Per-person daily entrance fee at Isle Royale: what applies in 2026?

Direct answer

Per-person daily entrance fee ($7 per person per calendar day)

Exact conditions

Status: Required under the listed conditions
Applies to: all visitors
Place or corridor: The whole island and surrounding waters within the park boundary; fees are collected at the Rock Harbor, Windigo and Houghton visitor centers or paid online in advance
Effective dates: April 16, 2026 through October 31, 2026
Published fee: $7
Release model: on sale now

Release detail: Pay online in advance to avoid on-island waits, or pay at a visitor center. On-island fee collection hours are 10:00 am - 3:00 pm ET at Rock Harbor and Windigo; Houghton hours vary by season.

Fee detail: $7 per person per calendar day — the only entrance rate the park publishes; there is no vehicle or motorcycle rate. It includes arrival and departure days and is charged only during the April 16 - October 31 season (the park is closed November 1 - April 15). Season pass $60. Isle Royale is cashless for entrance fees — credit card only.

Exceptions and limits

Children 15 and under are exempt.
Visiting Park Headquarters in Houghton, MI does not require a fee.
Federal lands passes and the $60 Isle Royale Season Pass waive the fee for the holder plus 3 adults.
The park is entirely closed November 1 - April 15: no fee applies in that period because the park cannot be visited.

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Official source

National Park Service · reviewed August 27, 2026

Re-verified 2026-07-30: "$7 per person daily entrance fee to enter or remain within the park per calendar day." "This includes the day you arrive and the day you depart the park." "Children 15 and under are exempt from daily entrance fees." [Per hours.htm: 'The island is closed from November 1 through April 15'.]

Fees & Passes - Isle Royale National Park (U.S. National Park Service)