Summer on Lake Superior will not be one you'll want to miss!
Seasonal
- spring
- summer
Job Starts:
Apr 27, 2023
Rugged, Remote, & Wild - one of America's most unique National Parks!
With spectacular views, sunrises and sunsets, fun on the water, and an abundance of wildlife, working at Isle Royale is perfect for nature lovers, adventure seekers, go-getters, and anyone looking for a thrill. Rock Harbor Lodge has guest rooms with private baths, housekeeping cottages, and services include a dining room, gift shop, marinas, guided fishing, sightseeing tours, and more!
Rock Harbor Lodge is located at the northeast end of Isle Royale National Park, an island in the middle of Lake Superior. The Lodge is nestled in “Snug Harbor” with access to many hiking trails, canoes, kayaks and motorboats. Rock Harbor Lodge is about 60 miles from the Michigan shoreline. Therefore, it requires a 6 hour boat ride, or 35 minute seaplane flight.
Jobs in the Spotlight
Join the crew on Lake Superior for a summer to remember!
Seasonal
- spring
- summer
Job Starts:
Apr 27, 2023
Spend Summer 2023 on Lake Superior with the best crew on the Great Lakes!
Seasonal
- summer
Job Starts:
May 17, 2023
Spend Summer 2023 on Lake Superior with the best crew on the Great Lakes!
Seasonal
- summer
Job Starts:
Apr 27, 2023
About Isle Royale Resorts, LLC
Work in one of America's most unique National Parks!
Rock Harbor Lodge offers positions in the hospitality, retail, marina, sightseeing and food and beverage industries. Because of the park’s popularity, you will have the opportunity to work alongside employees and serve guests from all over the world.
With spectacular views, sunrises and sunsets, fun on the water, abundance of wildlife, working at Rock Harbor Lodge is perfect for nature lovers, adventure seekers, ambitious people, and anyone who wants the experience of a lifetime!
Isle Royale is home to moose, wolves, loons, beaver, fox and other small mammals and birdlife. Lake Superior and the island's inland lakes offer excellent fishing, and many Lake Superior shipwrecks can be explored during diving excursions. Historic Rock Harbor and Passage Island Lighthouses create additional interest.
Our operation on the east side of the island in Rock Harbor includes Lakeside Lodge units, Housekeeping Cottages, two full service restaurants, a gift shop, a Marina (with dock slips, fuel, canoe/kayak rentals), sightseeing tour boat, fishing charters, water taxi service, a general store, public showers and public laundry facilities.
On the west end of the island, Windigo, we offer camper cabin accommodations, a Marina (with dock slips, fuel, canoe/kayak rentals), a small general store, public showers and public laundry facilities.
There are no roads or cars on the island.
The Employee Experience
Employee Activities:
Rock Harbor Lodge offers employees recreational opportunities such as sightseeing excursions, canoeing and kayaking, water taxi rides, and fishing charter experiences! Other experiences to enjoy on your time off: Hiking, Backpacking, Camping, Kayaking, All sightseeing and water taxis (ride along/drop off/pick-ups), canoe/kayak rentals are free of charge to employees based on availability. All life jackets, paddles are provided, some fishing and camping gear is available to borrow for employees only. If you have any camping or fishing gear you would like to use while at Isle Royale, we encourage you to bring it!
Property Events & Activities to look forward to:
4th of July
Every year we celebrate the Fourth of July much like every other American does despite our geographic distance to the US. We celebrate with a large cookout, and an annual canoe race! (We also enjoy singing patriotic songs at a not so great pitch). Our Fourth of July festivities often end with a bonfire around our employee campfire ring.
Christmoose (Christmas in July)
It is believed the tradition of celebrating Christmas in July started in Glacier National Park, and continued to other parks with a moose population, and Isle Royale is no exception. We start our celebration with Christmas carols, and then indulge ourselves in a “Christmoose” themed cookout. (No, we do not serve moose. But we do serve lot of homemade Christmas cookies!) There is often a gift exchange, with being on a rocky island, with no shopping centers, the gifts can get pretty creative!
Labor Day Celebration
A relatively new tradition of celebrating Labor Day with yet another cookout, but this time with cold grills. During Labor Day we celebrate with a fish/seafood boil!
Movie night, Poker night, Card Games, Ping Pong Tournaments, Pool Tournaments, Ice Cream Socials, Olympics, Sack Races, Sushi Night, Volleyball Games, Pie eating contests, Canoe Races, & more!!
Climate:
Surrounded by a large, cold body of water, employees can expect temperatures in the 40s and 50s early May and in June and sporadically throughout the season. During July, and August, the “hottest” part of the summer, temperatures can range from 60-80 degrees. Lake Superior often acts like an ice box, there is always a lite cool breeze near the shore. (Perfect for those hot sunny days on the trail!) September gives a perfect blend of warm sunny days and cool fall-like days! Lake Superior is known for her short temper and wild storms and Isle Royale is no exception. During summer we often get windy, wild, and wavy days, those days are just as pretty as a sunny day when you really appreciate how immense the “Big Lake” really is! If you plan to work at Rock Harbor Lodge, bring plenty of clothes to layer up, a heavy jacket (or two!), a raincoat, and sturdy shoes is a must! Isle Royale National Park is closed and inaccessible in the winter.
Wildlife:
Isle Royale National Park has a variety of wildlife including moose, wolves, fox, beaver, otter, loons, bald eagles, osprey, snowshoe hares, ducks, and plenty of squirrels! There are also many varied species of fish in the waters surrounding Isle Royale as well as the inland lakes for all anglers! Fun Fact! Isle Royale is home to many different kinds of crawly creatures; however, Isle Royale does not have ticks, or any other poisonous bugs, or even poisonous plants! Isle Royale is home to many carnivorous plants!
Ideal Candidate
Our employees come from various parts of The United States and all over the world. With such a small and diverse staff, Rock Harbor Lodge provides a community atmosphere and encourages cultural exchanges. Many of our staff have returned for multiple seasons and we are eager for you join our family!
Room and Board
DEPOSIT
Employees are enrolled in a room and board plan and will have $11.50 deducted daily from their paycheck. A refundable housing and uniform deposit of $125.00 is required and will be refunded if room is left clean and undamaged, uniform and name tag is returned with normal wear.
ROOM
All employees will live in company provided housing: dormitory, or guesthouse room during their employment and should expect to have roommate(s). Rooms come with a bed, dresser, closet, chair and desk. Unless otherwise noted, all company housing will have a shared bathroom with "suite" mates. We do our best to accommodate couples housing and roommate requests, but availability is very limited, so there are no guarantees. The use of tobacco products including and not limited to: cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, e-cigarettes, and vaping devices are strictly prohibited is all employee housing and buildings. We are unable to accommodate pets of any kind inside employee housing.
BOARD
The Employee Dining Room (EDR) is located just a short distance from the employees housing areas and offers three hot meals a day. Salad bar, snacks, hot coffee and tea are offered daily. Our kitchen provides a variety of different cuisines with limited options for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free diets.
Getting Here and Getting Around
The first step will be to arrive to Houghton, MI. Zip Code: 49931 Airport Code: CMX
This can be accomplished by flying (United), driving, or taking a Grey Hound bus, or a combination.
We recommend our employees take the Ranger III across with a discounted fare, other options are available and can be discussed. Once you have arrived on the island you will be greeted by a crew member and settled into the property
Read more about our local transportation here.
For Fun
The Park is home to moose, wolves, loons, beaver, fox, and other small mammals and birdlife. Lake Superior and the island's inland lakes offer excellent fishing. Diving opportunities abound to many Lake Superior shipwrecks.