96-406: Ranger III is a 648-ton vessel built to carry visitors to Isle Royale National Park , on Lake Superior . She was built in 1958, and has undergone several refits. The vessel is designed to carry 125 passengers, as well as 100 tons of cargo. She is designed to be operated by a crew of six when only carrying cargo, and by a crew of nine, when carrying passengers. The vessel she replaced, Ranger II ,
192-683: A UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve in 1980, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2019 as the Minong Traditional Cultural Property . The park covers 894 sq mi (2,320 km ), with 209 sq mi (540 km ) of land and 685 sq mi (1,770 km ) of surrounding waters. The park's northern boundary lies adjacent to the Canadian Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area along
288-458: A barge could come to retrieve it, promised in no more than 3 months' time. They were dropped off in July and were left stranded there until the following spring. They were left with minimal provisions, which consisted of a half-barrel of flour, six pounds of butter, and some beans. A supply boat was promised to arrive after the first few weeks, but it was never sent out. The full events were chronicled in
384-441: A footnote as told by Angelique, in the first printing of a book called "The Honorable Peter White" by Ralph D. Williams in 1907; Angelique's story was pulled from the subsequent printing, thus making it the only written record that survives. Humans have not normally settled year-round on Isle Royale. For about three thousand years, Native Americans used the land for copper and fish. These Native Americans usually limited their visits to
480-588: A more modern vessel of similar capability, or several smaller, more specialized vessels. Isle Royale National Park Isle Royale National Park is a national park of the United States consisting of Isle Royale , along with more than 400 small adjacent islands and the surrounding waters of Lake Superior , in Michigan . Isle Royale is 45 mi (72 km) long and 9 mi (14 km) wide, with an area of 206.73 sq mi (535.4 km ), making it
576-461: A private hunting preserve in the early 1900s. The cultural evidence that moose were trapped in northwestern Minnesota and transported to Isle Royale seemed unlikely until decades later when genetic evidence revealed the moose on Isle Royale were more closely related to moose in the far northwestern Minnesota/Manitoba border area than the mainland adjacent to Isle Royale in far northeastern Minnesota bordering Ontario. Further evidence has also shown that
672-505: A small tent. Some tent sites with space for groups of up to 10 are available, and are used for overflow if all the individual sites are filled. The only amenities at the campgrounds are pit toilets , picnic tables, and fire-rings at specific areas. Campfires are not permitted at most campgrounds; gas or alcohol camp stoves are recommended. Drinking and cooking water must be drawn from local water sources (Lake Superior and inland lakes) and filtered, treated, or boiled to avoid parasites. Hunting
768-479: A study by professors at the University of Minnesota Duluth , Lake Superior may have warmed faster than its surrounding area. Summer surface temperatures in the lake appeared to have increased by about 4.5 °F (2.5 °C) between 1979 and 2007, compared with an approximately 2.7 °F (1.5 °C) increase in the surrounding average air temperature. The increase in the lake's surface temperature may be related to
864-416: A sunken body will bloat it with gas, causing it to float to the surface after a few days. But Lake Superior's water is cold enough year-round to inhibit bacterial growth , and bodies tend to sink and never resurface. Joe MacInnis reported that in July 1994, explorer Frederick Shannon's Expedition 94 to the wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald discovered a man's body near the port side of her pilothouse, not far from
960-421: A survey found 385 moose and 21 wolves in 3 packs. In spring 2008, 23 wolves and approximately 650 moose were counted. However, recent reductions in winter pack ice had ended replenishment of the wolf population from the mainland. Due to genetic inbreeding, the wolf population had declined to two individuals in 2016, causing researchers to expect that the island's wolf population would eventually become extinct. At
1056-507: A two-week circumnavigation hike. Some of the hiking trails are quite challenging, with steep grades. The Greenstone Ridge is a high ridge in the center of the island and carries the longest trail in the park, the Greenstone Ridge Trail , which runs 40 mi (64 km) from one end of the island to the other. This is generally done as a 4 or 5 day hike. A boat shuttle can carry hikers back to their starting point. The trail leads to
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#17328700117951152-522: Is brackish . Lake Superior has a surface area of 31,700 square miles (82,103 km ), which is approximately the size of South Carolina or Austria . It has a maximum length of 350 statute miles (560 km ; 300 nmi ) and maximum breadth of 160 statute miles (257 km; 139 nmi). Its average depth is 80.5 fathoms (483 ft; 147 m) with a maximum depth of 222.17 fathoms (1,333 ft; 406 m). Lake Superior contains 2,900 cubic miles (12,100 km ) of water. There
