Round Island

Round Island, a 2-acre coastal property within Hiawatha National Forest, rises from Lake Huron as a low limestone platform. The island's highest point reaches 695 feet, with the central plateau at 680 feet and the northeast cove descending to 580 feet. The Round Island Lighthouse stands at 585 feet. This small landmass sits within the Lake Huron headwaters system, where marshy swales and marl seeps create wetland conditions that shape plant and animal communities across the island's limited terrain.

The island supports four distinct ecological communities compressed into its small area. The Mesic Northern Forest occupies the higher elevations, dominated by sugar maple (Acer saccharum), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus), with paper birch (Betula papyrifera) and northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) present in the canopy. Lower elevations transition to Boreal Forest, where white spruce (Picea glauca) and northern white cedar become more prominent. The limestone cobble shore and Great Lakes Barrens communities fringe the island's perimeter, supporting specialized plants adapted to exposed, nutrient-poor conditions: the federally threatened dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris), calypso orchid (Calypso bulbosa), and twinflower (Linnaea borealis) grow in these marginal zones. Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis) and bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) carpet the ground in barren areas, while bird's eye primrose (Primula mistassinica) appears in seepage areas where marl influences soil chemistry.

The federally endangered gray wolf (Canis lupus) and the federally endangered Hine's emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) represent two ends of the island's food web. The dragonfly hunts small aquatic insects in the marshy swales, while wolves move across the broader landscape. Shorebirds use the island's rocky margins: the federally endangered piping plover (Charadrius melodus) and the federally threatened rufa red knot (Calidris canutus rufa) depend on exposed cobble beaches for foraging and resting during migration. Black bears (Ursus americanus) and American beavers (Castor canadensis) inhabit the forested interior and wetland edges. Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) move through the surrounding waters. Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) hunt from perches in the tallest pines, while sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) call from the marshy swales.

Walking across Round Island means moving through compressed ecological transitions. From the lighthouse, a visitor ascending toward the central plateau passes through increasingly dense boreal forest, where the canopy closes and the understory darkens. The air cools noticeably as northern white cedar and white spruce replace the more open mesic forest. Descending the northeast slope toward the cove, the forest opens again, and the sound of Lake Huron becomes audible. At the shoreline, the forest ends abruptly at the limestone cobble beach, where the exposed rocks and sparse vegetation of the Great Lakes Barrens create an open, windswept margin. Here, in spring and fall, shorebirds pause during their migrations, and the specialized plants of this harsh environment—dwarf lake iris and bird's eye primrose—flower in the thin soil between stones.

The Straits of Mackinac, including Round Island, served as a central hub for the Anishinaabek—a confederacy comprising the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. For centuries, these nations used the area as a summer gathering place for fishing whitefish and lake trout, for trading, and as a strategic corridor for travel between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. Round Island, known in Anishinaabe tradition as Nissawinagong, held sacred significance as a burial ground for ancestors, part of a landscape where Mackinac Island itself was understood as the "Great Turtle" and the first land created on Earth. During the War of 1812, Native American allies of the British used islands in the straits as strategic points; in 1814, hundreds of Indigenous warriors in canoes crossed from these islands to engage American forces.

The Treaty of 1836, also known as the Treaty of Washington, marked a pivotal moment when the Odawa and Ojibwe ceded approximately 16 million acres to the United States. Under this treaty, the U.S. government initially set aside Round Island for farming by First Nations peoples, though the island remained largely uninhabited.

In 1895, a lighthouse was constructed on Round Island by Frank Rounds, a mason-carpenter who also worked on the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The station operated with a crew until 1924, when the light was automated and staffing was reduced to a single caretaker. In 1947, the lighthouse station was abandoned after a new automated light was built in the channel. A severe storm in 1972 caused the southwest corner of the structure to collapse. The lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

The Hiawatha National Forest was officially proclaimed on January 16, 1931, by Presidential Proclamation signed by President Herbert Hoover, under authority granted by the Forest Reserve Act of 1891. The forest's origins trace to President Theodore Roosevelt's establishment of the Marquette National Forest on February 10, 1909. Between 1918 and 1931, Marquette National Forest lands were transferred to the Michigan National Forest before being re-established in 1931, creating the modern East Unit and West Unit configuration that comprises the Hiawatha. Round Island, a 2-acre Inventoried Roadless Area within the Hiawatha National Forest, is currently protected under the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.

