MI: Isle Royale’s ferry may be stuck without a crew after federal buyouts

This story has been updated with a statement from the National Parks Service Washington D.C. Office.

One of Michigan’s remote, wilderness gems may be even harder to reach this summer if its public ferry is stuck at the dock without a crew.

Isle Royale National Park is only accessible by boat or seaplane. Most passengers travel across Lake Superior on the public ferry, Ranger III.

The Ranger III, operated by a federal, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed crew, travels the 76 nautical miles between the island and Houghton.

The ferry makes the six-and-half-hour journey four days a week in the summer and is set to resume passenger trips after Memorial Day Weekend.

However, a former park superintendent is concerned the ferry does not have a crew due to recent federal buyouts.

Bill Fink, a retired Isle Royale superintendent, told the outlet National Parks Traveler, the Ranger’s engineer and assistant engineer took advantage of February’s federal buyout program.

“The 165-foot vessel cannot operate without a full U.S. Coast Guard-licensed crew,” Fink said to National Parks Traveler.

“The Ranger III is the keystone of park operations. It carries staff and visitors, yes, but it also carries the fuel which runs generators for the developed areas; it carries the bulk of the frozen and fresh food for employees and the lodge; it carries the major freight load for projects; it carries off the refuse from the park staff and the lodge operation; it carries visitor boats (sometimes returning disabled visitor boats back to the mainland).

“In short, if the Ranger III cannot operate, Isle Royale cannot be functionally open."

Isle Royale closes for the season November 1 - April 15.

The National Parks Service’s Washington D.C. Office responded with the following statement:

“Ranger III is currently in dock with snow and ice blocking the Keweenaw Waterway. We are looking forward to the upcoming summer season and seeing visitors enjoy all the park offers.

At this time, we do not anticipate disruptions to the passenger season schedule, which starts on May 27. The park is working to finalize scheduling for the first freight trip, which is currently scheduled for late April.

We don’t comment on specific staffing questions due to federal privacy law."

Park rangers at Isle Royale confirmed to MLive the park is still set to reopen on schedule, however public transportation like the Ranger III does not typically begin until May. Until then only private boat and seaplane passengers can get to the island.

Isle Royale’s Park Interpreter and the NPS Regional Director did not immediately respond to MLive’s request for comment on the status of the Ranger’s crew.

The Ranger III’s 2025 schedule says it will set off from Houghton on Tuesday, May 27.

After the Valentine’s Day firing of 1,000 National Park Service probationary and seasonal employees, the Trump administration offered year-round NPS workers a buyout.

The buyout further depleted NPS ranks by another 700 employees in February.

During this time the administration also put in place a hiring freeze, preventing parks from hiring replacements or additional seasonal workers.

At the end of March, a federal judge ruled the Office of Personnel Management had no legal authority to mandate the firings and ordered NPS to rehire the employees.

Some retired NPS superintendents have voiced their concern that this back-and-forth at the federal level came at a critical hiring time for the NPS when it typically builds its roster of seasonal employees.

Park superintendents warned it will be difficult to bounce back to full staff. Visitors may notice longer wait times to enter the park or check in at campsites as well as less maintenance on trails and facilities.

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