Rock Island State Park - Camping/Hiking

OVERVIEW Join us for a relaxing weekend (or extended weekend, your choice) of camping and outdoor activities at Rock Island State Park. This event will bring together two of my friend/activity groups as Midwest Adventurers shares Group Site 1 with geocachers attending the 22nd annual RIG (Rock Island Getaway) geocaching campout.
Group Site 1 is reserved Thursday June 25th through Sunday morning June 28th. Stay any combination of nights you like. I will include a question for those attending regarding which nights you intend to stay. Your participant payment of $15/night (totaling $15, $30 or $45) should correspond to that answer.
As always, please read the entire description before signing up.

SIMPLE ITINERARY

1. Get yourself to the island
2. Get yourself and your gear to Group Site 1 and set up
3. Relax and chose your own adventure over the weekend
4. Go home Sunday

1) Get yourself to the island
Travel to the Northport ferry dock located at the tip of mainland Door County. Take the car ferry to Detroit Harbor on Washington Island. Drive crossed Washington Island to Jackson Harbor. Take the Karfi, a passenger only ferry, to Rock Island.

Plan to arrive on Rock Island as your schedule and that of the ferries permits. As stated above, Group Site 1 is reserved Thursday June 25th through Sunday morning June 28th, stay whichever nights you like. (I would recommend staying 2 nights and highly recommend 3 nights if you can make it work with your schedule. A single night can certainly be done, arriving on an early ferry and leave on a late ferry the following day but the logistics hassle vs. relaxation time isn't in your favor.)

Ferry information is linked below

2) Get yourself and your gear to Group Site 1 and set up
A ranger or campsite host will meet the Karfi as it docks to greet you and provide some information. You can check in at the contact station by the dock (although, being on the group site, someone will already have officially done that). If you're traveling light you can just head over to the group site. If you're traveling not so light, there are several carts available for campers to borrow in order to get gear to and from their site. (There are also hand trucks, but they are designated for campers staying in the backpacking sites.) Coolers with wheels and collapsible wagons are also popular with Rock Island campers.

To get to Group Site 1, take the gravel pathway from the dock up a short incline where it joins another path. From there, turn right and pass in front of the boat house and continue along the path through an opening in the stone wall. At that point the Havamal Trail takes a hard left, Michigan Avenue veers off slightly left and down an incline, the path to most of the sites continues off to the right but the route to the group sites is the least obvious and continues straight ahead through the grass. There will be a garage building off to the left as the grassy area narrows and reforms into a path on the right. Group Site 1 is down a slight incline and just ahead in the first open area. The path cuts through the site with places to set up on either side.

Say hello, set up your tent, set your watch to island time and relax.

3) Relax and chose your own adventure over the weekend
The daily schedule starts with two activities penciled in. One is gathering around the boathouse to watch the sunset. Campers filter out from their sites, drawn by the potential for a spectacular sunset over the bay. The other activity is gathering around the campfire in the evening; cook, eat, watch the fire, share stories, enjoy a beverage, all the usual campfire activities. The geocaching group has a tradition of bring beer and cheese to pass and share around the fire and folks from this group are welcome to join in. (Over the years, beer and cheese has expanded to include basically any beverage with alcohol and anything that might go on a charcuterie board. The alcohol portion leans toward folks sharing favorite beverages or trying some unique and oddball finds over quantity of consumption.)

The remaining schedule is open and a la carte, do as much or little as you like. Group activities tend to be scheduled informally with a, "I'm going to hike to the lighthouse, anyone else want to go?" Folks also watch the weather and pick what looks like the nicest day and use it for a hike around the island or to spend some time at the beach.

Instead of an itinerary or schedule, I've included "RANDALL'S ROCK ISLAND FUN TIME ACTIVITY MENU" below to cover some options.

4) Go home Sunday
The island runs at a very relaxed pace until Sunday morning when the majority of campers on the island are leaving. Folks wanting to head back to Washington Island on the first Karfi hustle to get themselves and their gear down to the dock and claim a spot in line. Light travelers get packed and head down to the dock and heavy travelers go down to grab a cart to haul gear. Informally, gear on the dock can hold your place in line while you go back to get more or just make a last trip to the bathroom or check out the boathouse one last time. Depending on the number of campers on the island, often not everyone waiting makes the first Karfi. Whether on the official scheduled or not, the Karfi will make another trip on the next hour to get remaining campers. Once back to Washington Island, get breakfast/lunch, explore a bit or just head back to Detroit Harbor to catch the next ferry.

