique climate,  the park is ideal for testing out phenomena.

8. The area used to be covered by ice.

The area was overrun with glaciers which meant that the whole region was filled with ice. However, around 1.2 billion years ago, a rift opened in the earth crust and produced rocks that became part of the park’s bedrock. The glaciers formed ridges and parallel islands in the region.

However, the glaciers receded due to global warming, and the melted ice formed lakes. There are still a few glaciers that usually range from a few inches to close to four feet.

9. Scientists monitor the park

Great Lakes Inventory and Monitoring Network and scientists from the National Park Service continuously monitor the park in order to evaluate the trends that arise in the health of forests, inland lakes, animal population and vegetation. This project ensures that the national park service comes up with ways to protect the park’s ecosystem and ensure that the animals and vegetation are protected.

10. The weather in the national park is harsh

Isle Royale National Park experiences very harsh weather, and as a result, there have been many shipwrecks. The wrecks are well preserved because of Lake Superior’s fresh cold water. Therefore, this feature attracts tourists who want to see the wrecks from within the state and outside

Additionally, Isle Royale National Park prides itself in being the only national park in the state of Michigan. This fact makes it a treasure in that there are no other national parks in the state.