1248-444: Is 600 feet (183 m) above sea level . Until approximately 1887, the natural hydraulic conveyance through the St. Marys River rapids determined the outflow from Lake Superior. By 1921, development in support of transportation and hydroelectric power resulted in gates, locks, power canals and other control structures completely spanning St. Marys rapids. The regulating structure is known as
1344-1042: Is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome transition zone between the true boreal forest to the north and Big Woods to the south, with characteristics of each. It has areas of both broadleaf and conifer forest cover, and bodies of water ranging from conifer bogs to swamps. Conifers include jack pines ( Pinus banksiana ), black and white spruces ( Picea mariana and Picea glauca ), balsam firs ( Abies balsamea ), and eastern redcedars ( Juniperus virginiana ). Deciduous trees include quaking aspens ( Populus tremuloides ), red oaks ( Quercus rubra ), paper birches ( Betula papyrifera ), American mountain ash ( Sorbus americana ), red maples ( Acer rubrum ), sugar maples ( Acer saccharum ), and mountain maples ( Acer spicatum ). There are over 600 species of flowering plants found in Isle Royale National Park such as wild sarsaparilla, marsh-marigold, wood lily and prickly wild rose. Isle Royale National Park
1440-483: Is a designated scenic road system connecting all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River. Lake Superior's size reduces the severity of the seasons of its humid continental climate (more typically seen in locations like Nova Scotia ). The water surface's slow reaction to temperature changes, seasonally ranging between 32 and 55 °F (0–13 °C) around 1970, helps to moderate surrounding air temperatures in
1536-449: Is an unusual record of environmental nitrogen buildup. It may relate to anthropogenic alternations to the regional nitrogen cycle , but researchers are still unsure of the causes of this change to the lake's ecology. As for other Great Lakes fish, populations have also been affected by the accidental or intentional introduction of foreign species such as the sea lamprey and Eurasian ruffe . Accidental introductions have occurred in part by
1632-651: Is called 'the Minong Traditional Cultural Property.' In 1845, an Ojibwe woman named Angelique and her voyageur husband Charles Mott were left on Isle Royale, as hires for Cyrus Mendenhall and the Lake Superior Copper Company. They were hired and carried to Isle Royale by Mendenhall's schooner, the Algonquin , first to scout for copper. Angelique found a large mass of copper ore. She and her husband were hired to stay and guard it until
1728-477: Is enough water in Lake Superior to cover the entire land mass of North and South America to a depth of 30 centimetres (12 in). The shoreline of the lake stretches 2,726 miles (4,387 km) (including islands). The lake boasts a very small ratio (1.55) of catchment area to surface area, which indicates minimal terrestrial influence. American limnologist J. Val Klump was the first person to reach
1824-919: Is fed by more than 200 rivers, including the Nipigon River , the St. Louis River , the Pigeon River , the Pic River , the White River , the Michipicoten River , the Bois Brule River and the Kaministiquia River . The lake's outlet at St. Marys River has a relatively steep gradient with rapids. The Soo Locks enable ships to bypass the rapids and to overcome the 25-foot (8 m) height difference between Lakes Superior and Huron. The lake's average surface elevation
1920-480: Is heavily influenced by the cold waters of Lake Superior . According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. Potential natural vegetation Types, Isle Royale National Park has a Great Lakes Spruce / Fir ( 93 ) potential vegetation type and a Northern Conifer Forest ( 22 ) potential vegetation form. The predominant floral habitats of Isle Royale are within the Laurentian Mixed Forest Province . The area
2016-457: Is known for its timber wolf and moose populations, which are studied by scientists investigating predator-prey relationships in a closed environment. There is a cyclical relationship between the two animals: as the moose increase in population, so do the wolves. Eventually, the wolves kill too many moose and begin to starve and lower their reproductive rates. This is made easier because Isle Royale has been colonized by roughly just one third of
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#17328700117952112-599: Is no weather station in the park, but the PRISM Climate Group, a project of Oregon State University , provides interpolated data for the island based on the climates of nearby areas. The island was a common hunting ground for native people from nearby Minnesota and Ontario. A canoe voyage of thirteen miles is necessary to reach the island's west end from the mainland. Large quantities of copper artifacts found in indian mounds and settlements, some dating back to 3000 B.C. , were most likely mined on Isle Royale and
2208-578: Is not permitted, but fishing is, and edible berries ( blueberries , thimbleberries ) may be picked from the trail. The park is accessible by ferries, floatplanes, and passenger ships during the summer months—from Houghton and Copper Harbor in Michigan and Grand Portage in Minnesota. Private boats travel to the island from the coasts of Michigan, Minnesota, and Ontario. Isle Royale is quite popular with day-trippers in private boats, and day-trip ferry service
2304-431: Is provided from Copper Harbor and Grand Portage to and from the park. Isle Royale is the only American national park to entirely close in the winter months, from November 1 through April 15, due to extreme weather conditions and for the safety and protection of visitors. Isle Royale is the least-visited national park in the contiguous United States , due to the winter closing and the distance across Lake Superior to reach
