Latest news with #IsleRoyale
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Yahoo
Donald Trump orders entry fee, DEI changes at national parks. How it affects Michigan
Visiting Michigan's national lakeshores and parks is about to get more expensive for international tourists because of an executive order issued by President Donald Trump. The new order calls for charging non-U.S. residents higher fees for park entry and recreation passes, including the yearlong America the Beautiful pass, which grants access to public lands across federal agencies, as well as pulling back on DEI orders under President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden. "From the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon to the tranquility of the Great Smoky Mountains, America's national parks have provided generations of American families with unforgettable memories," Trump said in the July 3 order. "It is the policy of my Administration to preserve these opportunities for American families in future generations by increasing entry fees for foreign tourists, improving affordability for United States residents, and expanding opportunities to enjoy America's splendid national treasures," he said. In Michigan, people can visit a national park (Isle Royale), two national lakeshores (Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pictured Rocks), a national battlefield park (River Raisin in Monroe), a national historic park (multiple sites in the Keweenaw Peninsula) and a national heritage area (Detroit). Only Isle Royale and the lakeshores entry charge fees. Any revenue generated by higher fees from foreign tourists, Trump's order says, will be funneled back into infrastructure improvements and other enhancements across federal recreation sites. The order also requires a review of maintenance needs and stipulates that the Secretary of the Interior will take steps to make necessary improvements. USA TODAY reached out the Interior Department and National Park Service for comment on the new executive order. What to know about the order and Michigan's national parks. Reservations required: Which national parks require them in 2025 The order calls for giving Americans "preferential treatment with respect to any remaining recreational access rules, including permitting or lottery rules." The executive order revokes a presidential memorandum signed by then-President Barack Obama in 2017 that promoted a range of diversity and inclusion efforts in the management of national parks and other public lands. It called for improving access for all Americans and "considering recommendations and proposals from diverse populations to protect at-risk historic, cultural, and natural sites." Diversity and inclusion were also priorities for parks during the Biden administration. Before leaving office in January, then National Park Service Director Chuck Sams told USA TODAY: "When I took my oath of office on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Secretary (Deb) Haaland said, on behalf of the president of the United States, myself and the American people, I'm charging you with these monuments, memorials and parks, but more importantly, we're charging you to find those stories that are less told or haven't been told yet, and to tell them fiercely. "So over the last three-plus years, working all across the park system, we've been able to tell stories to ensure that every American sees a reflection of themselves in the parks," he said. But the latest move comes after Trump on his first day back in office in January ordered an end to government diversity, equity, and inclusion programs established under Biden. In 2023, 2.8 million park visitors spent an estimated $273 million in local gateway regions while visiting National Park Service lands in Michigan, the NPS said. The expenditures supported a total of 3,730 jobs, $139 million in labor income, $237 million in value added, and $413 million in economic output in the Michigan economy. The statistics were not broken down by domestic or foreign visitors. Visitor spending around Sleeping Bear Dunes totaled $197 million, Pictured Rocks about $46 million, River Raisin about $17 million, Isle Royale about $12 million and the Keweenaw area about 42 million. In 1966, Congress designated the area along Lake Superior's southern shore between Munising and Grand Marais as the nation's first national lakeshore, but the park's features are more than 10,000 years old. More: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore renown for colorful cliffs, but there's more to see, do The namesake of the park is the multicolored sandstone cliffs that stretch for 15 miles along Lake Superior's south shore. The cliffs are streaked with various minerals that leave different colors behind. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore saw 910,939 total visitors in 2023, a 1.5% decrease from 2022 and a 30% decrease from 2021, where the park saw its highest visitation of 1.3 million visitors, according to the National Park Service. Standard pass fees are $15 (snowmobile) to $25 (private vehicle), and $25 to $100 for commercial vehicles. An annual pass for the lakeshore is $45. America the Beautiful passes range from free to $80. