Isle Royale National Park · Michigan

Tobin Harbor Trail

2.9 mi of trail, end to end · about 70 ft of climbing · 611 ft–650 ft

611 ft 637 ft · 2.9 mi high 650 ft

Hike the Tobin Harbor Trail the Park Service's write-up

2-4 Hours · no dogs · Spring, Summer, Fall

Start Tobin Harbor Trail at Isle Royale National Park

A trail winds through moss and a forest.
The Tobin Harbor Trail's easy footing makes for smooth hiking into Rock Harbor. Photo: © KAITLYN KNICK

About this Trail

Mileage: About 3 miles

Rocks and roots on trail

Trailheads

Rock Harbor

Windigo via Greenstone Ridge Trail

The Tobin Harbor Trail connects the Rock Harbor area with the Mount Franklin Trail. The Mount Franklin Trail gives access to Mount Franklin, Suzy's Cave, Three Mile Campground, Lane Cove Campground, and the Greenstone Ridge Trail. Some backpackers and day hikers prefer the Tobin Harbor Trail over the Rock Harbor Trail because of the Tobin Harbor Trail's smoothness and gentle grade.

At the junction with the Mount Franklin Trail the Tobin Harbor Trail winds gently downhill through boreal forest until it meets Tobin Harbor. The remainder of the trail continues on a general downward slope hugging Tobin Harbor. This trail ends near the Rock Harbor Lodge in the Rock Harbor area.

Found Nearby

Rock Harbor

Rock Harbor Campground

Three Mile Campground

Suzy's Cave

Mount Franklin

Lane Cove Campground

Accessibility The trail is about 18 inches wide and is not paved. The trail is covered in rocks and roots.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 44 trails in Isle Royale National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.