Lane Cove Campground
The Quick Take
Lane Cove is one of Isle Royale's most tucked-away campgrounds, sitting on the park's north shore where most visitors never bother to go. With only a handful of sites, this is about as close to having your own private cove on Lake Superior as you'll get without chartering a bush plane. There's no boat dock here — you're arriving on foot via the Greenstone Ridge Trail or paddling in by canoe or kayak, which keeps the casual crowd away entirely. The trade-off is real: no potable water, no toilets worth mentioning, and a strict one-night stay limit during peak season. But what you get is a quiet shoreline camp where the only noise competition is loons and the occasional wolf howl echoing across the ridge. This one's for experienced backpackers who treat minimal amenities as a feature, not a bug.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
5 sites, first-come first-served.
What You Get
Sites & Setup
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
The one-night limit from June through mid-September means you need to plan your itinerary carefully — treat Lane Cove as a strategic overnight on a longer Greenstone Ridge traverse rather than a destination camp. Book your backcountry permit early since the entire island operates on a limited visitor capacity.
The cove faces north toward Canada, which means spectacular sunset light reflecting off Lake Superior's open water. Arrive by mid-afternoon to snag a shoreline site and have time to filter water from the lake before settling in for the evening show.
Pack a water filter — there's no potable water here and you'll be pulling directly from Lake Superior or nearby streams. Bring a bear canister or plan to use the food lockers provided, because Isle Royale's fox population is bold and will raid an unprotected food bag faster than you can unpack your sleeping pad.
Photos
Seth Hiers
NPS / Lori Honrath
NPS / Kaitlyn KnickGetting There
Directions
Lane Cove Campground is located in Lane Cove, on the northeast end of Isle Royale National Park (along Lake Superior), off of the Lane Cove Trail.
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