Duck Harbor Campground

V

Once in a lifetime experience.

This was our second stay at Duck Harbor and it was much better than our first in many ways. We visited a month earlier in the first week of August and found the bug problem to be much better than it had been in Sept the year before when the bugs were HORRIFIC! We love the trails on Isle au Haut so were able to fully enjoy them this year with the lack of insects. The campground is wonderful, with just five campsites. We had site number 5 which is the most private...off by itself and a good distance, probably about a 60-70 meters, from the restrooms which might not seem like much except if you have to go in the middle of the night in the pouring rain which I had to do one night. The restrooms were suprisingly pleasant, with ventilation systems in the composting toilets that kept smells to a minimum. The water point was about a half mile round trip from the campground...which is quite a distance to haul water. This year, due to a potibility issue we were informed of in advance of our visit, we hauled our water supply (4x2.5 gallons for two people for 3 days). When we got there, we were informed that the potability issue had been resolved but we had brought enough water to sustain us for the trip. The rangers were exceptionally helpful upon our arrival with a briefing and hints. The campsite was great with all the things provided including a firepit, sheltered platforms, and picnic table. We brought charging boxes for our phones so we could continue to use them for photography...as cell data service was virtually non-existent except when the wind blew in a favorable direction, which may have been once a day and only one of us would get service, never both (Verizon is our carrier, which is not a popular carrier up there). All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit and are looking forward to trying to book again this year. It would be great if there was more "walk-up availability" at the sites because some were empty and could have been used by walk-ups.

Unfortunately there was no potoble water, but the rangers were kind enough to fill containers daily for everyone to use. The sites were clean as always.

Duck Harbor Campground on Isle au Haut is an incredible place to camp. My family of four spent 3 nights on the island and loved every second. Unfortunately our tent would not fit in the shelter, so we just put our pads and sleeping bags on the floor and slept 'under the stars'. We packed very lightly because we knew that we would need to carry our supplies. However, we watched people bring several wagons full of supplies to the island. The walk to the campsites is not that far. I would recommend a solar shower. After 3 nights I was desperate for a shower. The walk to water is long, bring more empty water containers than you think you will need. Our family made the trek into town. It was a 2hr+ walk (our daughters were 6 and 9 when we were there). A kind family from the island drove us back to the campground - our daughters were thrilled! The Maine Lobster Lady (food truck) is NOT open on Mondays. My husband was devastated when we completed our 2hr walk and he couldn't get a lobster roll. The small church is always open and is idyllic. We picked blueberries and raspberries, hiked as many trails as we could, made smores, and enjoyed every second of our time on Isle au Haut. I would encourage every camper to spend 3 nights on Isle au Haut. We would have stayed all summer if we could have!

Duck Harbor Campground on Isle au Haut is an incredible place to camp. My family of four spent 3 nights on the island and loved every second. Unfortunately our tent would not fit in the shelter, so we just put our pads and sleeping bags on the floor and slept 'under the stars'. We packed very lightly because we knew that we would need to carry our supplies. However, we watched people bring several wagons full of supplies to the island. The walk to the campsites is not that far. I would recommend a solar shower. After 3 nights I was desperate for a shower. The walk to water is long, bring more empty water containers than you think you will need. Our family made the trek into town. It was a 2hr+ walk (our daughters were 6 and 9 when we were there). A kind family from the island drove us back to the campground - our daughters were thrilled! The Maine Lobster Lady (food truck) is NOT open on Mondays. My husband was devastated when we completed our 2hr walk and he couldn't get a lobster roll. The small church is always open and is idyllic. We picked blueberries and raspberries, hiked as many trails as we could, made smores, and enjoyed every second of our time on Isle au Haut. I would encourage every camper to spend 3 nights on Isle au Haut. We would have stayed all summer if we could have!

Definitely worth the stay over on the island to get some wonderful hiking . In August, definitely have a plan as evening brought the mosquitos. Pack and plan well. Some visitors seemed less well prepared.

We had an incredible trip. The campground is wonderful. This was my first visit but I can't wait to come back again. Western Head Trail -> Cliff Trail -> Goat Trail -> Duck Harbor Mountain Trail back to Duck Harbor is an incredible hike. I think the Duck Harbor Mountain Trail section is the most fun I've ever had hiking.

One of a kind

Staying at Duck Harbor is a privilege and a treat: easy camping in the Adirondack shelters, quick access to gorgeous trails leading to stunning, remote scenery, and relatively few other visitors with whom to share it all. The campground even has conveniences: composting toilets (kept very clean) a well for drinking water just down the road, metal toolboxes for stashing food, picnic tables and fire rings. Firewood is available just down the trail. The Rangers at Isle au Haut are dedicated to taking care of the campground and the many miles of trails in the park and are welcoming hosts. There's not much to do here but hike and enjoy the place, so if you need to be entertained, it may not be the place for you, but for self-sufficient visitors, it's perfect.