Vital Resources Protected

Federally Endangered Species Breeding and Refuge Habitat

Round Island supports breeding populations and critical habitat for three federally endangered species: gray wolves (Canis lupus), Hine's emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana), and piping plovers (Charadrius melodus). The island's isolation and minimal human disturbance provide essential conditions for these species to establish territories, nest, and rear young without the chronic stress of human activity. Road construction would introduce noise, light, and human presence into breeding areas, directly disrupting reproductive behavior and nest success in species already reduced to small, fragmented populations across the Great Lakes region.

Limestone Cobble Shore and Great Lakes Barrens Specialist Flora

The limestone cobble shoreline and Great Lakes Barrens ecosystem support four federally threatened plant species found nowhere else in Michigan: dwarf lake iris (Iris lacustris), Houghton's goldenrod (Solidago houghtonii), pitcher's thistle (Cirsium pitcheri), and the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus, proposed threatened). These species depend on the specific soil chemistry, moisture regime, and light conditions of the island's coastal limestone substrate. Road construction would fragment these specialized microhabitats, alter drainage patterns in marshy swales and marl seeps, and create edge conditions that favor invasive species over these rare specialists.

Hine's Emerald Dragonfly Wetland Connectivity

The federally endangered Hine's emerald dragonfly requires intact wetland complexes—including marshy swales and marl seeps—connected to clear, cold water for larval development. Round Island's small but interconnected wetland system provides essential breeding habitat within the Lake Huron drainage. Road construction would disrupt the hydrological connections between these wetlands and the surrounding landscape, fragmenting the dispersal corridors that allow dragonfly populations to maintain genetic diversity and recolonize areas after local extinctions.

Migratory Shorebird Stopover Habitat

The federally threatened rufa red knot (Calidris canutus rufa) uses Round Island's coastal habitats as a critical stopover during spring and fall migration across the Great Lakes. These shorebirds require undisturbed shoreline and shallow-water feeding areas to refuel during their long-distance migrations between Arctic breeding grounds and South American wintering areas. Road construction and associated human activity would displace foraging birds and reduce the habitat quality of this essential refueling site for a subspecies in severe population decline.

Threats from Road Construction

Habitat Fragmentation and Edge Effects in Rare Plant Communities

Road construction would divide the island's already small (2-acre) Great Lakes Barrens and limestone cobble shore into isolated patches, preventing gene flow and seed dispersal among populations of dwarf lake iris, Houghton's goldenrod, and pitcher's thistle. The cleared corridor and associated edge habitat would create conditions favoring invasive species over these rare specialists, which depend on the competitive exclusion provided by intact native plant communities. On an island this small, fragmentation is effectively irreversible—populations separated by even short distances cannot naturally reestablish connection.

Sedimentation and Hydrological Disruption of Wetland-Dependent Species

Road construction on the island's lowland terrain would require cut slopes and fill in marshy swales and marl seeps, directly disrupting the precise water table and soil chemistry that sustains Hine's emerald dragonfly larvae and the rare wetland plants. Erosion from road surfaces and cut banks would introduce sediment into the wetland complex, smothering larval habitat and altering the marl chemistry that these species require. The chronic drainage effects of road fill would lower water tables in adjacent wetlands, converting marshy habitat to drier conditions unsuitable for both the dragonfly and wetland-dependent plants.

Noise, Light, and Human Disturbance to Breeding Wolves and Plovers

Road construction and subsequent vehicle traffic would introduce chronic noise and human presence into breeding territories of federally endangered gray wolves and piping plovers, both species highly sensitive to human disturbance during nesting and denning seasons. Wolves require large, quiet territories for successful pack formation and pup rearing; piping plovers abandon nests when approached by humans. On a 2-acre island with no existing road network, any road construction represents a fundamental shift from a disturbance-free refuge to a human-occupied landscape, making the island unsuitable for these species' core life functions.