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, northwest of Traverse City, welcomes 1.5 million visitors each year, according to the National Park Service. More: This national lakeshore offers dunes, camping along Lake Michigan. Where to visit The national lakeshore offers towering sand dunes to navigate, beaches for swimming and sunbathing, hiking and biking trails, inland Manitou islands, historic coastal villages and museums, camping, forests, rivers and inland lakes for kayaking or tubing or canoeing, a lighthouse and more. The tallest dune is 450 feet. Entrance passes to the lakeshore include a $25 standard pass, with varying prices for larger vehicles; $45 annual pass and America the Beautiful pass at varying prices. There are also seven-day digital passes. The America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands pass is $80 for an annual pass, $80 for a senior lifetime pass, $20 for a senior annual pass and free for military annual pass, military lifetime pass, access pass, fourth grade pass, and volunteer pass. River Raisin park preserves, commemorates, and interprets the January 1813 battles of the War of 1812 and their aftermath, the park service said, that resulted in the greatest victory for Tecumseh's Confederation and the British and the greatest defeat for the U.S. The park includes the battlefield itself, as well as a nearby visitor center. The park visitor center includes a diorama of the River Raisin settlement, orientation maps, ranger programs, basic park orientation, and gift shop. The park sits on the north bank of the River Raisin, along Elm Avenue. The visitor center is across the street along North Dixie Highway. No entrance pass is required to access River Raisin National Battlefield Park, according to the park service. There is also no charge to view the film "The Untold Legacy of the River Raisin" in the park's theater. The Keweenaw National Historic Park includes a variety of sites throughout "Copper Country" in the Keweenaw, many of which are privately operated. The Calumet Visitor Center is located at 98 5th Street in downtown Calumet. Visitors can explore two floors of interactive exhibits, films, and museum pieces focusing not only on mining history, but also the social aspect of the communities that developed to support mining operations, the park service said. An entrance pass is not required to access Keweenaw National Historical Park, but privately operated sites within the park area may charge fees. Isle Royale National Park, one of the nation's least-visited and most remote parks, offers a rugged landscape in the middle of Lake Superior to explore in the northern Great Lakes, according to Pure Michigan. The park is operated by the National Park Service, the lone national park in Michigan. There are more than 400 islands, some tiny, that make up the archipelago. Isle Royale, the park's main island, is 9 miles wide and 50 miles long, the park service says. More: How big is Isle Royale National Park? What to know about the remote island chain In addition to reaching the islands via private boats, there are several seaplane and ferry routes to the archipeligo. Some lodging options are available on the island, including the Rock Harbor Lodge and the Windigo Camper Cabins. The island has boating docks, multiple campgrounds with options for group camping, inland lake paddling campgrounds, trail accessible campgrounds and Lake Superior accessible campgrounds. Isle Royale National Park charges a $7 per person daily entrance fee to enter or remain within the park per calendar day. The Isle Royale season pass costs $60. Federal lands passes (annual, military, veteran, senior, access, and volunteer) are accepted at Isle Royale. Congressionally designated in 1998, MotorCities National Heritage Area preserves the story of how tinkerers became titans and how auto and labor helped build the middle class while transforming manufacturing worldwide, the park service says. The area encompasses the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Detroit Historical Museum, Edsel and Eleanor Ford home, Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum, Gilmore Car Museum near Kalamazoo, Alfred P. Sloan Museum in Flint, Ford Piquette Avenue plant, R.E. Olds Transportation Museum in Lansing and the Old Mill Museum in Dundee. The sites included in the heritage area all are operated by groups other than the park service and charge entrance fees. — USA TODAY contributed to this story. This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Trump orders national parks to charge foreign tourists higher fees
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Yahoo
Father and son identified as campers found dead at Isle Royale National Park
The two campers found dead at a remote campground at a Michigan national park last month have been identified as a father and son. Rangers found the two bodies at a backcountry campground at Isle Royale National Park on June 8, the National Park Service confirmed last month. Rangers used ground and aviation resources to recover the bodies from the campsite the following day. The two have been identified as John Baird, 60, and Bradley Baird, 30, from from Washtenaw County, Michigan, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune and local station KMSP. Park officials have still not revealed the official cause and manner of death as the investigation continues. Death certificates shared by Keweenaw County officials indicate Bradley was a self-employed writer while John was the division president for the insurance company AmeriTrust, KMSP reported. John was reportedly a military veteran before working in insurance, according to WLUC. USA TODAY has reached out to AmeriTrust for comment. Isle Royale National Park is a remote island cluster located in Lake Superior, Michigan, known for its distinctive ecology and wildlife. The wilderness park is only open six months out of the year and is exclusively accessible via ferry, boat or seaplane. In 2023, park ranger Christopher Amidon told USA TODAY the park is home for wolves and moose. "There's been a wolf-moose predator-prey research study going on for over 60 years on Isle Royale, the longest predator-prey relationship study in existence," Amidon previously told USA TODAY. "You have a really high likelihood of seeing moose while visiting Isle Royale, as opposed to wolves, which are incredibly secretive." Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr. and Eve Chen, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2 found dead at Isle Royale National Park identified as father, son
