Harbor to Hills Section 5: Hike from Lake Richie to West Chickenbone

This stretch of the Indian Portage Trail connects two of Isle Royale's quietest interior lakes through dense boreal forest that feels genuinely remote — because it is. The path is rough and honest about it: expect roots snaking across the trail like tripwires, rocks that stay slick well into the afternoon, and vegetation that crowds in from both sides, brushing your arms and pack as you pass. The terrain rolls through modest ups and downs without any single brutal climb, but the uneven footing makes those three-and-a-half miles feel longer than they look on paper. You'll emerge at West Chickenbone campground on the shore of Chickenbone Lake, where the water is glass-still on calm evenings and moose sometimes wade the shallows at dusk. This is a trail for backpackers who measure a good day not in views bagged but in the satisfying quiet of walking through country where you might not see another person all afternoon.