点评:We are past our backpacking days unfortunately because this is a backpackers paradise. I'd love to be able to spend more time walking those trails and exploring and paddling the lakes and inlets. There are so many ways to enjoy this park, but it is a wilderness island and all exploring is by foot or boat. There are three places you can take a passenger ferry to get to the island: Grand Portage in Minn. Houghton and Copper Harbor in Mich. There are also four different ferry options. The official park service ferry leaves from Houghton to Rock Harbor (the main area on the island) and is the longest ride across Lake Superior. One ferry leaves from Copper Harbor also headed to Rock Harbor. Two ferrys leave from Grand Portage: the Seahunter, which is a day ferry to the south end of the island, and the Voyager II, which does a circle around the island in two days stopping at various docks before returning to Grand Portage. You can also take a seaplane into Rock Harbor or Windigo (south end).
We did two ferry rides. First we left from Grand Portage area for the 1.5 hr ride to Windigo on the "Seahunter". This was a small ferry and we became friendly with the other people on board. Most of us were day trippers, spending some time on the island while a few were backpackers setting off for trails further inland. While not long the 3 hours was enough to walk the nature trail or head to the Washington Creek where people saw moose, or hike to an overlook, or just relax at the welcome center. We saw moose and otters from the dock. On the return trip the captain took us past the Rock of Ages lighthouse, it is out there alone on a craggy rock looking magnificent.
We also took the ferry from Copper Harbor. Getting to Copper Harbor is half the fun. This is a bigger boat and a longer ride. The day we went Lake Superior was so calm it looked like glass. We got to know our fellow seatmates and enjoyed the ride over playing cards with them. Half the passengers were heading out to hike, canoe or kayak. Some of the rest would be returning as day trippers and a few of us had a room booked at Rock Harbor Lodge. All the rooms look out on the lake/harbor. We had enough time the first day to take the short Stoll trail hike which had fantastic views and great informational panels. We explored the shop and visitor center, had dinner from the grill, sat watching the ducks in the harbor and talking with fellow travelers. It all had the familiar feeling I had when we were at Phantom Ranch in the Grand Canyon. We knew there weren't too many people who ventured this far and it produced a camaraderie where everyone was a friend.
The next morning we had hoped to rent a boat and venture further down the harbor, but due to foggy conditions no boats were allowed out. They kept hoping things would change later in the day, but they never did. But that is the way of the island, you need to be flexible with plans. There are several options to explore further from Rock Harbor without backpacking and so staying longer than one night would not be boring. The park service offers tours to several nearby areas on some days, (just not the day we were there). I spent our free morning exploring the Rock Harbor area, the seaplane landing, the camp shelters and a little bit of the Tobin Harbor trail and enjoying this most remote wilderness in the lower 48. I can understand why it might not get many visitors, and why many of those are return visitors. The island casts a bit of a spell on you and you want more.
翻译:很遗憾,我们已经过了背包旅行的年纪了,因为这里堪称背包客的天堂。我真希望能有更多时间沿着小径漫步,探索周边环境,还能划船游弋于湖泊与港湾之中。欣赏这座公园的方式多种多样,但它毕竟是一座荒野岛屿,所有的探索活动都只能依靠步行或乘船来完成。有三个地点可以搭乘客运渡轮前往该岛:明尼苏达州的格兰德波特奇、密歇根州的霍顿以及铜港。此外还有四种不同的渡轮线路可供选择。公园管理局的官方渡轮从霍顿出发前往洛克港(即岛上的主要区域),这是穿越苏必利尔湖距离最长的一段航程。还有一艘渡轮从铜港出发,同样前往洛克港。另外有两艘渡轮从格兰德波蒂奇出发:一艘是“Seahunter”号,为日间渡轮,前往岛屿的南端;另一艘是“Voyager II”号,它用两天时间环绕整个岛屿航行,途中会在多个码头停靠,最后返回格兰德波蒂奇。您也可以乘坐水上飞机前往洛克港或温迪戈(南端)。
我们乘坐了两次渡轮。首先,我们从格兰德波蒂奇地区出发,乘坐“Seahunter”号渡轮,经过1.5小时的航程抵达温迪戈。这是一艘小型渡轮,我们与船上的其他乘客都成了朋友。我们大多数人都是当日往返的游客,在岛上稍作停留;也有少数人则是背着背包、准备前往内陆更远处的徒步路线。虽然时间不算长,但三个小时也足以让我们漫步自然步道、前往人们能看到驼鹿出没的华盛顿溪,或是徒步登上观景台,也可以在游客中心放松一下。我们从码头上看到了驼鹿和水獭。回程时,船长带我们经过了“时代之岩”灯塔——它孤零零地矗立在崎岖的岩石上,显得格外壮观。
我们还乘坐渡轮从铜港出发。能抵达铜港本身就是一段有趣的旅程。这次乘坐的船更大,航程也更长。我们乘船去苏必利尔湖的那天,湖面平静得宛如玻璃。我们和同船的乘客们聊得很投机,还一起打牌,享受着这段旅程。一半的乘客是去徒步、划独木舟或皮划艇的;其余的人中,有一部分只是当天往返的游客,而我们几个人则在岩石港小屋预订了房间。所有房间都面朝湖泊/港口。第一天我们有足够的时间去徒步斯托尔小径,沿途景色绝美,还有很有用的信息介绍牌。我们参观了商店和游客中心,在烧烤区享用晚餐,然后坐着观看港口里的鸭子,同时与其他旅伴畅谈。那种感觉和我们在大峡谷的幻影牧场时一模一样。我们知道没多少人会特意来到这么远的地方,这种环境促成了一种氛围:每个人都是朋友。
第二天早上,我们本想租条船沿着港口继续游玩,但由于大雾弥漫,船只一律禁止出海。他们一直盼着当天晚些时候情况能有所改变,但始终没有。不过这就是这座岛的特点,做计划时必须灵活应变。在离岩石港不远的地方还有好几个可以去探索的地方,不用背着重物徒步,因此逗留超过一晚也不会觉得无聊。公园管理部门偶尔会组织前往周边地区的游览活动(只是我们去的那天没有)。我利用空闲的上午时间游览了岩石港一带以及水上飞机着陆点。那里的营地庇护所、一小段托宾港步道,让我尽情享受着美国本土48个州中最偏远的荒野之地。我明白为什么这里游客不多,也明白为什么来的游客大多是回头客。这座岛屿仿佛施了魔法一般,让人心驰神往、欲罢不能。