I will be taking my daughter for her first trip into the BWCA this Sept. 3-5. Very quick trip with little time. She is an avid canoeist but nervous about the wilderness. Strong and athletic and 16 years old. I'd like this to be a positive experience for her...(imagine that)

A "monkey in the wrench", however, is that we will be traveling from the Twin Cites with my wife and son who will not be going in with us but instead staying back to enjoy some time in Ely and giving my daughter and I time alone. This means that I need a campsite close to my entry point so my wife can drop us off in the early morning and not have to travel over an hour to get to my entry point. After studying a few options I am considering #14 Little Indian Sioux River which is close to Jeanette Lake campground which will accommodate our family's pop up camper. I have not explored this area yet so it also appeals to me. The portages are easy for the two of us and should not be a problem.

So it seems like a good plan to me but I am open to opinions and other options that fit the criteria above if anyone would like to offer any.

Also, how will the water level be typically in early September on the river?

That's a nice area. You could camp on Upper or Lower Pauness or Shell and check out Devil's Cascade.

Another area is Gabbro or S. Kawishiwi entry points. It's another neat area and there is a campground off of HWY 1 near both entry points. It's right on the river, about 10 miles SE of Ely.

Water levels will most likely be low, that may matter in the LIS entry, but not so much on Gabbro or S. Kawishiwi.

You should have no problem with water levels on LISN.

LIS N is on my list of trips I haven't done but want to do.

The suggestion for Little Gabbro or South Kawishiwi River are also good ones and I have done both and liked them both. I liked my Kawishiwi Triagle trip entering at South Kawishiwi River better. If your family stayed at the South Kawishiwi River Campground and you entered at South Kawishiwi River #32 entry point you could actually just paddle right from the campground to start and end your trip and there wouldn't be a need for drop off and pickup.

These are great suggestions and what I needed as I had exhausted my own ideas. You've confirmed my thoughts and given me new ideas that I will investigate.
Thanks and keep your paddles wet!

quote ducks: " If you entered at South Kawishiwi River #32 entry point you could actually just paddle right from the campground to start and end your trip and there wouldn't be a need for drop off and pickup. "

Is this true? I was under the impression that you had to take the #32 portage into the river if that is your entry point. That would be really convenient if possible. Either way, ending at the campground is a great suggestion that river is really nice. If you are fishing make sure you fish the bottom of the rapids after the final portage across from Outward Bound.

" If you are fishing make sure you fish the bottom of the rapids after the final portage across from Outward Bound. "

My daughter has already requested that we DON'T fish....She loves canoeing but she is not into the outdoors much. But she has specifically requested this trip with me so she can get over some of her fears of the outdoors. That and we love spending time together!

quote Happyman: "
My daughter has already requested that we DON'T fish....

Understandable. Enjoy your trip. Wherever you decide to go, you will have a great time.

FYI, the S. Kawishiwi area is less of a commitment and easier to exit quickly if you feel the need. LIS entry will take longer to exit once you get to the campsites in the area.

Thanks for all the input everyone. I'm not excited for such a brief trip but the time with my daughter is well worth anytime we can get together. I just wanted to be sure I sussed out all my options considering the quick in and out and your suggestions are quite helpful. I will be investigating the alternate routes and campground options tonight. If anyone else has anything to offer just pipe in.

I leave you with a picture of her out early one morning on one of our local lakes as the sun came up. We often get up before sunrise and hit the lakes to watch the sun come up and then rush home for coffee and a rush to school and work...

Have a good trip! It might help your daughter to know that people have been going out in the wilderness for thousands of years, many of them alone, and were able to conquer it and make it out alive. Someone on this board pointed that out to me once and it eliminated some lingering concerns I still had, and really broadened my scope as to the types of hikes and canoe trips I wanted to take.

quote SaganagaJoe: "Have a good trip! It might help your daughter to know that people have been going out in the wilderness for thousands of years, many of them alone, and were able to conquer it and make it out alive. Someone on this board pointed that out to me once and it eliminated some lingering concerns I still had, and really broadened my scope as to the types of hikes and canoe trips I wanted to take.



"

Reasoning with a teenage girl is akin to holding back a hurricane...

If your girl is a little nervous about "wilderness" you could just go in at Moose and take little trip over to Ensign. Short portage,then a lot of sites on Ensign. ( that will be a busy weekend travel early) Now, if she decides it's not for her, you can get out quick! You might even have cell service :( on Ensign.

If you are looking for Ely camp grounds near entry points - Check out the Forest Service Campground at Fall Lake. All of the Fernberg entry points are only a few minutes away.
1. Number lakes ( 1-2-3-4 to Insula)
2. Moose to Ensign or up the border
3. Fall to Basswood-over to the Falls
4. Wood up to Indiana and Wind

If you are going to be on the Echo Trail at Lake Jeanette -
5. Check-out Moose River North up to Tiger Bay and the Irving Island Pictographs
My non-fishing teen grandkids really like the adventure of finding pictographs and reading about them in Michael Furtman's book "Magic on the Rocks".
6. Off the Fernberg-check Ojibway Lake and Triangle - not in BWCA so no permit needed but still have campsites and wilderness camping.

