For paddlers, Isle Royale is a dream destination, a nook-and-cranny wilderness of rocky islands, secluded coves, and quiet bays interrupted only by the low call of a loon. For first-time visitors, you can’t do better than the Five Fingers, the collection of fjord-like harbors and rocky promontories on the east end of the island. Not only is it well protected (except from northeasterlies), it offers some of the finest and most characteristic Isle Royale scenery and solitude. Though Isle Royale is generally better suited to kayaks, open canoes can handle these waters in calm weather.

For kayaks, the entire island offers paddling opportunities, though some areas require long stretches of paddling without good shoreline access. Note that open-water passages on Lake Superior should be attempted by experienced paddlers only, and are not at all recommended in an open boat like a canoe.

Capsizing in Lake Superior is not an unfortunate experience, it is a life-threatening one. With waters rarely exceeding temperatures in the 40s, hypothermia can occur in a matter of minutes. There are many places where you can rent canoes, 14-foot fishing boats, and outboard motors at Windigo and Rock Harbor.