Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes [Paperback]

Jim Dufresne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1991

Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior offers a unique wilderness experience. Unlike many national parks where tourists spend only a few hours gazing at the sights, Isle Royale visitors stay in the park for an average of four days. Each year about 17,000 people journey to this magnificent landscape, drawn by its half-million acres of remote trails and its delightful chain of a dozen lakes. Animal sightings are plentiful; the island is home to everything from beavers to loons, moose to wolves.

Readers will find this book a key reference in planning a trip to the island. Individual route listings include terrain, distance, highlights of the route, input and output sites, and the amenities available at each destination. Introductory material covers the park's campgrounds and shelter, wildlife, fishing spots, portage system, history, access, and data.

Jim DuFresne first explored Isle Royale when he was nine years old and has more than five decades of experience on the island. While writing the third edition of this book, DuFresne chose to journey on foot, crossing many of the park's 165 miles of trails with just a backpack. An avid hiker who has trekked around the world, DuFresne has written more than 15 guidebooks, including titles for Alaska, New Zealand, Australia, and Nepal.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An excellent, thorough guide to the island, including detailed chapters devoted to hiking and paddling. -- Minneapolis Star Tribune

An excellent, thorough guide to the island. --Griffin (GA) Daily News --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books; 2nd edition (June 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898862833
• ISBN-13: 978-0898862836
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #746,017 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have a has deep rooted passion for two things; sunsets and shoreline, no doubt the result of living my entire life in the two states that have more coastline than any other; Alaska and Michigan.

After graduating from Michigan State University with a journalism degree, I was soon headed to Juneau, Alaska as the outdoors and sports editor of the Juneau Empire. In 1980, I became the first Alaskan sportswriter to win a national award from Associated Press. More significant than the award or even receiving a letter of congratulations from Governor Jay Hammond, I discovered my passion for the mountains and wilderness travel while living in Alaska's capital city.

Soon after that I spent a winter in New Zealand to backpack and write my first book, "Tramping in New Zealand". Six editions and 30 years later "Tramping in New Zealand" is the world's bestselling guidebook to backpacking in that country. That longevity is true with several of my books. "Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes" that I wrote soon after returning to Michigan has been in publication in various editions for more than 25 years.

Today I live in Clarkston, Michigan where I'm never more than an hour's drive from the shoreline of the Great Lakes. I am main contributor to www.MichiganTrailMaps.com, a resource web site devoted to trail users and the promotion of trails in my home state. I still head back to Alaska frequently to update my Lonely Planet guidebooks, only now I don't have to stay for the winter. In Michigan, I can usually be found out on the trail throughout the year, whether it is hiking, mountain biking, backpacking, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable guide for backpacking/canoeing/kayking IRNP, October 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes (Paperback)

An excellent guide to the park. Indispensable for planning a backpacking, canoeing, or kayaking trip. "Foot Trails" section of the book includes descriptions of all the trails, including difficulty, mileage information, and scenic views along the way. "Water Routes" section of the book includes information needed for a canoeing or kayaking trip, including routes, portages, & campsites. The book also includes some information concerning island history, geology, and biology. If you buy only one book about Isle Royale National Park, this is the one! Small and light enough to carry on your trip. Combine this book with a Trails Illustrated topographical map of the park, & you'll have the basic information necessary to plan your trip.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best guide to hiking Isle Royale, September 3, 2004

By 

Arthur Digbee (Indianapolis, IN, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes (3rd edition) (Paperback)

This seems to be the only guide dedicated to Isle Royale, so we are all lucky that it's a good one. He describes the hikes in some detail and describes the features of each hike well enough so that you can plan what you want to do.

Dufresne divides the book into long hikes, short hikes, and canoe trips and portages. The long hikes are multi-day backpacking trips, while the short hikes are day trips out of the two ranger stations (Rock Harbor and Windigo). The book also has some helpful background information about the park and NPS rules.

My only complaint is that the mileages listed for some long hikes don't capture the whole distance. For example, Dufresne counts the Feldtmann loop as 24 miles, starting at Windigo and ending at the junction of the Island Mine trail and the Greenstone Ridge trail. Sorry, but you have to get back to the boat, and it's another 7 miles to Windigo from that junction. This means that the loop is 31 miles long, not 24 miles.

To avoid surprises like that, pick up the Trails Illustrated map of Isle Royale, which has mileages on it, to supplement this book.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wouldn't have gone without it, February 26, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Isle Royale National Park: Foot Trails & Water Routes (Paperback)

This book was our bible on our 10 day excursion to Isle Royale (royal like a king, not like royale with cheese). Coupled with a good topo map, we were able to get around the island with ease. Was also great for planning our route before the trip. This book tells you everything you need to know for a backpacking/fishing trip to this beautiful place.