2400-640: Is relatively low in nutrients. Siskiwit Lake contains several islands, including Ryan Island, the largest. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Isle Royale National Park has a mild summer Humid continental climate ( Dfb ). According to the United States Department of Agriculture , the Plant Hardiness zone is 4b at 1178 ft (359 m) elevation with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of -24.2 °F (-31.2 °C). There
2496-406: Is the deepest lake in the United States and deeper than Lake Superior, Crater Lake's elevation is higher and consequently its deepest point is 4,229 feet (1,289 m) above sea level.) While the temperature of the surface of Lake Superior varies seasonally, the temperature below 110 fathoms (660 ft; 200 m) is an almost constant 39 °F (4 °C). This variation in temperature makes
2592-562: The Edmund Fitzgerald ". According to other sources, the full Ojibwe name is ᐅᒋᑉᐧᐁ ᑭᒋᑲᒥ Ojibwe Gichigami ("Ojibwe's Great Sea") or ᐊᓂᐦᔑᓈᐯ ᑭᒋᑲᒥ Anishinaabe Gichigami (" Anishinaabe 's Great Sea"). The 1878 dictionary by Father Frederic Baraga , the first one written for the Ojibway language, gives the Ojibwe name as Otchipwe-kitchi-gami (a transliteration of Ojibwe Gichigami ). In
2688-795: The French and Indian War , the British anglicized the lake's name to Superior , "on account of its being superior in magnitude to any of the lakes on that vast continent". Lake Superior empties into Lake Huron via the St. Marys River and the Soo Locks (Sault Ste. Marie locks). Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by area and the third largest in volume, behind Lake Baikal in Siberia and Lake Tanganyika in East Africa . The Caspian Sea , while larger than Lake Superior in both surface area and volume,
2784-559: The Grand Island National Recreation Area ) in Michigan. The larger cities on Lake Superior include the twin ports of Duluth, Minnesota , and Superior, Wisconsin ; Thunder Bay , Ontario; Marquette, Michigan ; and the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan , and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario . Duluth-Superior , at the western end of Lake Superior, is the most inland point on the Saint Lawrence Seaway and
2880-470: The Washington Harbor Club , a group of well-to-do businessmen, owned various buildings on Isle Royale in addition to railroads that ran from Baudette to Duluth and Two Harbors and so had the means to transport moose from northwestern Minnesota to Two Harbors. There are usually around 25 wolves and 1000 moose on the island, but the numbers change greatly year to year. In the 2006-2007 winter,
2976-739: The Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve . Storms that claimed multiple ships include the Mataafa Storm in November 1905 and the Great Lakes Storm of 1913 . Wreckage of SS Cyprus —a 420-foot (130 m) ore carrier that sank on October 11, 1907, during a Lake Superior storm in 77 fathoms (460 ft or 140 m) of water—was located in August 2007. Built in Lorain, Ohio , Cyprus
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3072-593: The fourth-largest lake island in the world. In addition, it is the largest natural island in Lake Superior, the second-largest island in the Great Lakes (after Manitoulin Island ), the third-largest in the contiguous United States (after Long Island and Padre Island ), and the 33rd-largest island in the United States . Isle Royale National Park was established on April 3, 1940, then additionally protected from development by wilderness area designation in 1976, declared
3168-524: The international border . With 25,894 visits in 2021, it is the seventh least-visited National Park in the United States . In 1875, Isle Royale was split off from Keweenaw County , as a separate county, Isle Royale County . In 1897, the county was dissolved, and the island was reincorporated into Keweenaw County. The highest point on the island is Mount Desor at 1,394 ft (425 m), or about 800 ft (240 m) above lake level. Isle Royale,
3264-513: The wolf is an elusive species which avoids human interaction. Few documented cases of direct wolf/human contact existed for most of the island's history. In the 2024 season dozens of wolf sightings were reported around the Rock Harbor area. Ermine have been periodically sighted around docks. Other mammals that can be seen include mink along the various lake shores and muskrats (occasionally) at beaver ponds. Several species of bat also exist on
3360-523: The 17th century, the first French explorers approached the great inland sea by way of the Ottawa River and Lake Huron; they referred to their discovery as le lac supérieur (the upper lake, i.e., above Lake Huron). Some 17th-century Jesuit missionaries referred to it as Lac Tracy (for Alexandre de Prouville de Tracy ). After taking control of the region from the French in the 1760s following their defeat in
3456-616: The British remained in control until after the War of 1812 , and the Ojibwa peoples considered the island to be their territory. The Ojibwas ceded the island to the U.S. in the 1842 Treaty of La Pointe , with the Grand Portage Band unaware that neither they nor Isle Royale were in British territory. With the clarification to the Ojibwas of the 1842 Webster–Ashburton Treaty that was signed before
