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Rock Island Backpack Campsites permit area in Rock Island State Park (WI) - backcountry hiking destination
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Rock Island Backpack Campsites Permit

Rock Island State Park (WI) · Wisconsin

Five backpack sites on the island. Reaching them means the Washington Island ferry, then the Rock Island ferry, then walking.

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When it opens

11 months
First come, first served from 11 months before your start dateYou book on the agency's site.

Source: dnr.wisconsin.gov

70% of the openings our scanner caught on Rock Island were gone within 10 minutes.

How to get a Rock Island permit

As of September 2026, Rock Island in Rock Island State Park (WI), Wisconsin requires a permit issued via reservation. Rock Island is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 9/10 on PermitSnag's demand index. Cancelled Rock Island permits are re-released on the booking system, and PermitSnag alerts you the moment one opens.

Type
Backpacking
Location
Door Peninsula, WI

  1. Step 1: Create a Wisconsin DNR (GoingToCamp) account

    Sign up at Wisconsin DNR (GoingToCamp) if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.

  2. Step 2: Know the release schedule

    Permits release on a rolling basis. Check the release time for your dates.

  3. Step 3: Be ready when permits drop

    Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.

  4. Step 4: Monitor for cancellations

    If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.

Book at Wisconsin DNR (GoingToCamp)
Learn more:
Best booking timesCancellation hunting

More on Rock Island: Live availability activityWhen Rock Island permits open upWisconsin State Parks (GoingToCamp) permit and campground cancellations

The Rock Island hike

Rock Island landmarks

  1. 1Pottawatomie Lighthouse

    On a high bluff at the northern tip. DNR: the original "dates from 1836, before Wisconsin became a state"; the current structure "was first lit in 1858" and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

  2. 2Thordarson Loop Trail

    5.2 miles around the circumference of the island. DNR: "Highlights include the Pottawatomie Lighthouse, historic cemeteries, scenic overlooks and a historic water tower."

  3. 3Algonquin Nature Trail

    1.0 mile, and DNR notes it "begins near the campground."

  4. 4Fernwood Trail

    1.2 miles across the middle of the island, connecting the east and west shores.

  5. 5Jackson Harbor, Washington Island

    Where the Rock Island ferry leaves from and where your vehicle stays. Drinking water and restrooms in season.

A Lake Michigan island reached by two ferries, where nothing with wheels is allowed ashore.

About this permit

Wisconsin DNR: "Take the ferry Memorial Day weekend through the second Monday in October to this primitive Lake Michigan island where no vehicles are allowed. This unique park features the Pottawatomie Lighthouse as well as stone buildings built by a wealthy inventor who owned the island between 1910 and 1964. Rock Island offers rustic, walk-in campsites, hiking trails, a swimming beach and miles of shoreline to explore." (dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/rockisland, read 2026-08-09.) The ferry season is the booking season: there is no winter access.

Why it matters

Rock Island is the end of the road in the most literal way Wisconsin offers: you drive to the tip of the Door Peninsula, ferry to Washington Island, cross it, and then take a passenger-only ferry to an island where DNR permits no vehicles, not even bicycles. What is on the other side is a lighthouse first lit in 1858, stone buildings put up by an inventor who owned the island from 1910 to 1964, and campsites you walk to.

The feeling

The ferry pulls away and the sound of engines goes with it. DNR: "Rock Island has one of the most beautiful sand beaches in Door County... Many people swim from the cobble shores near their campsites." Six miles of shoreline, about ten miles of trail, and a boathouse at the landing that Thordarson built out of island stone.

Rock Island hike highlights

  1. Getting here takes two ferries. DNR: "Take the Washington Island Ferry to Washington Island... From the Washington Island ferry landing, travel across the island to the northeast side to the Rock Island ferry landing at Jackson Harbor. Leave your vehicle or bike there and take the passenger-only Rock Island Ferry to Rock Island."
  2. DNR counts 40 primitive walk-in tent sites on the island, two of them group sites. This alert covers the sites Wisconsin files under its Backpack booking category.
  3. "All supplies and equipment must be backpacked in. Small carts are permitted on the ferry and the island but remember space on the ferry is limited."
  4. No vehicles of any kind are allowed on Rock Island.
  5. There is drinking water near the dock and boathouse, and vault toilets. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring.
  6. All campers must register at the visitor contact station.

