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.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Rock Island were gone within 5 minutes.
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Rock Island Quick Facts
Rock Island Permit Facts
- 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; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Permit Details
What to Expect
Highlights
- •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."
- •DNR counts 40 primitive walk-in tent sites on the island, two of them group sites. This watch covers the sites Wisconsin files under its Backpack booking category.
- •"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."
- •No vehicles of any kind are allowed on Rock Island.
- •DNR publishes no walking distance from the ferry dock to the sites.
- •There is drinking water near the dock and boathouse, and vault toilets. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring.
- •All campers must register at the visitor contact station.
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.
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.
How to Get This Permit
Create a Wisconsin DNR (GoingToCamp) account
Sign up at Wisconsin DNR (GoingToCamp) if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.
Know the release schedule
Permits typically release on a rolling basis. Check the specific release time for your desired dates.
Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
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.
The Experience
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.
Trailhead Information
Jackson Harbor (Rock Island ferry landing)
On the northeast side of Washington Island. You leave the vehicle here and cross on the passenger-only Rock Island Ferry.
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.
Rules & Regulations
- •Camping is permitted in designated campsites only.
- •The ferry season is the camping season: Memorial Day weekend through the second Monday in October.
- •Reservations run up to 11 months ahead; backpack sites may be booked for a single night.
- •Check-in is 3 p.m., checkout is 1 p.m.
- •No more than 14 days of camping in any 21 days.
- •A 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.
- •The park is closed to non-campers between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- •Firewood must be certified or come from within 10 miles; the island sells its own, cash only.
- •Pets on a physical leash no longer than 8 feet.
- •No vehicle admission sticker is required at Rock Island, or at the ferry parking lot.
- •Boats mooring overnight pay $1 per foot of boat length; dock space cannot be reserved.
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
- Dry bags if you are paddling in rather than taking the ferry
- A wind layer — the sites sit on an exposed Lake Michigan island
Plan Your Trip
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Rock Island
Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
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Key Landmarks
Pottawatomie 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.
Thordarson 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."
Algonquin Nature Trail
1.0 mile, and DNR notes it "begins near the campground."
Fernwood Trail
1.2 miles across the middle of the island, connecting the east and west shores.
Jackson Harbor, Washington Island
Where the Rock Island ferry leaves from and where your vehicle stays. Drinking water and restrooms in season.
Rock Island FAQ
How do I get a Rock Island permit?
Rock Island permits use a reservation system. PermitSnag sends lottery open, deadline, and results reminders; you can also enable cancellation alerts if spots open later.
When is the best time to visit Rock Island?
Check with the managing agency for current season dates. Weekdays generally 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.
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Can't Get a Rock Island Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Newport Wilderness Campsites
Same AreaDoor 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.
Chippewa Flowage Boat-In Campsites
Similar ExperienceIsland 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.
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Rock Island trip
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