Of course you don't need to leave Rock Island on Sunday; some folks reserve an individual site for an additional night. Likewise, some folks spend nights on the island in individual sites prior to the official event.

GENERAL ROCK ISLAND & CAMPING INFORMATION
I've included quite a bit of information because Rock Island State Park is considerably different from its counterparts. With the logistics of getting to the island, it attracts a different type of visitor. With fewer visitors and only about 40 campsites in total, the infrastructure is very different from Peninsula State Park or Devils Lake. Personally, I think the difference are what make Rock Island so appealing but there are things worth mentioning especially for first time visitors.

Electricity - There is none! - The only electricity on the island is from solar panels and used for park infrastructure such as water pumps. You won't find an outlet to sneak a phone charge anywhere so plan accordingly. Bring a power bank or solar panel or depend on the kindness of others. I'll have a power bank and solar panel to run some lights in the group site which everyone is welcome to use.

Water Sources - There is potable water on the island. Containers can be filled from a fountain or spigot in front of the boathouse or from a spigot on the maintenance building. There is also a well at the lighthouse.

Bathrooms & Facilities - Throughout the campground there are several pit toilets. Around the island there is also a pit toilet at the lighthouse and one on the trail near the backpacking sites. There are also flushing toilets located in the building northeast of the boathouse. Conveniently, this is the nearest bathrooms to the group site. There are no showers on the island.

Ice, Concessions or Convenience Store Just Outside of the Park - There are none! - There is no store or concessions on the island making meal planning and cooler/ice strategy important. If you need ice for your cooler or groceries you would need to take the Karfi back to Washington Island to Mann's Grocery Store and pay for the additional ferry ride.
FORI (Friends of Rock Island) does have clothes and souvenir type merchandise available for purchase at the lighthouse from 10-4 daily and during limited times at the Boathouse.

Gear - Some folks approach this more like a backpacking trip. They carry their gear to the site in a backpack and bring just a small cooler or no cooler at all. Others approach this as car camping with the inconvenience of having to cart gear a short distance. Either way or anywhere in-between is acceptable and I (and most of the geocachers) fall more towards the latter. Beyond the tent and sleeping bag, a camp chair is probably the most valuable piece of equipment to bring.

Things to consider...

All gear will get passed from someone on the dock over the side rails to someone on the Karfi, make the transit and then get passed back over the side rails to someone on the dock. Good handles on heavy gear is a must. Usually the heaviest items are coolers, at least on the way heading to the island as they are pack to the brim with food and ice. The other thing to avoid is loose items, packing odds and ends like pie irons and camp forks into some type of larger bag can be helpful. Once on Rock Island gear will need to be carted or carried to the group site.

If you're bringing a lot of gear - For the Karfi trip to Rock Island, you can unload a vehicle at the start of the dock and then park your vehicle, occasionally when they have groups with lots of gear they just ask them to back onto the dock. When returning to Washington Island, if you have a lot of gear, you can usually wait for everyone else to claim their items and clear out, then bring a vehicle up to the dock to load it.

When loading the Karfi going to Rock Island, it will likely be you that hands your gear over the rails to someone on the Karfi. The remaining times gear gets loaded or unloaded; it is a group process. Crew and volunteers just pass gear to others; it won't be you just waiting for someone to pass you your gear.
Lots of coolers and camp chairs look identical! Make sure what you leave the dock with is actually yours. (A sticker on a cooler or something unique about a camp chair can help it stand out from all the other similar ones.)

Lastly, everything beyond day packs and small bags is handled as hear and stacked in the front of the Karfi for the transit. If there are waves, sometimes they splash over the Karfi's bow. Usually nothing terrible but at least on the way to the island you might want to make sure something important like a sleeping bag is stuffed into a dry bag, just in case it's on the top of the pile getting splashed of on the bottom where water might collect. I've never had an issue with this but it's one of those better safe than sorry scenarios.

Rain/Poor Weather - Unlike other state parks, you can't just get in your vehicle and spend some time in town to wait out the rain with gift shopping or a long meal. You could take the Karfi back to Washington Island but for most, they're on the island for the duration. For the campsite, the geocachers have traditionally brought ropes and some giant tarps to cover a few picnic tables providing a bit of shelter. Beyond that, the boathouse and shelter building make a great place to sit out any weather. On the occasional year where we've had an all day rain, we've spent a good bit of it in the shelter building and have even made a fire in the barrel stove to dry out.

