The National Park Service says it has identified the two backcountry campers who were discovered dead at one of the country's most remote National Parks.
The NPS announced the discovery at Isle Royale National Park, Michigan, after receiving two separate reports late on the afternoon of Sunday, June 8. The 45-mile-long island park sits 15 miles off the mainland in Lake Superior and can only be reached by plane or boat.
After receiving the reports, two park rangers hiked overnight for 11 miles to the campground near Greenstone Ridge trail where they confirmed the deaths early on Monday morning.
In an update on Thursday, officials said both individuals have been identified, and next of kin have been notified, adding: "There is no known threat to the public at this time."
Due to the remote nature of the campground, the NPS says a fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter were deployed to assist with the investigation. No further details have been provided on the case.
Isle Royale was named the best National Park in the US by the Wall Street Journal in 2024 and is popular with backpackers who can camp on one of the island's 36 rustic campgrounds with a permit. It has been the subject of a successful wolf reintegration program and is currently home to about 30 wolves, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.
The ferry to the island takes three hours, and there is no reliable cell service there, so it's advised to carry a satellite communicator like a Garmin InReach if you plan to go backpacking there.