3552-712: The Compensating Works and is operated according to a regulation plan known as Plan 1977-A. Water levels, including diversions of water from the Hudson Bay watershed, are regulated by the International Lake Superior Board of Control , which was established in 1914 by the International Joint Commission . Lake Superior's water level was at a new record low in September 2007, slightly less than
3648-513: The Hudson's Bay Company name. Many towns around the lake are current or former mining areas, or engaged in processing or shipping. Today, tourism is another significant industry: the sparsely populated Lake Superior country, with its rugged shorelines and wilderness, attracts vacationers and adventurers. Lake Superior has been an important link in the Great Lakes Waterway , providing a route for
3744-593: The Midcontinent Rift, and there are several amethyst mines in the Thunder Bay area. Lava erupted from the rift and formed the black basalt rock of Michipicoten Island, Black Bay Peninsula, and St. Ignace Island . In the most recent geological history, during the Wisconsin glaciation 10,000 years ago, ice covered the region at a thickness of 1.25 miles (2 km). The land contours familiar today were carved by
3840-500: The Rock Harbor marina to the cabins and hotel. Also, the National Park Service employs tractors and utility terrain vehicles to move items around the developed areas at Ozaagaateng, Rock Harbor, and Mott Island. Topsoil tends to be thin, which favors trees that have horizontal root patterns such as balsam fir , white spruce , and black spruce . Siskiwit Lake is the largest lake on the island. It has cold, clear water which
3936-535: The Treaty of La Pointe, the Ojibwas re-affirmed the 1842 Treaty of La Pointe in the 1844 Isle Royale Agreement , with the Grand Portage Band signing the agreement as an addendum to the 1842 treaty. In the mid-1840s, a report by Douglass Houghton , Michigan's first state geologist , set off a copper boom in the state, and the first modern copper mines were opened on the island. Evidence of the earlier mining efforts
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4032-803: The USGS of both unmineralized basalt and copper-mineralized rock show that a small amount of naturally occurring mercury is associated with mineralization. Native copper and chlorastrolite , the official state gem of Michigan, are secondary minerals filling pore spaces formed by vesicles and fractures within the volcanic rocks. Prehnite and agate amygdules are also plentiful island gemstones. Recreational activity on Isle Royale includes hiking , backpacking , fishing , boating , canoeing , kayaking , and observing nature. Wheeled vehicles are not permitted on Isle Royale; however, wheelchairs are allowed. The island offers approximately 170 mi (270 km) of hiking trails for everything from day hikes to
4128-478: The advance and retreat of the ice sheet . The retreat left gravel, sand, clay and boulder deposits. Glacial meltwaters gathered in the Superior basin creating Lake Minong , a precursor to Lake Superior. Without the immense weight of the ice, the land rebounded , and a drainage outlet formed at Sault Ste. Marie, becoming today's St. Mary's River. The first people came to the Lake Superior region 10,000 years ago after
4224-532: The area by lighthouses at Passage Island , Rock Harbor , Rock of Ages , and Isle Royale Lighthouse on Menagerie Island. The western tip of the island is home to several shipwrecks that are very popular with scuba divers, including the SS America . The NPS Submerged Resources Center mapped the 10 most famous of the shipwrecks contained within the park , and published Shipwrecks of Isle Royale National Park; The Archeological Survey , which gives an overview of
4320-560: The arrival of Europeans, the Anishinaabe made themselves middle-men between the French fur traders and other Native peoples. They soon became the dominant Native American nation in the region: they forced out the Sioux and Fox and won a victory against the Iroquois west of Sault Ste. Marie in 1662. By the mid-18th century, the Ojibwe occupied all of Lake Superior's shores. In the 18th century, as
4416-504: The art system. While other vessels carry some of the visitors to the park, Ranger III removes all their trash. On 29 July 2015, Isle Royale Queen IV ran aground, and Ranger III was called upon to bring the other vessel's passengers to the mainland. On 23 July 2016, the Portage Lake Lift Bridge broke down while Ranger was passing under it. The National Park Service is considering replacing Ranger III , either with
4512-586: The booming fur trade supplied Europe with beaver hats , the Hudson's Bay Company had a virtual monopoly in the region until 1783, when the rival North West Company was formed. The North West Company built forts on Lake Superior at Grand Portage , Fort William , Nipigon, the Pic River, the Michipicoten River, and Sault Ste. Marie. But by 1821, with competition harming the profits of both, the companies merged under
4608-435: The camper cabins at Ozaagaateng. The park has 36 designated wilderness campgrounds. Some campgrounds in the interior are accessible only by trail or by canoe / kayak on the island lakes. Other campgrounds are accessible only by private boat. The campsites vary in capacity but typically include a few three-sided wood shelters (the fourth wall is screened) with floors and roofs, and several individual sites suitable for pitching
