Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park are two of the most unique national parks in the United States. Both offer breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and unforgettable experiences for visitors. But which one is better for your next adventure? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at each park and compare them side by side to help you decide.
First, let’s highlight what makes each park so special. Isle Royale is a remote island located in the middle of Lake Superior and is known for its diverse wildlife and rugged wilderness. On the other hand, Petrified Forest is a desert park located in northeastern Arizona and is famous for its stunning petrified wood formations and ancient Native American artifacts.
Whether you’re a nature lover, a history buff, or just looking for a peaceful getaway, one of these parks is bound to have something for you. So grab your hiking boots, pack a picnic, and let’s dive into the world of Isle Royale and Petrified Forest.
Hiking Trails in Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park
Isle Royale National Park, located in Lake Superior, is known for its rugged terrain and remote wilderness. It is an ideal destination for those seeking a backcountry adventure. The island is home to over 40 miles of hiking trails, ranging from easy to strenuous. The Minong Ridge Trail, for example, is a relatively easy hike that offers stunning views of the island’s interior. On the other hand, the Greenstone Ridge Trail is one of the most challenging hikes on the island, stretching for over 40 miles and requiring multiple days to complete.
Petrified Forest National Park, located in Arizona, offers a completely different hiking experience. The park is known for its colorful landscape, including the famous petrified logs and painted desert. There are several easy hiking trails, including the Giant Logs Trail, which is a short, 0.3-mile loop that takes you through one of the largest concentrations of petrified logs in the park. For those seeking a more challenging hike, the Blue Mesa Trail is a 5-mile round trip hike through the heart of the park’s badlands. The trail offers stunning views of the colorful rock formations and is considered one of the most strenuous hikes in the park.
Most Popular Hiking Trails in Isle Royale National Park
| Name | Length | Elevation | Type | Difficulty | Visitor Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenstone Ridge Trail: Windigo to Tobin Harbor | 63568.93 | 1216.7616 | Hard | point to point | 4 |
| Rainbow Cove Trail | 2253.076 | 21.9456 | Easy | out and back | 5 |
| Malone Bay to Hatchett Lake | 37658.556 | 664.7688 | Moderate | out and back | 0 |
| Ishpeming Trail to Ishpeming Point | 23496.364 | 339.852 | Moderate | out and back | 0 |
Most Popular Hiking Trails in Petrified Forest National Park
| Name | Length | Elevation | Type | Difficulty | Visitor Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mesa Trail | 1448.406 | 32.9184 | Easy | loop | 4.5 |
| Crystal Forest Trail | 1448.406 | 10.9728 | Easy | loop | 4.5 |
| Painted Desert Rim Trail | 1770.274 | 11.8872 | Easy | out and back | 4 |
| Petrified Forest Scenic Drive | 46027.124 | 297.7896 | Moderate | point to point | 4.5 |
| Giant Logs Trail | 965.604 | 10.9728 | Easy | loop | 4 |
| Onyx Bridge Trail | 7402.964 | 134.7216 | Moderate | loop | 4 |
| Long Logs and Agate House Loop Trail | 3379.614 | 24.9936 | Easy | loop | 4 |
| Puerco Pueblo Trail | 482.802 | 2.7432 | Easy | loop | 4 |
| Devil’s Playground Loop | 12070.05 | 144.78 | Moderate | loop | 4.5 |
| Old Jasper Forest Road | 4184.284 | 53.9496 | Easy | loop | 4.5 |
Wildlife in Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park
Isle Royale National Park is located in Lake Superior, Michigan and is known for its diverse wildlife, including moose, wolves, and beavers. The moose population is the largest predator on the island, and the wolves play an important role in controlling the moose population. In addition to moose and wolves, visitors can also see beavers, foxes, and a variety of bird species, including eagles and ospreys.
Petrified Forest National Park, located in Arizona, is famous for its petrified wood and offers a unique landscape with a variety of wildlife. Visitors may see pronghorns, rattlesnakes, and coyotes, as well as a variety of bird species, including hawks, vultures, and roadrunners. In addition to the wildlife, the park is also home to unique plant life, including cacti and mesquite trees. The park also offers a prehistoric landscape with evidence of human habitation dating back over 13,000 years.
Both parks offer visitors the opportunity to observe unique wildlife and landscapes, making them valuable destinations for nature enthusiasts. However, the wildlife and landscapes at Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park are vastly different, with Isle Royale offering a wetland habitat for its wildlife and Petrified Forest offering a desert habitat.
