Greenstone Section 7: Hike from South Desor to Island Mine

This stretch of the Greenstone Ridge Trail plays a quiet trick on you — somewhere in the dense hardwood canopy, you cross Mount Desor, the highest point on Isle Royale, without any fanfare or viewpoint to mark it. The trail rolls through sugar maple and yellow birch forest, the kind of deep green tunnel that makes you forget Lake Superior exists just a few miles in every direction. The footing is rooty and occasionally muddy, with enough ups and downs to keep your legs honest over the five-plus miles between camps. Don't expect dramatic overlooks here; the reward is the solitude itself. On a busy summer day, you might see two other backpacking groups. This section is for hikers who find satisfaction in the rhythm of walking through genuine wilderness, where moose tracks outnumber boot prints.