Hike the Huginnin Loop

Starting from the Windigo visitor area on Isle Royale's remote west end, the Huginnin Loop drops you into one of the most isolated day hikes in the Lower 48. The trail threads through boreal forest thick with spruce and birch before spitting you out onto the rocky northern shoreline of Lake Superior, where the views across open water feel almost oceanic. You'll pass old mining ruins from the island's copper-boom days — crumbling foundations half-swallowed by moss that most hikers walk right past. The terrain is honest trail, not manicured path: expect roots, rocks, and boardwalks that turn slick after rain. At just over eight miles, it's a full day but never punishing. This is a trail for hikers who want wilderness without the suffer-fest — and who don't mind that getting to the trailhead requires a seaplane or a six-hour ferry ride.