A campground is pictured at Isle Royale National Park. (Courtesy photo)

HOUGHTON — Isle Royale National Park has announced the temporary closing of individual tent and group campsites and prohibiting tent and hammock use at Three Mile Campground for the safety of its visitors, according to a National Park Service news release.

Off-trail camping zones surrounding Three Mile Campground will also be closed. The shelters at the campground will remain open. The closure began Thursday and continues through July 31.

Over the past week, a wolf has been spotted in the campground, sniffing and pawing at tents, dragging backpacks away from tents and entering a tent, officials said. The wolf has become increasingly bold, showing signs of habituation and a growing reliance on human food.

The park has addressed the issue through hazing, improved trash and recycling management and stricter food storage rules, but wolf interest in human food and trash continues. This recent focus on tents and backpacks at Three Mile Campground is a serious concern.

During the closure, park staff will intensify hazing efforts during daylight hours in campgrounds and developed areas to discourage the wolf from returning. Hazing methods include loudly shouting, stomping, clapping, sounding airhorns and discharging paintball guns. Staff will also install noise-producing devices around Rock Harbor, Three Mile and Daisy Farm Campgrounds to alert staff and visitors of wolf presence. 

“Visitor safety and the protection of wildlife are our highest priorities,” said Park Superintendent Denice Swanke in a news release. “We ask for your support in securing food, trash and scented items consistent with 2026 food storage guidelines.”

For more information, contact the Houghton Visitor Center at 906-482-0984.

The closure will be monitored and evaluated. The goal is to reopen the tent and group sites and off trail zones on Aug. 1, but the closure could continue and additional regulations or closures could occur throughout the park if necessary.