Below are lists of the most commonly spotted wildlife at Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park. However, you can see a full list of wildlife at each national park here.
Birds
| Isle Royale National Park | Petrified Forest National Park |
|---|---|
| Peregrine Falcon | Peregrine Falcon |
| Northern Harrier | Northern Harrier |
| Sharp-Shinned Hawk | Sharp-Shinned Hawk |
| Osprey | Osprey |
| Tree Swallow | Tree Swallow |
| Mallard | Mallard |
| Canada Goose | Canada Goose |
| Lincoln’s Sparrow | Lincoln’s Sparrow |
| Ruby-Crowned Kinglet | Ruby-Crowned Kinglet |
| American Robin | American Robin |
| Great Horned Owl | Great Horned Owl |
| Red-Tailed Hawk | Red-Tailed Hawk |
| Northern Flicker | Northern Flicker |
| Merlin | Merlin |
| Barn Swallow | Barn Swallow |
| Savannah Sparrow | Savannah Sparrow |
| Great Blue Heron | Great Blue Heron |
| Hermit Thrush | Hermit Thrush |
| American Kestrel | American Kestrel |
| Bald Eagle | Bald Eagle |
| Song Sparrow | Song Sparrow |
| European Starling | European Starling |
| Northern Pintail | Northern Pintail |
| American Wigeon | American Wigeon |
| Green-Winged Teal | Green-Winged Teal |
Mammals
| Isle Royale National Park | Petrified Forest National Park |
|---|---|
| Coyote | Coyote |
| American Beaver | Big Brown Bat |
| Muskrat | Bobcat |
| Big Brown Bat | Striped Skunk |
| Striped Skunk | Little Brown Bat |
| Little Brown Bat | Deer Mouse |
| Deer Mouse | Raccoon |
| Silver-Haired Bat | Black Bear |
| Hoary Bat | Porcupine |
| Red Fox | Silver-Haired Bat |
| Long-Tailed Weasel | Hoary Bat |
| Mink | Red Fox |
| Gray Wolf | Long-Tailed Weasel |
| Short-Tailed Weasel | Mountain Lion |
| Snowshoe Hare | Mule Deer |
| North American River Otter | Gray Fox |
| Canada Lynx | Wolf |
| Marten | Long-Legged Myotis |
| Moose | Badger |
| Red Bat | California Myotis |
| Norway Rat | Fringed Myotis |
| Southern Red-Backed Vole | Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat |
| Northern Long-Eared Bat | Pacific Townsend’s Big-Eared Bat |
| Bushy-Tailed Woodrat | |
| Western Harvest Mouse |
Fish
| Isle Royale National Park | Petrified Forest National Park |
|---|---|
| Redband Trout | |
| Coaster Brook Trout | |
| Brown Trout | |
| Longnose Sucker | |
| Harvey Lake Fathead Minnow | |
| Golden Shiner | |
| Lake Trout | |
| Northern Pike | |
| Ellpout | |
| Coho Salmon | |
| Chinook Salmon | |
| Mottled Sculpin | |
| Slimy Sculpin | |
| Longnose Dace | |
| Black Crappie | |
| Pink Salmon | |
| Creek Chub |
Amphibians
| Isle Royale National Park | Petrified Forest National Park |
|---|---|
| Northern Leopard Frog | Northern Leopard Frog |
| Wood Frog | Tiger Salamander |
| Woodhouse’s Toad | |
| Red-Spotted Toad | |
| Plains Spadefoot |
Reptiles
| Isle Royale National Park | Petrified Forest National Park |
|---|---|
| Gopher Snake | |
| Western Terrestrial Garter Snake | |
| Western Rattlesnake | |
| Sagebrush Lizard | |
| Hernandez’s Short-Horned Lizard | |
| Side-Blotched Lizard | |
| Common Kingsnake | |
| Nightsnake | |
| Long-Nosed Leopard Lizard | |
| Milksnake | |
| Striped Whipsnake | |
| Southwestern Black-Headed Snake | |
| Eastern Collared Lizard | |
| Eastern Fence Lizard | |
| Glossy Snake |
Beautiful Landscapes in Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park
Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park are two of the most famous national parks in the United States. Isle Royale is located in Lake Superior, near the Canadian border. The park is known for its remote wilderness and diverse landscapes, including forests, lakes, and rugged rock formations. Visitors can experience the park’s natural beauty through hiking and camping, as well as kayaking and canoeing through the park’s waterways. The park’s most famous landscape is its rocky shorelines, which provide breathtaking views of the lake and its surrounding forests.
