Hike to Grace Creek Overlook

Starting from the Windigo visitor area, you'll pick up the Feldtmann Lake Trail and immediately enter the dense boreal forest that makes Isle Royale feel like another planet. The path is rooty and rocky underfoot — this is Isle Royale, so expect to watch your footing more than your watch. After about a mile and a half of winding through spruce and birch, a spur trail breaks off toward the overlook, and the trees open up to reveal a sweeping vista of Grace Creek spilling into Grace Harbor with Lake Superior stretching to the horizon beyond. The rocky perch at the overlook is the kind of spot where you sit down for five minutes and look up an hour later. At under four miles round trip, this is one of the best bang-for-your-effort day hikes out of Windigo — perfect for hikers who just stepped off the ferry and want a real taste of the island without committing to a backcountry odyssey.