4704-520: The city of Thunder Bay ) and adjacently, the state of Minnesota (near Grand Portage in Cook County ), and is 56 mi (90 km) from the Michigan shore, on the Keweenaw Peninsula , itself part of Upper Peninsula. There are no roads on the island, and wheeled vehicles or devices, other than wheelchairs, are not permitted. Rock Harbor has wheeled carts available to move personal belongings from
4800-491: The datum. 2019 and 2020 set new high-water records in nearly every month. Historic low water The lake's lowest levels occur in March and April. The normal low-water mark is 0.33 feet (0.10 m) below the datum. In the winter of 1926 Lake Superior reached its lowest recorded level at 1.58 feet (0.48 m) below the datum. Additionally, the entire first half of the year (January to June) included record low months. The low water
4896-401: The decreasing ice cover. Less winter ice cover allows more solar radiation to penetrate and warm the water. If trends continue, Lake Superior, which freezes over completely once every 20 years, could routinely be ice-free by 2040 although more current data through 2021 does not support this trend. Warmer temperatures could lead to more snow in the lake effect snow belts along the shores of
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#17328700117954992-608: The direct ancestors of the Ojibwe and Cree . The people of the Laurel complex (c. 500 BC to AD 500) developed seine net fishing, evidence being found at rivers around Superior such as the Pic and Michipicoten. The people of the Terminal Woodland period were evident in the area from AD 900 to 1650. They were Algonquian peoples who hunted, fished and gathered berries. They used snowshoes , birch bark canoes and conical or domed lodges. At
5088-406: The heavy ice of winter requires shutting service down. In 2012 the vessel's ballast water system was upgraded. Ballast water is subjected to filtration and ultraviolet light. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel published a series of articles on the threats invasive species posed to vulnerable native species, which praised the National Park Service's initiative in equipping Ranger III with a state of
5184-433: The introduction of invasive species). The last caribou documented on Isle Royale was in 1925. Though lynx were removed by the 1930s, some have periodically crossed the ice bridge from neighboring Ontario , Canada, the most recent being an individual sighting in 1980. Although lynx are no longer present on the island, their primary prey, snowshoe hares , remain. Before the appearance of wolves, coyotes were also predators on
5280-515: The island in 1843, starting with many of the original native pits. This activity had ended by 1855, when no economic deposits were found. The Minong Mine and Island Mine were the result of renewed but short-lived activity from 1873 to 1881. Isle Royale was given to the United States by the 1783 treaty with Great Britain (formerly part of the Indian Reserve disputed by the United States) but
5376-538: The island in the summer. Americans in the nineteenth century did likewise. A number of habitats exist on the island, the primary being boreal forest , similar to neighboring Ontario and Minnesota. Upland areas along some of the ridges are effectively "balds" with exposed bedrock and a few scrubby trees, blueberry bushes, and hardy grasses. Occasional marshes exist, which are typically the by-product of beaver activities. There are also several lakes, often with wooded or marshy shores. The climate, especially in lowland areas,
5472-402: The island, allowing time for hiking, a guided hike or program by the park staff, and picnics. The Isle Royale Queen serves park visitors out of Copper Harbor, on the northern Upper Peninsula coast of Michigan. It arrives at Rock Harbor in the park in 3 to 3½ hours and spends 3½ hours before returning to Copper Harbor. Lake Superior Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in
5568-754: The island. The island is composed largely of ridges, running roughly southwest-to-northeast. The main ridge, Greenstone Ridge, is over 1,000 ft (300 m) in many places. Greenstone belts are exposed, with rounded stones of chlorastrolite , also known as greenstone, near and in the lake. The two main rock assemblages found on the island include the Portage Lake Volcanics and the Copper Harbor Conglomerate , both Precambrian in age. The volcanics are mainly ophitic flood basalts , some 100 individual flows over an accumulated thickness of at least 10,000 feet. The conglomerate outcrops on
5664-643: The island. Reptiles include the eastern garter snake , painted turtle , and northern redbelly snake . Six species of frogs and three species of salamander also live on the island. Historically neither moose nor wolves inhabited Isle Royale. Just prior to becoming a national park the large mammals on Isle Royale were Canada lynx and the boreal woodland caribou . Archeological evidence indicates both of these species were present on Isle Royale for 3,500 years prior to being removed by direct human actions (hunting, trapping, mining, logging, fires, competition for resources from exotic species and possibly disease due to
5760-423: The island. Coyotes appeared around 1905 and disappeared shortly after wolves arrived in the 1950s. Four wolves were brought from Minnesota in 2018 after some debate as to whether or not the introduction was an unnatural intervention. Moose are believed to have colonized Isle Royale sometime between 1905 and 1912. It was initially believed that a small herd of moose (moose typically do not travel in herds) colonized