Campfires & Cooking - Folks do bring camp stoves but there tends to be quite a bit of cooking over the fire, especially for breakfast and supper. If you want to cook and no one has the fire going, feel free to get one started. Firewood is included in your participant fee. The fire ring has a grate on it, and I usually have a tripod with a grill; plus, there is usually an abundance of fire utensils, pie irons and camp forks, if you need to borrow anything. (Compared to car camping situations where everyone usually brings everything they need; having to haul all your gear to a site lends itself to sharing gear.) There are also several park style grills in the campsite if anyone is inclined to bring charcoal. From the time someone gets a fire started to cook supper until late, there will be a campfire (weather permitting).

Bugs and nasty things - There are usually a few random black flies and a few mosquitoes in the evening but typically nothing that is too much of a nuisance during this timeframe. A newer issue has been ticks, something I never heard of on the island prior to the last couple years. As someone that likes to do some off trail exploring, I'll most likely be cautions and treat at least my hiking clothes this year. Unlike most state parks, raccoons are rare to completely absent. Switching from the harmful fauna to the flora, there are areas of the island with a thriving abundance of poison ivy. Not a real concern if you're sticking to the paths and mowed areas (although it can creep into the grass along the edges). Just another thing to keep an eye out for, especially if you like getting off trail, are prone to allergic reactions form poison ivy or just don't want to put that to the test.

Parking Sticker - Not required; although the parking lot for Rock Island, which is located on Washington Island, is technically part of the state park, it does not require a parking sticker.

Trash and Recycling - There are trash cans and recycling bins located near the contact station by the boat dock.

Weather - TEMPS - Avg. High: 73F, Avg. Low: 54F (For Washington Island - 54246)

Surrounded by Lake Michigan, lake effect cooling plays a role in these average temperatures being a bit lower than inland. Usually it isn't all that noticeable and just moderates the temperature a bit but occasionally it can be very noticeable, especially when the temperature drops with an increase in wind or shoots up as the wind dies down. Other times it just makes for some interesting microclimates; it might feel hot by the boathouse and cool once you get down to the beach or the lighthouse.

The other noticeable effect from being surrounded by water is that the overnights tend to be a bit more humid, occasionally to the point that the island is covered in fog.

Daylight - Sunrise: 5:01am, Sunset: 8:40pm, Total Daylight: 15:39
Sadly, with the summer solstice passed, days are getting shorter and we have already lost an entire minute of daylight.

A Yes/Attending RSVP signifies that you have read and understand the Meetup Terms of Service agreement including the Waiver of Liability contained within Section 6 and understand that participation is solely at your own risk. Furthermore, I do not have any backpacking, camping, safety or first aid related training. Paying for this event is not hiring a guide; it is simply sharing costs between participants.

LINKS

Rock Island
WI DNR State Park Page Rock Island State Park
Rock Island Map https://widnr.widen.net/s/czgjdl8cwx/rock-island_map
Friends of Rock Island State Park, Wisconsin Facebook Group
Friends of Rock Island State Park, Wisconsin | Facebook

Washington Island
Washington Island Information (Chamber of Commerce) Washington Island Chamber of Commerce
Washington Island Information (Destination Door County ) A Guide to Visiting Washington Island
Washington Island Map (Chamber of Commerce) Island Map

Ferry Information
When posting this event, the summer ferry schedule has not yet been posted. Some of the information I included here and in the event description was based off of previous years so please check back later and confirm the schedule yourself.

You can purchase your ticket for both the ferry to Washington Island and Rock Island together at the Northport dock. Also, let them know you are camping on Rock Island as there is an additional fee for them to take camping gear on the Karfi. (Tickets or the fee for gear can be paid to the crew at the Karfi dock but they only take cash. It's easier just to take care of everything at Northport.)

Northport Ferry Dock
215 WI-42, Ellison Bay, WI 54210
Google Map Link

Ferry Info - Getting to Washington Island
Washington Island Ferry Schedule and Rates | Washington Island Ferry Line

Rock Island State Park / Jackson Harbor Ferry Dock
1924 Indian Pt. Rd.
Washington Island, WI 54246

Karfi (Ferry) Info - Getting to Rock Island from Washington Island
Rock Island Ferry Schedule and Rates | Washington Island Ferry Line
Karfi Schedule (Based on previous years)
Times departing Washington Island for Rock Island
Early and late season - 10:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm and 4:00pm.
Peak season - Hourly from 10:00am to 4:00pm, with added trip on Fridays to 6:00pm.
(We should be on the peak season schedule as it usually starts around the calendar start of summer, June 21st)
Return trips from Rock Island to Washington Island are made as soon as they offload and returning gear and people can be loaded.

