Greenstone Ridge Trail
Greenstone Ridge Trail | |
---|---|
Length | 40 miles (64 kilometres)[citation needed] |
Location | Michigan |
Use | Hiking |
Elevation gain/loss | 1,555 m (5,102 ft) |
Difficulty | Medium |
The Greenstone Ridge Trail is a 40-mile-long (64 km) hiking trail on Isle Royale, in Lake Superior, northern Michigan. The island is within Isle Royale National Park.
There are no roads on the island, a wilderness area and national park, so the trail doubles as the primary means of land transportation across the island. [1][2]
Route
[edit]The trail extends from Windigo Harbor and the Windigo Ranger Station on the island's western end, east across Isle Royale, to Rock Harbor and the Rock Harbor Lodge. [1]
The Greenstone Ridge Trail generally follows the top of Greenstone Ridge, a low ridge that forms the east/west spine of the island and surmounts Mount Desor, the highest point of Isle Royale.[1] Hikers may appreciate the higher elevations as they can reduce biting mosquitoes, which are found in great numbers in the lower elevation wetlands.
Natural history
[edit]Hikers may see signs of the wolves and moose on Isle Royale; although scarce and shy, the woodlands that adjoin the trail are their habitat.[2] The Greenstone Ridge and its Trail are both named after Chlorastrolite (Greenstone), a local semiprecious stone that is the state gem of the U.S. state of Michigan. Greenstone can be seen in various locations on Isle Royale, including shoreline pebbles.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Michigan Atlas and Gazetteer (10th ed.). Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. 2002. pp. 114–115.
- ^ a b "Across Isle Royale by Foot". gorp.com. Archived from the original on 2010-05-13. Retrieved 2010-01-09.