Isle Royale - Greenstone

[Ragabash]

I went to Isle Royale with my son's Scout Troop this past August. Indescribably beautiful. However, the hammock spots were...not the best. We were on the Greenstone Ridge which has very shallow soil, and hence very small trees. There was a lot of vegetation crowding and small, woody bushes to contend with. Dead birch and scraggly, scratchy pines were everywhere except the nice, flat tent spots. Four of us were hammocking, and three of us were usually left wandering far from the campsite in the hopes of finding a good spot. So I was wondering, how is the Minong trail for hammocks? Anyone take that route with a hammock?

[BeechGirl]

Good to know I want to get up there in the next few years. Thanks for the info.

[OCDave]

Minong Ridge is MUCH more hammock friendly but, MUCH more difficult hike. Well worth the hike but, it can chew-up Boy Scouts. Minong Ridge trail is by far the most interesting trail on Isle Royale but, I'd be hesitant to take any boy who wasn't fairly gung-ho. Really, only the section west of North Desor is killer.

My favorite site was lake side at Todd Harbor. we hung 2 hammocks at site 5(?) near the fire ring. A small group we met on trail reported hanging 7 hammocks at the Todd Harbor group site.

North Lake Desor has 3 sites but, that whole area is hammock friendly. Lots of suitable trees with very little growth in-between.

West from North Lake Desor is a long haul, we made arrangements for back-country campsite but, instead we pushed on to Huginnin Cove. Several sites with 2-3 nice hanging options each.

Washington Creek, Large number of sites, we found one that worked for 2 hammocks.

I hiked in August (ripe thimble berries, yum), and found most of the West end of the hike fairly dry. Just one, very long beaver dam that got out boots mucky.

[Ragabash]

Thanks OCDave. Sounds like a much better time. I agree that August is just about the perfecct time to hit the island. On the Greenstone we gorged on blueberries, raspberries, and thimble berries.

[airick]

I'll echo all of OCDave's comments and reinforce the brutality of that section on the minong near North desor. Our trip was north on the greenstone to mccargoe cove and then south on the minong back to windigo. As I recall though Island mine site just off the greenstone was very similar to North desor with many maples and good hanging. I wouldn't recommend hatchet lake for either tents or hammocks. Very swampy and not many trees.

We were there the first week in June 2013, the ice had just left windigo harbor and there was still snow around. We ended up with 8 days of 55-70 degrees for highs and mid twenties to low thirties at night, no rain, and no bugs because of the cold.

It'll be a trip I'll never forget. The crazy thing is I could count on one hand the number of people I saw that weren't in our group for 8 days. Complete solitude.

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