Access to Isle Royale National Park is limited to boat and seaplane.  In addition to a few commercial excursion boats, the Ranger III is the U.S. National Park Service's largest boat.  It visits the least frequented park in the system.  The Ranger III leaves from the Houghton port on Tuesday and Friday each week during the summer and makes return trips from Isle Royale on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.

I was surprised that the Ranger carries so much freight.  Of course, it provides the only waste disposal transport for the Island, so the vessel stops at the Rock Harbor dock after servicing Mott Island, the headquarters for the Isle Royale maintenance.  The boat also carries cargo for the concession services on the Island including large freezers full of who knows what, and building supplies such as lumber.  Some items are rolled into the cargo hold while dumpsters and larger items are lifted onto the bow with an impressive crane.  In addition to all the larger freight, the ship carries all the gear for those who venture to the Island.  Carts full of heavy backpacks, suitcases, picnic coolers and personal necessities are pulled to the Ranger using a tractor.  The coolest cargo is the boats, canoes, and kayaks.  I watched the loading of two decent sized outboard motor boats, and three canoes and kayaks on the return trip.  They were picked up by the crane and placed ever so gently onto the ship's bow amongst the dumpsters.