GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — For people who love to explore northern Michigan, it’s no surprise. But for others, it’s a big deal for a Michigan park to named the “Best in the U.S.” by the Wall Street Journal.
In a new ranking of the country’s national parks, writers declared Isle Royale National Park the king of the mountain, even beating out America’s biggest mountain, Denali National Park & Preserve.
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The rankers used four specific criteria, including hiking and camping options and variety of other recreational opportunities, but one data point stood above the rest, and was key to Isle Royale taking the top spot — crowd size. Crowds carried 50% of the weight for the criteria for rankers looking for a serene setting for their outdoor recreation.
Isle Royale has that in spades. For one, its location north of the Keweenaw Peninsula means the island is in the winter’s grip for much of the year. The park closes from Nov. 1 to April 15. Two, it’s hard to get to. Visitors need to charter a ferry or a seaplane to visit the park.
Data from the National Park Service shows approximately 29,000 people visited Isle Royale National Park last year, the highest number in more than 30 years. That’s the fifth-lowest attendance marker across all 63 NPS parks and well off the pace of the 13.29 million people who visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park last year.
Even the rankers said they were surprised by the final results.
Rock Harbor at Isle Royale. (Paul Brown/National Park Service)
“This is true wilderness: a land of moose and wolves and the drama forever playing out between them,” the rankers said. “Backpackers can pitch a tent in one of the park’s 36 rustic campgrounds, but visitors will find plenty of day-hiking opportunities, too, and the circa-1956 Rock Harbor Lodge makes up for a lack of bells and whistles with an endless reserve of old-school charm.”
The organizers behind Visit Keweenaw, the region’s tourism bureau, seem to agree.
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“This Lake Superior gem requires prep and forethought, considering visitors may only access by boat or seaplane… but once on Isle Royale, the deep connection to self and nature are rewards untold,” the bureau said in a social media post.
Isle Royale finished with a score of 81.01. North Cascades National Park in Washington was the only other park that even came close, with a score of 78.89. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks in California, Texas’ Big Bend National Park and Denali rounded out the top five, finishing with scores between 71 and 67.
While the NPS boasts 63 national parks, the agency also oversees 429 total “units” — everything from parks and preserves to battlefields and national monuments.
Source link : https://www.woodtv.com/news/michigan/wall-street-journal-names-michigan-gem-the-best-u-s-national-park/amp/
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Publish date : 2024-07-08 15:03:17
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