Photos

This is a view of Isle Royale, a large, rocky island in Lake Superior. The island and all of the smaller outer islands that surround this strange land are protected by Isle Royale National Park. It's the least visited National Park in the United States because it is very difficult to get to the island. It's very far from any major population centers, and to get to the island you must take either a 6-hour ferry ride across the treacherous waters of Lake Superior or take a float plane for a very high price. On top of that, the island is for extreme backpackers only, though there is one lodge on the island. The constant changes in elevation, rough trails and rocky terrain make this a difficult park to hike. Because of this, the island is incredibly preserved. A range of moose and a pack of wolves lives on the island, and their relationship is under constant study by various universities. The plant life on the island is very strange and unique, and is similar to plant life found in the northern rainforests of Washington's Olympia National Park.

The island is within the territory of the U.S. state of Michigan, despite the fact that it lies only 35 miles from the Canadian shoreline. In fact, you can see the cliffs on the Canadian shoreline in the far background in this photo. This photo was taken as we were flying out of Isle Royale on our last day (yes, we took the expensive route).

This qualifies for the scavenger hunt "The Impossible Hunt" under the "From an Island" category.