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BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog

March 19 2024

Entry Point 26 - Wood Lake

Wood Lake entry point allows overnight paddle only. This entry point is supported by Kawishiwi Ranger Station near the city of Ely, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 13 miles. Access to Wood Lake is a 180-rod portage. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.

Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1361 feet
Latitude: 47.9691
Longitude: -91.6001
Wood Lake - 26

wood/good /indiana with a 9 yo

by canoemom
Trip Report

Entry Date: July 23, 2004
Entry Point: Wood Lake
Number of Days: 3
Group Size: 2

Trip Introduction:
Just finished this spur of the moment trip w/my 9 yo son. Picked up a used Kevlar canoe, and tried it out on this beginner route. Likely its lovely in the fall in here//we lucked out and avoided crowds--only saw 2 other groups!

Report


I suspect the long portage into Wood and limited route options make this a less used path--but it was great for a short trip!!

The Wood lake portage is long, but a walk in the park! Portages into/out of Hula are a bit muddy-not a problem in the summer warmth-just messy. I've never canoed a grass lake like Hula--an interesting experience (we got in and my son was sure we'd taken a wrong turn)

Both campsites on Good Lake are beautiful--we took the one nearest the Indiana lake portage, and stayed 2 nites there-had the lake to ourselves the 1st nite. Campsites and portages had abundant blueberries and raspberries--even some late strawberries! I've never heard wolves in the BWCA--it was a neat experience, and the Northern lights put on an amazing show. 

I'm no fisherwoman, but we took a day trip loop from Good to Indiana, out the grassy river area into Wind bay, and back up Basswood to the portage into Good. Had lots of Northern action--unfortunately had plenty of black fly action as well... My son was taken w/the beaver dams/lodges, and mad that I didn't keep the northerns--he wanted to pack them out. The portage between Good and Indiana has lots of poison Ivy at the Good lake end--not used to seeing this in the BWCA!

This was a very "doable" first outing w/my son! For those not interested in fishing shallows-would skip the weedy river portion between Indiana and Wind Bay--consider popping out of Good into Basswood and exploring there a bit--Islands and some bays break that big water up enough!

 


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