5856-473: The islands by crossing the ice from the adjacent mainland; later this theory was modified to a herd of moose swimming 20 miles across Lake Superior from the nearest mainland. The improbability of these theories received little scrutiny until recent years. Although no thorough scientific investigation to determine how moose arrived on Isle Royale has been carried out to date, both cultural and genetic evidence indicates they were likely introduced by humans to create
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#17328700117955952-470: The lake seasonally stratified . Twice per year, however, the water column reaches a uniform temperature of 39 °F (4 °C) from top to bottom, and the lake waters thoroughly mix. This feature makes the lake dimictic . Because of its volume, Lake Superior has a retention time of 191 years. Annual storms on Lake Superior regularly feature wave heights of over 20 feet (6 m). Waves well over 30 feet (9 m) have been recorded. Lake Superior
6048-783: The lake, especially in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan . Two recent consecutive winters (2013–2014 and 2014–2015) brought high ice coverage to the Great Lakes, and on March 6, 2014, overall ice coverage peaked at 92.5%, the second-highest in recorded history. Lake Superior's ice coverage further beat 2014's record in 2019, reaching 95% coverage. The largest island in Lake Superior is Isle Royale in Michigan. Isle Royale contains several lakes, some of which also contain islands. Other well-known islands include Madeline Island in Wisconsin, Michipicoten Island in Ontario, and Grand Island (the location of
6144-463: The lake. With 78 crewmembers dead, their sinking marked the largest loss of life on Lake Superior to date. SS Edmund Fitzgerald is the last ship that sank in Lake Superior, 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) from Whitefish Point in a storm on November 10, 1975. The wreck was immortalized by Gordon Lightfoot in his ballad "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald " . All 29 crew members died, and no bodies were recovered. Edmund Fitzgerald
6240-538: The largest island in Lake Superior , is over 45 mi (72 km) in length and 9 mi (14 km) wide at its widest point. The park is made up of Isle Royale itself and approximately 400 smaller islands, along with any submerged lands within 4.5 mi (7.2 km) of the surrounding islands ( 16USC408g ). Isle Royale is within about 15 mi (24 km) of the shore of the Canadian province of Ontario (near
6336-669: The lowest depth of Lake Superior on July 30, 1985, as part of a scientific expedition, which at 122 fathoms 1 foot (733 ft or 223 m) below sea level is the second-lowest spot in the continental interior of the United States and the third-lowest spot in the interior of the North American continent after Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada (1,503 ft or 458 m below sea level) and Iliamna Lake in Alaska 942 ft or 287 m. (Though Crater Lake
6432-419: The mainland mammal species, because it is so remote. In addition, the environment is unique in that it is the only known place where wolves and moose coexist without the presence of bears. Other common mammals are red foxes , beavers , and red squirrels . Some foxes are accustomed to human contact and can be seen prowling the campgrounds at dawn, looking for stray scraps left by unwary campers. For its part,
6528-518: The maritime history of the area. The area's notoriously harsh weather, dramatic underwater topography, the island's central location on historic shipping routes, and the cold, fresh water have resulted in largely intact, well preserved wrecks throughout the park. In January 2019, the entire island chain was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the federal government. On the Register it
6624-462: The miners and commercial loggers, much of the island was deforested during the late 19th century. Once the island became a national park in 1940, logging and other exploitive activities ended, and the forest began to regenerate. The island was once the site of several lake trout and whitefish fisheries, as well as a few resorts. The fishing industry has declined considerably, but continues at Edisen Fishery . Today, it has no permanent inhabitants;
6720-446: The most frequently mined. Notable production includes gold from the Hemlo mine near Marathon , copper from the Keweenaw Peninsula and the Mamainse Point Formation , iron from the Gogebic Range , silver at Silver Islet , and uranium at Theano Point. The mountains steadily eroded, depositing layers of sediments that compacted and became limestone , dolomite , taconite and the shale at Kakabeka Falls . The continental crust
6816-438: The most inland port in the world. Among the scenic places on the lake are Apostle Islands National Lakeshore , Brockway Mountain Drive on the Keweenaw Peninsula , Isle Royale National Park , Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park , Pukaskwa National Park , Lake Superior Provincial Park , Grand Island National Recreation Area, Sleeping Giant (Ontario) and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore . The Great Lakes Circle Tour
6912-567: The mouth of the Michipicoten River, nine layers of encampments have been discovered. Most of the Pukaskwa Pits were likely made during this time. The Anishinaabe people (an ethnic grouping including the Ojibwe/Chippewa ) have inhabited the Lake Superior region for over five hundred years and were preceded by the Dakota , Meskwaki (Fox) , Menominee , Nipigon, Noquet and Gros Ventres . After