Invasive Species Establishment Along Road Corridor

Road construction would create a disturbed corridor—the primary vector for invasive plant and animal species colonization in island ecosystems. Vehicles, equipment, and fill material would introduce seeds and propagules of invasive plants that would spread into adjacent Great Lakes Barrens and limestone cobble shore habitat, outcompeting the federally threatened dwarf lake iris, Houghton's goldenrod, and pitcher's thistle. Island ecosystems lack the natural disturbance regimes and species diversity that resist invasive establishment; once established, invasive species are nearly impossible to control on isolated islands, permanently degrading habitat for rare natives.

Round Island is a 375-acre roadless island in Lake Huron, 2 miles northeast of Mackinac Island in the Hiawatha National Forest. Access is by private boat from St. Ignace, Hessel, or Mackinaw City, or over ice in winter. The island has no roads, developed trails, docks, or facilities. All recreation here depends on the island's wilderness designation and isolation from motorized access.

Hunting

White-tailed deer and black bear are the primary big game species on Round Island. Small game includes rabbit, raccoon, red squirrel, and fox. Waterfowl and upland birds are also present. Michigan DNR hunting seasons and regulations apply. Hunters must possess a valid Michigan base license; additional licenses and kill tags are required for deer, turkey, and bear. Portable, temporary blinds may be placed no earlier than September 1 and must be removed by January 1. Permanent blinds, baiting, cutting vegetation for shooting lanes, and motorized travel are prohibited. The one-acre lighthouse site at the northern tip is excluded from public access. Hunting here requires complete self-reliance in a primitive setting with no trails or facilities. The Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake, Michigan's only venomous snake, is documented or rumored to inhabit the island.

Fishing

Lake Huron waters surrounding Round Island support trout, pike, and salmon. The Round Island Passage—a half-mile-wide shipping channel between Round Island and Mackinac Island—features dangerous reefs and shoals that provide fish habitat. No fishable inland streams exist on the island; interior hydrology consists of marshy swales and marl seeps. Fishing is governed by Michigan DNR Great Lakes regulations. Tribal members may have different seasons and possession limits under the 1836 Treaty of Washington and may use specialized gear under permit. Anglers access the shoreline via the sand and cobblestone spit near the lighthouse or from private boats. Conditions are treacherous: heavy seas, strong currents, and constant freighter and ferry traffic in the Round Island Passage make boat positioning hazardous. The island's lack of docks, roads, or amenities requires anglers to be entirely self-sufficient.

Birding

Round Island lies on a central flyway for migrating birds. Bald eagles and ospreys inhabit the island and its coastal areas. Waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds use the island's forests and wetlands, particularly during spring and fall migration. Summer (June–September) offers the best conditions for birdwatching. Winter birding over the ice can yield sightings of redheads and black scoters. The island falls within the Mackinac Straits Christmas Bird Count circle, which has recorded high concentrations of redheads and black scoters. The Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch operates a counter on adjacent Mackinac Island to observe migrating raptors crossing the straits. Birdwatching on Round Island is conducted from the shoreline or private boats; there are no developed trails or observation areas. The Round Island Lighthouse Preservation Society hosts an annual open house on the second Saturday in July, providing rare organized access to the northern tip for observation.

Photography

The sand and cobblestone spit at the northern tip offers views of the Mackinac Bridge and Mackinac Island across the shipping channel. The central plateau rises 100 feet and supports mature beech-maple forest. Northeast Cove features a sandy beach suitable for coastal photography. The Round Island Lighthouse, one of Michigan's most photographed lighthouses, is visible from Mackinac Island ferries and Shepler's lighthouse cruises. Rare plants include calypso orchid (in conifer forests), dwarf lake iris (endemic to northern shorelines, blooming May–June), and Houghton's goldenrod. Spring and early summer bring hepatica, fringed polygala, Canada mayflower, starflower, and twinflower. Summer displays include wood lily, columbine, bluebells, and tickseed on cobble beaches; Indian pipe and summer coralroot in forests. Late summer offers pipsissewa and death camas on sandy areas. Wildlife subjects include whitetail deer, red squirrel, fox, snowshoe hare, raccoon, and occasional black bears. Bald eagles and various songbirds and waterfowl are present. The island's lack of artificial light sources provides views of the Milky Way and occasional Northern Lights. Access is by private boat or winter ice travel only; there are no developed trails or docks.