National Park · Michigan, United States
Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park is a national park in Michigan, United States, covering 571,790 acres (231,396 ha), established in 1940; it recorded 29,091 visits in 2025.
Photo: William Wadas via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Park facts
| Park type | National Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Michigan, United States |
| Area | 571,790 acres (231,396 ha) |
| Established | 1940 |
| Annual visits (2025) | 29,091 |
| Highest point | Mount Desor — 425 m (1,394 ft) |
| Coordinates | 48.1000° N, 88.5500° W |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
About Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park is a national park of the United States consisting of Isle Royale, along with more than 400 small adjacent islands and the surrounding waters of Lake Superior, in Michigan. Isle Royale is 45 mi (72 km) long and 9 mi (14 km) wide, with an area of 206.73 sq mi (535.4 km2), making it the fifth-largest lake island in the world. In addition, it is the largest natural island in Lake Superior, the second-largest island in the Great Lakes (after Manitoulin Island), the third-largest in the contiguous United States (after Long Island and Padre Island), and the 33rd-largest island in the United States.
Description from the park's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), linked in the sources below.
Planning your visit
Best time to visit
April to October — the ferry season; the park closes in winter
What to do
Getting there
| Nearest town | Houghton, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Houghton County Memorial Airport |
| Getting there | It is located off US-41 just 52 miles north of Houghton, Michigan. |
Where to stay
| Campgrounds | Yes |
|---|
Famous trails
- Greenstone Ridge Trail — 40.0 miles (64.4 km) — Hard
Like Isle Royale National Park? Visit Isle Royale National Park’s official park page for hours and current conditions before you travel.
Airports near this park
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Thunder Bay International Airport (YQT) · Thunder Bay, Canada · 40.3 miles away
- Houghton County Memorial Airport (CMX) · Hancock, United States · 64.4 miles away
- Marquette Sawyer Regional Airport (MQT) · Gwinn, United States · 132.4 miles away
Parks nearby
More parks in Michigan
Frequently asked questions
Where is Isle Royale National Park?
Isle Royale National Park is in Michigan, United States (48.1000° N, 88.5500° W).
When was Isle Royale National Park established?
Isle Royale National Park was established in 1940, per the source listed at the foot of this page.
How big is Isle Royale National Park?
Isle Royale National Park covers 571,790 acres (231,396 ha).
How many people visit Isle Royale National Park each year?
It recorded 29,091 recreation visits in 2025, the latest published figure.
What is the highest point in Isle Royale National Park?
The highest point is Mount Desor, at 425 metres (1,394 ft).
When is the best time to visit Isle Royale National Park?
April to October — the ferry season; the park closes in winter.
Does Isle Royale National Park have campgrounds?
Yes — Isle Royale National Park has campgrounds.
How do I get to Isle Royale National Park?
The nearest town is Houghton, Michigan. The nearest airport is Houghton County Memorial Airport. It is located off US-41 just 52 miles north of Houghton, Michigan.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_United_States_National_Park_System_official_units — Wikipedia list of National Park System official units — unit name, state, official designation.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System — Wikipedia list of National Park System areas — year established and gross area.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States — Wikipedia list of US national parks — coordinates, established date, area, recreation visitors (2025), description.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_Royale_National_Park — Wikipedia article — description (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.nps.gov/isro/ — Official park page.