7008-560: The nearby Keweenaw Peninsula . The island has hundreds of pits and trenches up to 65 feet (20 m) deep from these indigenous peoples , with most in the McCargoe Cove area. Carbon-14 testing of wood remains found in sockets of copper artifacts indicates that they are at least 6500 years old. In Prehistoric Copper Mining in the Lake Superior Region , Drier and Du Temple estimated that over 750,000 tons of copper had been mined from
7104-1027: The open door, "fully clothed, wearing an orange life jacket, and lying face down in the sediment". In February 2024 it was announced that wreckage from the Arlington was discovered from a sinking in 1940. More than 80 species of fish have been found in Lake Superior. Species native to the lake include banded killifish , bloater , brook trout , burbot , cisco , lake sturgeon , lake trout , lake whitefish , longnose sucker , muskellunge , northern pike , pumpkinseed , rock bass , round whitefish , smallmouth bass , walleye , white sucker and yellow perch . In addition, many fish species have been either intentionally or accidentally introduced to Lake Superior: Atlantic salmon , brown trout , carp , chinook salmon , coho salmon , freshwater drum , pink salmon , rainbow smelt , rainbow trout , round goby , ruffe , sea lamprey and white perch . Lake Superior has fewer dissolved nutrients relative to its water volume than
7200-514: The other Great Lakes and so is less productive in terms of fish populations and is an oligotrophic lake . This is a result of the underdeveloped soils found in its relatively small watershed. It is also a reflection of relatively small human population and small amount of agriculture in its watershed. However, nitrate concentrations in the lake have been continuously rising for more than a century. They are still much lower than levels considered dangerous to human health; but this steady, long-term rise
7296-558: The other Great Lakes began sailing in 1816. Ice closes the lake shipping from mid-January to late March. Exact dates for the shipping season vary each year, depending on weather conditions that form and break the ice. The southern shore of Lake Superior between Grand Marais, Michigan , and Whitefish Point is known as the " Graveyard of the Great Lakes "; more ships have been lost around the Whitefish Point area than any other part of Lake Superior. These shipwrecks are now protected by
7392-463: The park. The average annual visitation was about 19,000 in the period from 2009 to 2018, with 25,798 visiting in 2018. Only three of the most remote Alaskan national parks— Lake Clark , Kobuk Valley and Gates of the Arctic —receive fewer visitors. Scheduled ferry service operates from Grand Portage, Copper Harbor and Houghton. The Grand Portage ferries reach the island in 1½ hours, and stay 4 hours at
7488-432: The peak of Mount Desor, at 1,394 ft (425 m), the highest point on the island, and passes through northwoods wilderness, and by inland glacial lakes, swamps, bogs and scenic shorelines. In total there are 165 mi (266 km) of hiking trails. There are also canoe/kayak routes, many involving portages, along coastal bays and inland lakes. The park has two developed areas: Ozaagaateng (formerly Windigo), at
7584-462: The previous record low in 1926. Water levels recovered within a few days. Historic high water The lake's water level fluctuates from month to month, with the highest lake levels in October and November. The normal high-water mark is 1.17 feet (0.36 m) above the datum (601.1 ft or 183.2 m). In the summer of 1985, Lake Superior reached its highest recorded level at 2.33 feet (0.71 m) above
7680-482: The region. However, David Johnson and Susan Martin contend that their estimate was based on exaggerated and inaccurate assumptions. The Jesuit missionary Dablon published an account in 1669-70 of "an island called Menong , celebrated for its copper." Menong , or Minong , was the native term for the island, and is the basis for Minong Ridge. Prospecting began in earnest when the Chippewas relinquished their claims to
7776-648: The retreat of the glaciers in the Last Glacial Period . They are known as the Plano , and they used stone-tipped spears to hunt caribou on the northwestern side of Lake Minong. The Shield Archaic peoples arrived around 5000 BC; evidence of this culture can be found at the eastern and western ends of the Canadian shore. They used bows and arrows, paddled dugout canoes, fished, hunted, mined copper for tools and weapons, and established trading networks. They are believed to be
7872-598: The same time, the island's moose population had exploded to an estimated 1600. By November 2017, the wolf population was down to one, a female. In December 2016, the National Park Service put forward an initial plan to bring additional wolves to the island in order to prevent the pack from disappearing completely. The decision to relocate 20-30 wolves to the island was approved and from September 2018 to September 2019, 19 wolves were relocated to Isle Royale from various locations in Minnesota, Michigan, and Ontario. As of April 14, 2020, there were an estimated 14 wolves remaining on
7968-554: The small communities of Scandinavian fishermen were removed by the United States National Park Service after the island became a national park in the 1940s. About 12 families still have lifetime leases for their cabins and claim Isle Royale as their heritage, and several descendant fishermen fish the Isle Royale waters commercially. Because numerous small islands surround Isle Royale, ships were once guided through
