MICHIGAN - With its rugged beauty and isolated perch - rising out of Lake Superior, 56 miles north of our Upper Peninsula - Isle Royale National Park is on the backpack bucket list of many outdoor enthusiasts.

But top on a U.S. park list? Yes, it is.

The 45-mile-long island snagged first place when ranking the percentage increase in national park visitors in 2015, according to statistics released this month.



Isle Royale saw 18,648 visitors last year, a more than 4,000-person bump from its 2014 numbers. That 28-percent increase was good for first place when looking at year-over-year attendance jumps at other national parks across the U.S.

Other parks seeing a surge in visitors: Joshua Tree and Redwood national parks in California, and Katmai National Park in Alaska.

Located in the northwest section of Lake Superior, the main island and hundreds of smaller islands that surround it make up Isle Royale National Park.

Most visitors to Isle Royale choose to visit for more than just a day hike. It draws hikers to its 165 miles of trails, scuba divers, kayakers and those with canoes.

There are boats that service the island in season.

Isle Royale, closed in the winter to tourists, reopens April 15.

For more information on the park, visit its website.