ISLE ROYALE, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – As the summer continues to provide opportunities for outdoor recreation, the National Parks Service will host its third free National Park entrance day on Friday August 4, called “Great American Outdoors Day.” 

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“National parks are really amazing places and we want everyone to experience them,” said National Park Service Director Chuck  Sams. “The entrance fee-free days encourage people to discover the beauty, history and inspiration awaiting them in more than 400 national parks throughout the country.” 

Though Michigan contains more than five National areas including parks, lakeshores, and historic places, Isle Royale is the only National Park in the state, and has a very limited window to visit the park from mid-April to the end of October. 

“In a study on soundscapes, The National Park Service determined Isle Royale to be one of the country’s quietest national parks, and it’s likely to stay that way as visitors get around only by foot, kayak or canoe and have little company other than the island’s resident moose, loons and other wildlife,” according to Michigan officials. 

The national park offers ample opportunity for backpacking, there are also plenty of non-camping possibilities for sleep and recreation including the Rock Harbor Lodge which provides 60 lodge rooms along the shoreline and several rustic camper cabins.  

Another unique element of the park is that it provides shelter to moose and wolves, and has the longest lasting predator-prey study relationship, and is continually updated by Michigan Tech University. 

Other park sites overseen by the National Park Service include North Country National Scenic Trail, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.  A more complete list can be found here. 

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“A safe trip is a successful trip! Conditions at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, especially on Lake Superior, can change very quickly. Before heading into the park, be sure to know where you are going, check the weather, and bring everything you need to Leave No Trace,” Pictured Rocks Park Rangers remind those hoping to visit anytime of the year.  

While most national parks are free to enter, a quarter of all national parks do feature an entrance fee. Those fees can range from $5 to $35 with upwards of 80% of the fees remaining in the park according to the NPS. 

An alternative option for cheaper fees would be the annual American the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Land Pass, an $80 pass, which helps one gain access to more than any of the 2,000 federal recreational parks and areas. 

The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) was first passed in 2020 and provides funding to help improve the infrastructure and recreational activities of national parks and public lands. 

If you are not able to take advantage of the free NPS visit day this week, the next one will take place on the 23rd of September and will be called “National Public Lands Day.”