Daily Mail
26-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Father and son found dead at idyllic Michigan campground
A father and son were found dead earlier this month in a horrifying discovery at a Michigan national park. The pair - who have not been named - were discovered at a campground at Isle Royale National Park on June 8. While details remain scarce, the Keweenaw County Medical Examiner Dr. Michael McAllister announced their deaths were likely the result of a murder-suicide. It remains unclear which person authorities think died first, or what caused the horror. The deaths are being probed by the FBI. The FBI has stressed that, despite the extreme levels of secrecy there is, 'no known threat to the public'. Multiple Michigan law enforcement officials told MLive that the effort to conceal the victims' identities is unusual. Park rangers at Isle Royale received the first reports of two deceased individuals on June 8 at around 4pm. Two rangers then hiked overnight and traveled a total of 11 miles. They arrived Monday morning and found the dead father and son. A 'fixed wing aircraft' and a helicopter was also used in the operation, though National Park Service officials didn't specify if it was to transport the bodies. The bodies were found at South Desor Lake Campground, which is about an 11-mile hike from Windigo, the westernmost access point for the 206-square-mile island. The campground is off the 40-mile-long Greenstone Ridge Trail, the main path used by hikers to walk between the island's two main harbors, Windigo and Rock Harbor. Hiking the entire trail typically takes five to eight days, according to the National Park Service. McAllister, the county medical examiner, said the deaths were formally confirmed by medical personnel on June 10. 'That could have just been (when) their bodies got transported off the island, and I believe they were pronounced on shore after they got them out of there,' he said. 'So the date that they were pronounced doesn't always necessarily correlate the dates that we suspect they actually died.' Isle Royale is one of the least popular national parks for tourists given how isolated it is. The island, which has no permanent residents, is only accessible by ferry, seaplane or private boat. In 2024, Isle Royale had the sixth least visits of all national parks at just 28,806, according to CNN. The national parks more unpopular than it were all in Hawaii and Alaska, making Isle Royale one of the most remote nature sites in the mainland United States. Daily Mail approached the FBI and the National Park Service for comment.
CBS News
13-06-2025
- CBS News
2 campers found dead at Isle Royale National Park have been identified, officials say
Two campers found dead at Lake Superior's Isle Royale National Park have been identified, the National Park Service said Thursday. Officials said next of kin have been notified and that there is no known threat to the public. According to officials, at around 4 p.m. on June 8, two park rangers responded to a pair of separate reports of two people found dead at a campground near the Greenstone Ridge trail. The rangers hiked 11 miles overnight to the campground, arriving early Monday morning. When rangers arrived at the site, they found the bodies of two unidentified people. Due to the remote location of the campground within the park, a helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft were used in the investigation. On Wednesday, the FBI confirmed it was assisting in an investigation. The FBI says it routinely assists in investigations if requested, but this does not mean it will open an investigation. "FBI policy prohibits the confirmation of the existence of investigations, the release of information on investigations and any public report on the closing on an investigation," the agency said in a statement. Officials have not released the causes of death. An investigation is ongoing.
CBS News
11-06-2025
- CBS News
FBI assisting in investigation of two bodies found at Michigan's Isle Royale National Park
The FBI confirmed that it is assisting in an investigation after the bodies of two unidentified campers were found on Monday at Michigan's Isle Royale National Park. Federal investigators say they routinely assist in investigations if requested, but this does not mean they will open an investigation. "FBI policy prohibits the confirmation of the existence of investigations, the release of information on investigations and any public report on the closing on an investigation," the agency said in a statement. Authorities say that at about 4 p.m. on June 8, two park rangers responded to reports of two people dead at a remote campground within the park. After hiking 11 miles to the campground, the rangers found the two people on Monday. Additional ground and aviation resources responded to the scene. The cause of death is unknown.