Geocaching Website
[Geocaching.com](https://www.geocaching.com/play/search)

COSTS / FEES
Your participation fee of $15/night ($15, $30 or $45) covers:
Camping at Group Site 1 - $277.95 ($90.00/Night & $7.95 Reservation Fee, Split with geocaching group*)
Firewood
Meetup Fees To Fund Group Overhead - $3.00
[*We're paying a flat rate of $15/person/night (minus our $3 Meetup fee) to Dan, the reservation holder from the geocaching group. Money he collects pays for next year's reservation and firewood for this year. Any money collected beyond that is donated to FORI, the Friends of Rock Island.]

Your participation does not cover:
Personal gear and food
Transportation or ferry tickets

RSVPs will close 48 hours prior to the posted event start time on Thursday.
Participant payments are due within 48 hours of signing up!
Payments can be made thru either

• Venmo @Randall-Ostracon-Schultz
• PayPal @ backpackwithrandall@gmail.com

Refunds will be made if requested a minimum of 10 days prior to the event.

CONTACT INFO
Please feel free to contact me through the Meetup messenger with any questions.

RANDALL'S ROCK ISLAND FUN TIME ACTIVITY MENU
No Biking - Sorry but bicycles are not allowed on Rock Island
Hiking - The Thordarson Trail Loop is the longest trail on the island at 5.25 miles and mostly follows the perimeter of the island. Total unique trail mileage is about 10 miles and can be combined to make loops of varying distance. There are portions of the shoreline that are always accessible and when the water is low enough it is also possible to hike the stone and rock beach from the lighthouse to the boathouse.

Island Map
[Rock-Island_Map.pdf](https://widnr.widen.net/s/czgjdl8cwx/rock-island_map)
https://widnr.widen.net/s/czgjdl8cwx/rock-island_map

Trail information can be found on this page
Recreation | Rock Island State Park | Wisconsin DNR
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/rockisland/recreation

Boathouse - Approaching the island on the Karfi, this massive structure stands out amongst the other buildings and the natural surroundings. What starts as a visual focal point becomes a gathering spot and reference point during your visit. Beyond being a piece of history itself, there are displays and photographs inside telling the story of Rock Island. Also, don't miss all the beautifully carved wooden furniture inside especially the chair backs with their depictions of Norse figures and myth.
Thordarson's Rock Island Boathouse: A Door County Treasure - Door County Pulse
https://doorcountypulse.com/thordarsons-boathouse/

Lighthouse - A 1.35 mile hike from the boathouse, the decommissioned Pottawatomie Lighthouse sits on a bluff above the northwest corner of the island. It is open for guided tours daily from 10-4. Not only can you learn about the history of the lighthouse on the tour but you can climb to the lamp room atop the lighthouse for a unique view.
Pottawatomie Lighthouse | Rock Island State Park | Wisconsin DNR
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/rockisland/lighthouse

Rock Carvings - This is one that is easy to miss and during times of high water or waves can't be accessed at all. There are several carvings on the rocks below campsite 16 and 17 on the south side of the island. The can be accessed by a path down to the water between sites 15 & 16.
(This is the only information I could find that included a picture. Spoiler: the article mentions a 5 mile trail... it's right in the campground, not a long hike at all!)
Rock Island Is One Of The Best Places To Hike In Wisconsin

Beach - Most of the shoreline surrounding the island consists of large limestone chunks or small rounded water worn stones with the exception being a sand beach on the south side of the island. Although the size of beach can change dramatically between high and low water years and the winter wind and storms do their best to resculpt the beach and dunes annually, it's always beautiful. For beach activities it can be hit and miss, as June air and water temps are often cool and occasionally there has been an overabundance of stinky slimy seaweed. With that said, there have also been some absolutely spectacular days on the beach and in the water.

Geocaching - If you already geocache, there are 9 caches hidden on Rock Island waiting to be discovered, including one designed to be found at night. If the term geocaching is completely new to you, here's the definition from geocaching.com; Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called geocaches or caches, at specific locations marked by coordinates all over the world. A more comedic explanation is; using multi-million-dollar satellites to find Tupperware containers hidden in the woods. This is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to give this activity a try with a group of experienced cachers around to help.

Geocaching Event - GCB9MGD - Rock Island Getaway 22 - the Copper Anniversary
This is the Rock Island Getaway geocaching event that we'll be sharing the group site with. If you have a geocaching account, you should absolutely log that you attended the event afterwards. (I wouldn't sign up that you're attending the geocaching event on geocaching.com ahead of time, unless you make it very clear you are attending with the Meetup group. Otherwise, you might be double counted, with me counting you signed up here and Dan, the geocaching host, counting you as attending too.)

