Two very different-looking versions of this adventure were printed. The first edition was printed in 1981, and the second edition in 1983; both were thirty two page books in an outer folder which featured cover artwork by Jeff Dee. "The Isle of Dread" was included in every copy of the 1981 version of the "D&D Expert Set" as an example of an outdoor adventure and setting. This version is laid out in the style characteristic of early "D&D" adventures: it had no "Dungeons & Dragons" logo, a diagonal strip in the top left corner indicated which edition of the game it was for, and the back cover featured an illustration and a list of other "D&D" products of the time. It was available on its own and packaged with the original version of the "Expert Set" by David "Zeb" Cook. It was often sold already three-hole punched, and had several distinguishable printings of its own.