How much is the Isle Royale entrance fee?

NPS lists $7 per person, per day. Children 15 and younger are exempt.

When is Isle Royale open?

NPS lists the park as open from April 16 to October 31. It is closed from November 1 to April 15.

Does Isle Royale take the America the Beautiful pass?

Yes, NPS says the park accepts the America the Beautiful pass for entrance. NPS lists the Resident Annual Pass at $80.

Can I pay the entrance fee with cash?

No, NPS says entrance fees here are cashless, so use a card or mobile payment.

Are dogs allowed at Isle Royale?

NPS lists pets as permitted on 0 of the 41 things to do here. The national rule requires a leash of six feet or less where pets are allowed, and each park can close more areas.

All parks › Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale National Park: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Busiest month (2025): August^[1]
Recreation visits, 2025: 29,091^[2]
Campgrounds: 36^[3]
Visitor centers: 3^[4]

Isle Royale National Park is a national park in Michigan^[5]. NPS lists it as open each year from April 16 to October 31^[6].

Entrance fees and passes

Fees as listed by the National Park Service. Fees change, so confirm on the park's official fees page before you go.

Fee or pass	Price
Per Person^[7]	$7
Annual Entrance - Park^[8]	$60

The America the Beautiful pass is accepted here^[9].

Entrance fee payment is cashless (card or mobile payment)^[10].

America the Beautiful passes cover entrance fees at national parks and other federal recreation sites.

Pass	Who can get it	Price
Resident Annual Pass^[11]	US citizens and residents	$80
Non-Resident Annual Pass^[11]	Non-US residents	$250
Senior Annual Pass^[11]	US citizens and residents 62+ years old	$20
Senior Lifetime Pass^[11]	US citizens and residents 62+ years old	$80
Military Annual Pass^[11]	Current US military and dependents	Free
Military Lifetime Pass^[11]	Gold Star Family members and veterans	Free
Access Pass^[11]	US citizens and residents with permanent disability	Free
4th Grade Pass^[11]	US 4th graders	Free
Volunteer Pass^[11]	Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours	Free

When to visit and hours

NPS says the park is open from April 16 to October 31^[6]. Transportation services run from May to September^[6]. The island and the waters around it close to visitors from November 1 to April 15 because of harsh winter weather^[6]. In 2025 the busiest month was August, with 8,929 recreation visits^[1]. July had 8,484 visits and June had 6,362^[1]. April had 69 visits and October had 9^[1]. Weather affects travel to the island and your trip once you arrive^[12]. For current conditions, NPS suggests calling (906) 482-0984 or emailing isro_parkinfo@nps.gov before you go^[12].

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, August, is highlighted^[1].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	0
February	0
March	0
April	69
May	1,542
June	6,362
July	8,484
August	8,929
September	3,696
October	9
November	0
December	0

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[2]	25,844
2022^[2]	25,454
2023^[2]	28,965
2024^[2]	28,806
2025^[2]	29,091

Camping

NPS and Recreation.gov list 36 campgrounds in the park^[3]. Daisy Farm Campground has 25 sites and Rock Harbor Campground has 23 sites^[3]. Washington Creek Campground has 19 sites^[3].

Daisy Farm Campground, 25 sites^[3]
Rock Harbor Campground, 23 sites
Washington Creek Campground, 19 sites
Three Mile Campground, 15 sites
McCargoe Cove Campground, 12 sites
South Lake Desor Campground, 10 sites
Moskey Basin Campground, 10 sites
West Chickenbone Campground, 9 sites
Siskiwit Bay Campground, 9 sites
Todd Harbor Campground, 9 sites
Hatchet Lake Campground, 8 sites
Belle Isle Campground, 7 sites
Chippewa Harbor Campground, 7 sites
Feldtmann Lake Campground, 7 sites
Malone Bay Campground, 7 sites
Island Mine Campground, 6 sites
Lake Richie Campground, 6 sites
Huginnin Cove Campground, 5 sites
Lane Cove Campground, 5 sites
East Chickenbone Campground, 4 sites
Little Todd Campground, 4 sites
Beaver Island Campground, 3 sites
Caribou Island Campground, 3 sites
North Desor Campground, 3 sites
Duncan Bay Campground, 3 sites
Duncan Narrows Campground, 3 sites
Intermediate Lake Campground, 3 sites
Lake Richie Canoe Campground, 3 sites
Lake Whittlesey Campground, 3 sites
Wood Lake Campground, 3 sites

Pets and dogs

Under the national NPS pet rule, pets that are permitted must be kept in a crate or cage or on a leash of six feet or less^[13]. Service animals are excepted, but other pets are barred from public buildings, public transportation and designated swimming beaches^[13]. Parks may restrict pets in more areas, and NPS lists pets as permitted on 0 of the 41 things to do here^[14]^[13].

Before you go

Entrance fees are cashless, so bring a card or mobile payment^[10].
NPS lists the entrance fee as $7 per person per day^[7]. Children 15 and younger are exempt^[7].
The Isle Royale Season Pass costs $60 and covers the holder plus three more adults who travel with them^[8]. That makes four people in total^[8].
The park accepts the America the Beautiful pass, and NPS lists the Resident Annual Pass at $80^[9]^[11].
Fees and hours change, so confirm on the official NPS park page before your trip^[7]^[6].

Questions people ask

How much is the Isle Royale entrance fee?: NPS lists $7 per person, per day^[7]. Children 15 and younger are exempt^[7].
When is Isle Royale open?: NPS lists the park as open from April 16 to October 31^[6]. It is closed from November 1 to April 15^[6].
Does Isle Royale take the America the Beautiful pass?: Yes, NPS says the park accepts the America the Beautiful pass for entrance^[9]. NPS lists the Resident Annual Pass at $80^[11].
Can I pay the entrance fee with cash?: No, NPS says entrance fees here are cashless, so use a card or mobile payment^[10].
Are dogs allowed at Isle Royale?: NPS lists pets as permitted on 0 of the 41 things to do here^[14]. The national rule requires a leash of six feet or less where pets are allowed, and each park can close more areas^[13].

Facts and sources

NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 25,844, 2022: 25,454, 2023: 28,965, 2024: 28,806, 2025: 29,091. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Campgrounds in Isle Royale National Park (list on this page). National Park Service
Visitor centers listed by NPS: 3 (Houghton Visitor Center, Rock Harbor Visitor Center, Windigo Visitor Center). National Park Service
Isle Royale National Park is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Park) in Michigan. National Park Service
Operating hours, Isle Royale National Park Open Season (April 16 through October 31): Isle Royale National Park is open annually from April 16 to October 31. Transportation services are offered from May to September. The island and its surrounding islands... National Park Service
Entrance fee, Per Person: $7. National Park Service
Annual Entrance - Park: $60. National Park Service
Isle Royale National Park accepts the America the Beautiful (interagency) pass for entrance. National Park Service
Entrance fees at Isle Royale National Park are cashless (cards or mobile payment, no cash) according to NPS. National Park Service
America the Beautiful pass prices (table on this page). NPS Passes
NPS weather and seasons overview for Isle Royale National Park. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
NPS lists 41 things to do at Isle Royale National Park: Become an Isle Royale Junior Ranger, Attend a Rock Harbor Ranger Program, Explore Raspberry Island, Greenstone Section 1: Hike from Lookout Louise to Mount Franklin, Minong Section 1: Hike from... National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.