Petrified Forest National Park is located in northeastern Arizona and is home to one of the largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood in the world. Visitors can witness the unique beauty of this natural wonder through hiking trails, scenic drives, and guided tours. The park’s famous landscape is its Painted Desert, a colorful landscape of badlands and canyons. The park also features the Blue Mesa, a section of the park where the petrified wood is particularly well-preserved and colorful. In addition, Petrified Forest National Park is home to several historic sites, including ancient Native American petroglyphs and homesteads.
Things To-Do and Activities in Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park
Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park are both unique and offer a different experience to visitors. Isle Royale is located in Lake Superior and is known for its remote wilderness and opportunities for backcountry camping, hiking, and water activities such as kayaking and fishing. Petrified Forest, on the other hand, is located in Arizona and is a desert landscape with towering rock formations, hiking trails, and scenic drives.
One of the most popular activities at Isle Royale is backcountry camping, where visitors can hike to remote campsites and experience the park’s rugged wilderness. Visitors can also go kayaking and fishing, taking in the breathtaking scenery from the water. Popular hikes on the island include the Minong Ridge Trail and the Greenstone Ridge Trail.
Petrified Forest, on the other hand, is famous for its scenic drives, including the 28-mile long Park Road, which winds through the park and offers stunning views of the petrified trees and other rock formations. Hiking is also a popular activity in the park, with trails ranging from easy nature walks to challenging backcountry hikes. The Painted Desert Rim Trail and the Blue Mesa Trail are two of the most popular hikes in the park.
Both Isle Royale and Petrified Forest offer unique experiences to visitors, but they are also both popular for their natural beauty and opportunities for outdoor activities. Whether it’s backcountry camping and kayaking at Isle Royale or scenic drives and hikes at Petrified Forest, visitors to these parks are sure to leave with memories that will last a lifetime.
Best Time to Visit Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park
Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park are two of the most beautiful parks in the United States, however, they have a different climate and weather patterns. Isle Royale is located in Lake Superior and has a colder, wetter climate than Petrified Forest, which is located in Arizona and has a hot, dry climate.
The best time to visit Isle Royale is during the summer when temperatures are warm, but not too hot. This is a great time to enjoy the outdoors and go on a hike. During the winter, the park is covered in snow and temperatures can drop to below freezing, making it a challenging environment for visitors.
Petrified Forest National Park is best visited from spring to fall, when temperatures are mild and the park is in full bloom. The summer months can be extremely hot, with temperatures often reaching over 100°F, making it difficult to enjoy the park. Winter temperatures are cool, but the park is open year-round, and the views are just as spectacular.
In conclusion, both Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park have their own unique weather patterns, and the best time to visit each park will depend on your personal preferences. If you’re looking for warm weather and a chance to explore, Petrified Forest is the best choice. If you’re looking for a more challenging environment, Isle Royale is the place to be.
Family Friendliness of Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park
Isle Royale National Park and Petrified Forest National Park are two popular national parks in the United States. Both parks offer visitors a unique experience, but they differ when it comes to family-friendliness.
Isle Royale National Park is a remote and rugged wilderness located in Lake Superior. It is known for its stunning natural beauty, but it is not the most family-friendly destination. The park is only accessible by boat or seaplane, and there are few amenities or activities for young children. Additionally, the park’s rugged terrain and remote location can make it challenging for families with young children to explore.
On the other hand, Petrified Forest National Park is located in Arizona and is a much more family-friendly destination. The park has a well-developed infrastructure, with plenty of amenities and activities for visitors of all ages. There are several well-marked trails, picnic areas, and educational exhibits that are perfect for families with young children. In addition, the park’s unique landscape, with its vast expanse of petrified wood, is sure to captivate children and adults alike.
In conclusion, if you are traveling with children, Petrified Forest National Park is the better option for a family-friendly experience. With its well-developed infrastructure and educational exhibits, it offers plenty of opportunities for families to explore and learn together. Isle Royale National Park is a stunning wilderness, but its remote location and rugged terrain make it better suited for older children and adults.