Isle Royale National Park

Lake Richie Canoe Campground

First-Come, First-Served PaddlersSolitude SeekersAnglers
3 Total Sites
Free Per Night
First-Come Booking
Seasonal Open Season

The Quick Take

Lake Richie Canoe Campground is one of those places that makes you earn every moment of stillness. Tucked on the north shore of Lake Richie with only a handful of sites, this is about as remote as Isle Royale camping gets — and Isle Royale is already the least-visited national park in the lower 48. There's no paddling straight here; you're portaging your canoe or kayak at least half a mile from the nearest connecting lake, which acts as a natural filter against casual visitors. No potable water, no toilets worth mentioning, no anything really — just lake, forest, and whatever you carried in on your back and over your boat. The two-night stay limit during peak season keeps the sites turning over, but with so few spots, you might arrive to find them all taken. This campground is for experienced backcountry paddlers who consider a portage the price of admission to genuine solitude.

PaddlersSolitude SeekersAnglersBackcountry Veterans

Booking

Reserve Your Campsite

3 sites, first-come first-served.

Phone 9064820984
Booking tip: No reservations accepted — this is pure first-come, first-served backcountry camping, so plan to arrive early in the day and always have a fallback campground in mind if the three sites are claimed.

What You Get

Flush Toilets
Potable Water
Camp Store
Firewood for Sale
Dump Station
Amphitheater
Cell Service
Ice for Sale
Food Storage Lockers
Trash & Recycling
Host On-Site
Showers
Internet / WiFi
Laundry
Electrical Hookups

Sites & Setup

Total Sites 3
Reservable 3
Tent-Only 3
Walk-in / Boat-in 3

RV Information

No RVs. No electrical hookups. Generators permitted during designated hours.

Accessibility

No wheelchair access. No Roads

Rules to Know

  • Generators:Quiet hours are from 10:00 p.m.

Pro Tips

Camping Tip

The shortest portage in is from Intermediate Lake at just over half a mile, but the trail from Lake LeSage is equally short and often less traveled — scout both options before committing, especially if you're hauling a loaded canoe.

Camping Tip

Lake Richie holds northern pike and you won't need a fishing license for inland waters here, but you must use barbless hooks and artificial lures only — pack a small pair of pliers and a few extra flies since losing gear this far from civilization means you're done fishing.

Camping Tip

Bring a serious water filter and extra capacity — there's no potable water at the campground and Lake Richie is your only source. A gravity filter you can hang at camp beats a hand pump when you're already exhausted from portaging.

Photos

From the water, a view of the distant shoreline where the Lake Richie Canoe Campsite is located.NPS / Mike Ausema
From the water, a view of the shoreline with evergreen trees, bare rock, and blue sky.NPS / Mike Ausema
Lake Richie Canoe Campsite with sign post in foreground, tent surrounded by trees in distance.NPS / Mike Ausema

Getting There

Directions

Lake Richie Canoe Campground is located on the north shore of Lake Richie.

Get directions

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Explore Isle Royale National Park

36 campgrounds, 65 trails, 29K annual visitors

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