Isle Royale reopens April 16

Isle Royale National Park reopens to visitors on Thursday, April 16, after its annual winter closure that runs from November 1 through April 15. (nps.gov) The park service says the island and its surrounding islands reopen April 16, but most passenger transportation does not start until May. The National Park Service’s Ranger III ferry from Houghton generally runs Tuesdays and Fridays, with returns on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and says 2026 reservation confirmations are delayed until seasonal staff return in mid-April. (nps.gov) Visitors also pay a separate park entrance fee: $7 per person per calendar day, with children 15 and under exempt. Isle Royale’s $60 season pass covers the pass holder and up to three other adults for visits during the April 16 to October 31 season. (nps.gov) That timing matters because Isle Royale is one of the few national parks you cannot drive into. The park sits in northwestern Lake Superior, and the National Park Service says visitors reach it only by boat or seaplane. (nps.gov) The first regular ferry from Copper Harbor, Michigan, the Isle Royale Queen IV, is scheduled for May 11. The crossing to Rock Harbor takes about 3 hours 45 minutes, and 2026 round-trip fares are listed at $175 for adults and $125 for children 12 and under. (isleroyale.com) From Minnesota, Grand Portage Isle Royale Transportation Lines starts its Voyageur II service on May 9, with stops that can include Windigo, McCargoe Cove, Belle Isle, and Rock Harbor. Its Sea Hunter III day-trip and Windigo service starts later, on June 10, and adult one-way camper fare is listed at $110.50. (isleroyaleboats.com, isleroyaleboats.com) Seaplane service starts May 17 and runs daily through September 19, according to Isle Royale Seaplanes. The company lists one-way flights from Hubbell to Windigo or Rock Harbor at $282 per person and round trips at $406. (isleroyaleseaplanes.com, isleroyaleseaplanes.com) Lodging opens later than the park itself. Rock Harbor Lodge lists its 2026 operating season as June 5 through September 12, which means early-season visitors reopening week will largely be campers and private boaters rather than lodge guests. (rockharborlodge.com) That makes the practical takeaway simple for April travelers: the park is legally open on April 16, but the easiest public ways to get there begin in May, and the main lodge does not open until June 5. (nps.gov, isleroyale.com, rockharborlodge.com)