Upper Midwest Tour – Day 12, July 21st

After yesterday, we took it a bit easier today.  We hiked a shorter trail (4.5 miles) with only 85 feet of vertical.  We slept in, had the usual breakfast at the grill (the restaurant was closed for breakfast by the time we got there), and then strolled off to walk the Stoll Trail.  It goes northeast from Rock Harbor along the lines of the island to Scoville Point.  Albert Stoll was the Detroit News Conservation Editor, who was instrumental in advocating for Isle Royale and ultimately saw it preserved in 1940 as a National Park.   

I have included a photo of an interpretative sign that describes the geology of the islands.  

Red Squirrel that like eating mushrooms.

Balsam Pine trees.

Bald Eagle's nest.

We walked atop eroded rock to the northern most point on the Rock Harbor Island which was the impact point for the ice age glaciers.  

We sat and enjoyed the view over a cove, sighting a lone merganser (we think) just sitting and sleeping at the far shoreline.

Copper Mine shafts.

We viewed a few more flowers/plants that were new to us and heard a few bird songs (again identified using the Merlin App) – Swainson’s Thrush, Black-capped Chickadee, and Nashville Warbler.  We also had a closeup look at a massive Bald Eagle’s nest, but no eagle sighting.

 

We arrived back to ‘camp’ and went to the harbor to watch people coming and going, to view the various types of watercraft (from kayaks to the National Park supply ship), and to read in the sunshine.  We chatted with a couple of the kayakers who were returning from a 3-night outing and watched a couple of hardy girls splashing in the water  We anticipate good eating tonight, since the restaurant got re-supplied.

Food for the restaurant.  The first two carts are full size, chest freezers.