Kayaking - Being Lake Michigan, this one is very weather dependent. People do paddle out to, and around, the island regularly. On calm days it can even be done with an inland kayak and I've seen people paddleboard out from Jackson Harbor to Rock Island and back. However, things can change quickly and the shallow area between Washington Island and Rock Island has a way of funneling wind and waves making the passage even more challenging.

Kayak Rentals - There were kayaks available to rent on Rock Island for a couple years but I can't find any information on the DNR's Rock Island page or that of the Island Adventure Company, who handled the concession. This leads me to believe this may no longer be something they offer. They also rented kayaks out of a building along the Rock Island parking lot on Washington Island, where the Karfi docks, but I don't see any info about that shop either. I'll leave a link for anyone who might be interested to investigate further.
Island Adventure Company | UTV Rentals Washington Island
https://www.islandadventurecompany.com/

Kayak Camping - There are people and groups that paddle out to the island to camp every year, so it is very possible. However, I would have a backup plan as the weather on the day you want to head to or leave from Rock Island might be too rough to make the paddle. In bad weather you need to be flexible on your arrival/departure time or you might be able to transport your kayak on the Karfi (as I have seen this done in the past). I'd advise anyone considering this to contact the Washington Island Ferry Line to confirm that this is and option and what they charge.
Ferry Line in Door County, WI | Washington Island Ferry Line
https://wisferry.com/

Yard Games - There are horseshoe pits and the shelter building has an assortment of things like a croquette set, a badminton set, various balls and frisbees. People have also brought their own games like lawn darts, ladderball and washers. The grassy area by the boathouse is also a great place to fly a kite. People have brought everything from expensive kites to me and my couple dollar, Walmart kid's kite, great fun either way.
Indoor Activities - You can find puzzles, board games and books upstairs in the boathouse or in the shelter building.

RANDALL's ROCK ISLAND ADVICE & PRO TIPS
I'm no expert on Rock Island but having made almost 20 trips to the island with the geocaching group or to go backpacking, I've picked up a few things over the years.

Carpool - Carpooling could save you much more than gas money. The ferry to Washington Island charges for both vehicles and occupants ($30.00/vehicle and $15.00/person when drafting this event). If you can't meet somewhere prior and share the ride to Northport, just meet there (This is what I usually do). There is plenty of parking near the dock. Also, in the building overlooking the Northport dock, there tourist information and restrooms.

Give yourself time! It always seems a bit rushed as you try to navigate through the towns, traffic and tourist of Door County to catch the ferry at Northport. Then repeat that as you cross Washington Island to catch the Karfi at Jackson harbor. Make a plan to catch the ferry at a certain time but have the mindset and flexibility that you can just catch the next ferry should you not be able to catch the one you wanted. With that in mind, catching the ferry to Washington Island the hour before the last Karfi of the day to Rock Island should not be your plan "A"!

Yes you can catch the 9:00 ferry, for example, from Northport to Washington Island, make the approximately half hour transit, dock and offload, make the approximate 10 minute drive crossed Washington Island to Jackson Harbor and make it with enough time to load for the 10:00 Karfi to Rock Island. But... You could arrive at Northport to a long line and have to wait for the next ferry to Washington Island putting you behind schedule. You could be the last vehicle off the ferry at Washington Island and get stuck behind slow traffic just to arrive as the Karfi is pulling away from the dock. I've had both of these happen more than once.

Washington Island - If you miss the Karfi and have an unexpected extra hour to spend on Washington Island, you just don't want to rush to make the next Karfi, or just want to explore Washington Island a bit, there is plenty to do. Here are a couple of my favorite stops but there are plenty of other options.

Washington Island Stavkirke
Washington Island Stavkirke - Wikipedia
Stavkirke Washington Island Chamber of Commerce
Stavkirke — Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church

Mountain Park and Lookout Tower
Mountain Park and Lookout Tower | Destination Door County

Washington Island Parks (There are some great options for short or long stops)
Parks — Town of Washington

Mann's Grocery Store (Last chance for groceries or ice!)
1290 Main Road
Washington Island, WI 54246
Mann’s Store Inc.

Jackson Harbor Soup & Sandwiches
Jackson Harbor Soup – Soup & Sandwiches on Washington Island, Wisconsin
If you want to stick close to Jackson Harbor while waiting for the Karfi, grab a bite to eat next door. They have a nice menu and some fantastic desserts!

The Albatross drive-in restaurant is a favorite with many, known for their burgers and ice cream (although it's not an actual drive-in with carhops, more of a drive-up).
The Albatross Drive-In