8064-536: The south. It drains into Lake Huron via St. Marys River , then through the lower Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence River and ultimately the Atlantic Ocean. The Ojibwe name for the lake is gichi-gami (in syllabics : ᑭᒋᑲᒥ , pronounced gitchi-gami or kitchi-gami in different dialects), meaning "great sea". Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote this name as " Gitche Gumee " in the poem The Song of Hiawatha , as did Gordon Lightfoot in his song " The Wreck of
8160-424: The southwest end of the island (docking site for the ferries from Minnesota ), with a campstore, showers, campsites, rustic camper cabins, and a boat dock. Rock Harbor on the south side of the northeast end (docking site for the ferries from Michigan), with a campstore, showers, restaurant, lodge, campsites, and a boat dock. Non-camping sleeping accommodations at the park are limited to the lodge at Rock Harbor and
8256-418: The southwestern portion of the island and consists of sedimentary rock derived from volcanic rocks in present-day Minnesota. Glacial erosion accentuated the ridge and valley topography from pre-glacial stream erosion. Glacial striations indicate a generally westward movement of the glaciers as do the recessional moraines west of Lake Desor. Drumlins are found west of Siskiwit Lake. Recent analyses by
8352-466: The summer (cooler with frequent sea breeze formations) and winter, and creates lake-effect snow in colder months. The hills and mountains that border the lake hold moisture and fog, particularly in the fall. The rocks of Lake Superior's northern shore date back to the early history of the earth. During the Precambrian (between 4.5 billion and 540 million years ago) magma forcing its way to
8448-559: The surface created the intrusive granites of the Canadian Shield . These ancient granites can be seen on the North Shore today. It was during the Penokean orogeny , part of the process that created the Great Lakes tectonic zone , that many valuable metals were deposited. The region surrounding the lake has proved to be rich in minerals, with copper , iron , silver , gold and nickel
8544-456: The transportation of iron ore as well as grain and other mined and manufactured materials. Large cargo vessels called lake freighters , as well as smaller ocean-going freighters , transport these commodities across Lake Superior. Shipping was slow to arrive at Lake Superior in the 19th century. The first steamboat to run on the lake was the Independence in 1847, whereas the first steamers on
8640-489: The world by surface area and the third-largest freshwater lake by volume , holding 10% of the world's surface fresh water. Located in central North America, it is the northernmost and westernmost of the Great Lakes of North America , straddling the Canada–United States border with the Canadian province of Ontario to the north and east and the U.S. states of Minnesota to the west and Michigan and Wisconsin to
8736-436: Was a continuation of the dropping lake levels from the previous year, 1925, which set low-water records for October through December. During the nine-month period of October 1925 to June 1926, water levels ranged from 1.58 feet (0.48 m) to 0.33 feet (0.10 m) below Chart Datum. In the summer of 2007 monthly historic lows were set; August at 0.66 feet (0.20 m), and September at 0.58 feet (0.18 m). According to
8832-432: Was a war-surplus, wooden-hulled former minesweeper . The first Ranger was also a wooden-hulled military surplus vessel. As built, she was powered by a pair of two-stroke diesel engines, generating 614 shaft horsepower (458 kW), which were replaced by a pair of conventional diesel engines, generating 850 shaft horsepower (630 kW). While the vessel is capable of light ice-breaking, in late spring or early fall,
8928-406: Was battered so intensely by Lake Superior that the 729-foot (222 m) ship split in half; her two pieces lie approximately 170 feet (52 m) apart at a depth of 88 fathoms (530 ft or 160 m). Lightfoot sings that "Superior, they said, never gives up her dead". This is because of the unusually cold water, under 36 °F (2 °C) on average around 1970. Normally, bacteria decaying
9024-413: Was everywhere, in the form of many stone hammers, some copper artifacts, and places where copper had been partially worked out of the rock but left in place. The ancient pits and trenches led to the discovery of many of the copper deposits that were mined in the 19th century. The remoteness of the island, combined with the small veins of copper, caused most of the 19th-century mines to fail quickly. Between
9120-531: Was later riven , creating one of the deepest rifts in the world. The lake lies in this long-extinct Mesoproterozoic rift valley , the Midcontinent Rift . Magma was injected between layers of sedimentary rock , forming diabase sills . This hard diabase protects the layers of sedimentary rock below, forming the flat-topped mesas in the Thunder Bay area. Amethyst formed in some of the cavities created by
9216-486: Was launched August 17, 1907, and was lost on her second voyage hauling iron ore from Superior, Wisconsin, to Buffalo, New York , with the sole survivor among her 23 crew being Charles G. Pitz. In 1918 the last warships to sink in the Great Lakes, French minesweepers Inkerman and Cerisoles , vanished in a Lake Superior storm, perhaps upon striking the uncharted danger of the Superior Shoal in an otherwise deep part of
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