This Is the Most Claustrophobic Hike in Michigan—Would You Try It?

Unlike the Southwest or some of the Appalachian states, Michigan does not have many hikeable canyons or gorges that are narrow enough to give pause to someone who doesn't like tight spaces. That said, the Great Lakes State is home to many rugged trails, some along steep rock faces or dense, overgrown forests, either of which can feel pretty claustrophobic—especially if you're unable to see the sky or it's getting close to dark. I think the most claustrophobic hike in Michigan is probably the Suzy Cave Trail in Isle Royale National Park... and it's not even because of the cave.

The Suzy's Cave Trail is a moderately challenging hike that you'll begin from Rock Harbor, on the northeastern end of Isle Royale. The hike is only 4 miles, out and back, and it starts off fairly mundanely for a hike in this Michigan national park: skirting the island's shoreline, offering views of bays and coves carved into the rock over the millennia by the unrelenting power of Lake Superior.

Eventually, however, the footpath narrows and enters the dense evergreen forests that characterize the island's interior. Stands of spruce grow right up to the trail's edge, their roots tangled in underbrush and overgrown with moss. The latter, along with lichens and decades of fallen pine needles, muffles footfalls and absorbs sound, casting an oppressive silence over the forest.

Along the way, root balls from fallen trees and hummocks rise up from the sides of the trail, waist and, in places, even shoulder-high, closing it in and making it narrower. Adding to the eeriness, you never know what may be peering out at you from within the dense vegetation.

Upon leaving the forest, the trail skirts a series of rock walls, carved from ancient volcanic basalt, and pocked with crevices, caves, and abandoned mine pits. You follow this section a short distance.

Your reward for making this hike? The cave for which the trail is named and the return trip, over which you'll travel the same, narrow, closed-in path back to Rock Harbor.

I don't think hikes in Michigan get much more claustrophobic feeling than the Suzy Cave Trail at Isle Royale National Park. Fortunately, many other trails in the park offer plenty of expansive views and wide open spaces, so if this hike doesn't sound like your cup of tea, there's absolutely no need to tackle it. Have you hiked this trail? Did you find it at all confining? We'd love to hear your thoughts on what you consider the most claustrophobic trail in Michigan over on our Nomination page.

If you're ready to plan your next hiking trip in the Great Lakes State, pay a visit to  Only In Your State’s AI-powered itinerary planner and see what adventures it cooks up for you.