Trailhead information

Jackson Harbor (Rock Island ferry landing)

Primary

On the northeast side of Washington Island. You leave the vehicle here and cross on the passenger-only Rock Island Ferry.

  • Restrooms
  • Water on site

Before you rely on this water

DNR: "Jackson Harbor – Drinking water and restrooms are available in season." Wisconsin state park water systems are weather-dependent and may be off from roughly Oct. 1 through May 15.

Parking

No vehicle admission sticker is required for the Rock Island ferry parking lot.

Getting There

Wisconsin Highway 42 to its end at Northport, then the Washington Island Ferry, then across the island to Jackson Harbor.

Nearest Services

Washington Island; there is no camp store on Rock Island.

When to hike Rock Island

Best time to visit

The ferry runs Memorial Day weekend through the second Monday in October and nothing else decides the season. DNR flags May and June as the cold-water hypothermia window for anyone on the water, and opens Pottawatomie Lighthouse tours daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Memorial Day through Columbus Day. Bass season on the surrounding water opens July 1.

Rock Island rules, gear and safety

Gear checklist

Required
  • A pack, or a small cart that will fit on a ferry with limited space
  • Cash for firewood: DNR notes there is no camp store on the island
  • Everything for the whole stay; you cannot drive back for it

Recommended gear

  • Dry bags if you are paddling in rather than taking the ferry
  • A wind layer: the sites sit on an exposed Lake Michigan island

Rules & regulations

  1. 01Camping is permitted in designated campsites only.
  2. 02The ferry season is the camping season: Memorial Day weekend through the second Monday in October.
  3. 03Reservations run up to 11 months ahead; backpack sites may be booked for a single night.
  4. 04Check-in is 3 p.m., checkout is 1 p.m.
  5. 05No more than 14 days of camping in any 21 days.
  6. 06A family site takes a parent or parents with dependent children plus up to two guests, or a group of no more than six people of any age.
  7. 07The park is closed to non-campers between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
  8. 08Firewood must be certified or come from within 10 miles; the island sells its own, cash only.
  9. 09Pets on a physical leash no longer than 8 feet.
  10. 10No vehicle admission sticker is required at Rock Island, or at the ferry parking lot.
  11. 11Boats mooring overnight pay $1 per foot of boat length; dock space cannot be reserved.

Hazards & considerations

  • Lake Michigan itself. DNR: "Visitors may take their boats to Rock Island, but caution is urged as Lake Michigan can be hazardous due to reefs and storms."
  • Cold water early in the season. DNR: "Canoes and Kayaks are popular around the island, but lake conditions can change rapidly, resulting in dangerous wind and waves. Early season (May and June) cold water conditions pose a special hypothermia hazard."
  • Winter ice. DNR: "The ferry does not run during winter and travel to the island over the ice is not recommended."
  • Missing the last ferry is not a recoverable mistake. There is no other way off the island.

Safety & planning

Emergency Info

Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Rock Island.

Food Storage

Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.

Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for Rock Island · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides

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Rock Island FAQ

How do I get a Rock Island permit?

PermitSnag alerts you the moment a Rock Island cancellation opens, so you can book it before anyone else. Rock Island permits use a reservation system.

When is the best time to visit Rock Island?

Season dates are on the agency's page. Weekdays have better availability than weekends.

How competitive is the Rock Island permit?

This permit has a demand score of 9/10, making it extremely competitive. We recommend having backup dates and using PermitSnag's cancellation alerts.

What if I can't get a Rock Island permit?

Cancellations happen daily. Set up alerts with PermitSnag to get notified the moment a spot opens up. Pro and $19 single-permit alerts are checked about every minute, 24/7; free accounts are checked hourly.

Rock Island trail conditions and trip reports

Trail Conditions

No active conditions reported

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Trip Reports(1)

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Rock Island WI Backpack Sites: Fall Ferry Timing and Permit Logistics

Rock Island

4.0
Sep 25-28, 2026

Alternatives to a Rock Island permit

  • Same AreaPermit required

    Newport Wilderness Campsites

    Door County's other walk-in-only park, on the mainland at the tip of the peninsula.

    Tradeoffs

    No ferry and no season limit, but you carry water from the park office and a vehicle sticker is required.

  • Similar ExperiencePermit required

    Chippewa Flowage Boat-In Campsites

    Island camping again, this time on Wisconsin's third-largest lake, reached under your own power.

    Tradeoffs

    No ferry timetable to miss, but you supply the boat and DNR names bears that swim to the islands.

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