East Chickenbone Campground
The Quick Take
East Chickenbone is one of Isle Royale's most remote inland campgrounds, tucked away from Chickenbone Lake's shoreline with just a handful of shelters that make it feel less like a campground and more like a waypoint in genuine wilderness. Unlike its sibling West Chickenbone, which sits lakeside and draws paddlers, the east camp is set back from the water and sees noticeably fewer visitors — even by Isle Royale standards, which already filters out anyone unwilling to take a ferry or seaplane to reach the trailhead. There are no showers, no potable water, no cell service, and no firewood for sale — you are fully on your own out here. The trade-off is real solitude on an island that already feels like the edge of the world. Choose East Chickenbone if you want the quieter alternative on the Minong Ridge or Indian Portage trail corridors and do not mind being a short walk from the lake rather than on it.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 4 sites are reservable.
What You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
No RVs. No electrical hookups. Generators permitted during designated hours.
Accessibility
Not wheelchair accessible. No Roads
Rules to Know
- Generators:Quiet hours are from 10:00 p.m.
Pro Tips
The two-night stay limit during peak season means you need to plan your itinerary carefully — build East Chickenbone into a multi-day traverse rather than treating it as a basecamp. Most thru-hikers use it as a one-night stop between McCargoe Cove and Lake Desor or Hatchet Lake.
Chickenbone Lake has solid fishing for northern pike if you bring barbless hooks and artificial lures, which are required on all inland waters. No fishing license needed for the lake itself, which is one less thing to sort before your trip.
Pack a water filter you trust — there is zero potable water here, and your nearest reliable source is the lake. Food lockers are provided so you do not need to hang a bear bag, but bring everything else: stove fuel, purification, and layers for nights that drop into the forties even in July.
Photos
NPS / Katie Keller
NPS / Mike AusemaGetting There
Directions
The East Chickenbone Campground is located on the east end of Chickenbone Lake, off of the East Chickenbone Lake Campground.
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