Brian Manzullo

Detroit Free Press

Isle Royale National Park is one of the most beautiful and wondrous places in the United States, let alone the state of Michigan.

Now if only people would actually go experience it.

Truth is, many don't. Isle Royale is the least-visited national park in the contiguous United States, drawing on average 18,216 visitors per year over the past 20 years, according to data from the National Park Service. Only two national parks in Alaska (Gates of the Arctic and Lake Clark), along with National Park of American Samoa, draw fewer visitors across the nation's territories.

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Compare that to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which draws more than 9 million people per year. Or the Grand Canyon National Park, which attracts more than 4.4 million people per year.

What's stopping you?

So what's keeping people from checking out Isle Royale and its plethora of smaller islands, wilderness and shipwrecks?

One easy answer: Access.

First of all, Isle Royale is way up there in Michigan. If you're coming from Detroit, you have to drive up to 9-10 hours to get to the Upper Peninsula town of Houghton, the headquarters for Isle Royale National Park. And obviously, since Isle Royale is an island (just making sure you're paying attention), the only way to get to the actual park is by arranging a ride on a boat or a seaplane.

That right there, for most people, would constitute two full days of travel, round-trip.

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Isle Royale National Park is also only open half the year. It will close Oct. 31 and reopen April 16, 2017, thanks to the lovely Michigan winters we get to enjoy every year.

Furthermore, to reiterate: Isle Royale is a wilderness. Though it offers camping, canoeing, kayaking and hiking - like most Michigan state parks do - all that surrounds you are trees, wildlife and Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world (oh yeah, you can also scuba dive). So it's a park that can challenge one's comfort zone, especially if they like to be glued to their phones.

So each of those things contribute to the low volume of visitors each year. But the good news is this: You can always change that -- and you can even do it before this season ends.

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If you go: Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale became a national park in 1940. It has 165 miles of trails. Isle Royale is the site of the famous predator-prey study measuring the balance between wolves and moose on the island. It is also the subject of a fierce scientific and governmental debate over whether wolves should be repopulated there. One curiosity: some places on the island you can see remnants of old houses and buildings from the days when the island had summer cottages before it became a national park. And, oh yes, watch out for biting black flies in late June and early July.

Open: April 16 to Oct. 31 yearly, but most tourism activities take place between May 31 and early September. Its visitation depends on the weather: last summer it had 18,684 visitors, but in chilly 2014 it had only 14,560 visitors.

Getting there: From Copper Harbor take the Isle Royale Queen (May-September), a three hour trip to Rock Harbor, Isle Royale (www.isleroyale.com). From Houghton take the Ranger III (May-September), a five-hour trip to Rock Harbor www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/index.htm. From Grand Portage, Minn., take the Voyageur II to Windigo Harbor, Isle Royale in 2 hours; it then slowly stops at multiple spots on the island. Recommended: a seasick patch for rough seas in Lake Superior.

Admission: Daily user fee of $4 per person (by the way, day trips to Isle Royale are not realistic due to length of time it takes to get there.)

Lodging: Rock Harbor Lodge (60 rooms, 20 cabins, $224-$258 per night) or 2 rustic cabins in Windigo Harbor ($52 per night). www.rockharborlodge.com.

Camping: The island has 36 primitive campgrounds. Camping parties of 7 or more must have group reservations. No reservations for parties of 6 or fewer. You must have a permit to camp (free). Camping has a leave-no-trace philosophy. White gas available at visitors centers seasonally for camp stoves.

For more: www.nps.gov/isro.

Ellen Creager contributed to this report.

Contact Brian Manzullo: bmanzullo@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrianManzullo.