Isle Royale reopens April 16

Isle Royale National Park reopens on Thursday, April 16, but most visitors still will not have regular public transportation to the island for several more weeks. (nps.gov) The National Park Service closes Isle Royale every year from November 1 through April 15, then reopens all islands on April 16. The park’s 2026 trip-planning guide was updated March 31, and the agency says visitors can call its Houghton office to arrange permits or pay fees. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) The basic park fee is $7 a day per person, and children 15 and younger are exempt. Isle Royale no longer takes cash for entrance fees, and the Park Service says visitors should pay online before arrival to avoid lines on the island. (nps.gov) The catch is transportation. The Park Service says ferries and seaplanes for the public typically run from mid-May through September, so the calendar reopening comes before the main travel season. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) The first regular ferry from Copper Harbor, Michigan, is scheduled for May 11 on the Isle Royale Queen IV, with round-trip fares of $175 for adults and $125 for children. That crossing to Rock Harbor takes about 3 hours and 45 minutes each way. (isleroyale.com) The Park Service’s Ranger III ferry from Houghton starts later, on May 26 for Rock Harbor, and the crossing takes about 6 hours each way. The agency says there are no same-day round trips on Ranger III, and 2026 reservations were delayed into April because of staffing limits. (nps.gov) Small-plane service starts May 17, according to Isle Royale Seaplanes, which says it will fly daily through September 19. Its 2026 fares list round trips from Hubbell, Michigan, at $396 or $406 per person depending on route and schedule, with day trips beginning June 6. (isleroyaleseaplanes.com) Sleeping on the island also starts later than the park reopening. Rock Harbor Lodge says its 2026 season begins June 5, and USA Today’s Michigan report says the Windigo and Washington Harbor camper cabins open June 6. (rockharborlodge.com) (usatoday.com) That leaves April 16 as a legal reopening date, not the start of full summer access. For anyone planning a spring trip, the practical start is whichever comes first on their route: a private boat, the May 11 Copper Harbor ferry, the May 17 seaplane, or the May 26 Ranger III. (nps.gov) (isleroyale.com) (isleroyaleseaplanes.com) (nps.gov)