Though she likes to paddle, make the in camp time fun. We have brought knot tying projects to make bracelets from paracord and fun cooking easy projects.

quote pswith5: "If your girl is a little nervous about "wilderness" you could just go in at Moose and take little trip over to Ensign. Short portage,then a lot of sites on Ensign. ( that will be a busy weekend travel early) Now, if she decides it's not for her, you can get out quick! You might even have cell service :( on Ensign. "

She's a tough cookie. Once she commits (no matter how nervous she may get) she will not back down. Great ideas though. Thanks!

Fall Lake has a nice campground. The Boundary Waters is only a half mile away. There are motors allowed in the area, but once it gets dark it is just like any other place out there. You can head to the non motor area on Basswood up by Basswood river. Two extremely easy portages to get to Basswood. Like walking down a gravel road. There are Newton falls and Pipestone Falls to view along the way. Maybe being in an area like this your daughter will feel more safe and less concerned knowing that help is not far away, not that you would need help. Just might put her mind more at ease. On your last night you could camp on Mile Island on Fall Lake and be 20 minutes from the campground getting out the next morning.

I took my daughter on her first trip with entry at little Indian Sioux, it's a good entry for a short trip. Have a fun trip!

Father and daughter in BWCA , priceless. I have been taking my daughter into BWCA for past seven years. She''ll be 18 this June and we are going again in July.
Regardless where you go you'll be golden on time well spent.
Good luck.

I can't help much, but will say I've thought the Lake Jeanette area looked awesome when I drove past it (have not stayed). I'd also suggest you look up the Trip Reports or search for Father/Daughter or Daddy/Daughter trips. There have been some great reports.

Lake Jeanette campground is a beautiful, peaceful campground. Another option could be going in Snowbank to Parent. I've only transited it but it looks like a peaceful lake and would be close to your put-in. If you both felt a bit more adventurous, you could continue on to Disappointment.

I know you said the Ely area, but I personally think the Gunflint and Grand Marais area has a lot more to offer. If you go this route, your wife and son could stay at the Flour Lake Federal Camp ground, and a mile away you are in the BWCA.

quote Jaywalker:"...I'd also suggest you look up the Trip Reports or search for Father/Daughter or Daddy/Daughter trips. There have been some great reports. "

Fantastic idea. I will definitely do so. I kind of feel a little stupid that I didn't think of that myself!

quote Frenchy19: "I know you said the Ely area, but I personally think the Gunflint and Grand Marais area has a lot more to offer. If you go this route, your wife and son could stay at the Flour Lake Federal Camp ground, and a mile away you are in the BWCA."

I agree but I always go in off the GT and will be coming out from another trip about two weeks before this trip so I wanted to go in near Ely for something different.

Have fun!! There is something magical about a father/daughter trip. Each year one daughter goes with me on a trip while the other one does something special with mom. My 9 yo is doing her 3rd trip at the end of May and my 12 yo has done 4 trips with me. Each year I do a solo, daddy/daughter, and sometimes a trip with my wife or a friend. The daddy/daughter trip is the nonnegotiable one that happens for sure.

I can't wait for my trip with her! I've always tried to get the entire family (6 of us) to go on one big trip but it has always turned into a "boy's" trip. I'm not complaining since that trip has become a tradition that will be repeated until I can no longer go. So at this point, I wouldn't want to change that trip. Now I have another good reason to head to woods... (insert happy dance here) and I can keep working on a third trip each year that includes all six of us!

You could also try going in through Mudro Lake to Horse Lake and get as far as the Falls, then turn around. Beautiful trip. Not real tough from a canoeing or portaging standpoint, and the scenery is really pretty.

Not sure where you live, but another really nice beginner trip is to Killarney Lake in Killarney Provincial Park in Canada. Super easy portages, not really long distances to paddle, stunning scenery including crystal clear water. Fishing ain't great but she doesn't care. There are also cliffs of various heights (10' to 40') to jump from, a lake with vastly different colors of hills on either side of the lake (granite on one side, quartzite on the other). I think this is an ideal trip for newbies! I can provide more info if you email me at bill.knapp@vw.com

I have a suggestion when going in at LIS.... get on the water early, be first. Lots of critters, a chance at seeing moose, otters, waterfowl.....swans have been seen on Shell the last few years. Devils Cascade is really neat!

Great idea Bassnet. At this point I'm leaning toward setting in from the campground on South kawishiwi making it easy on my wife. My daughter and I can get up plenty early and not even bother her! Good plan. However, I've had so may good ideas that I've copied them into my personal BWCA log and I'm probably going to try each one suggested in time. They all sound great! Thanks everyone.

Fenske Lake Campground is near Ely and entry points Slim Lake and South Hegman. Slim Lake has some nice campsites with the one furthest south near hiking trails, including one to Mt. Baldy. Or you could portage over to Rice, Hook or Keneu. South Hegman would take you to the pictographs on North Hegman.
I've seen good comments here from members on the Fenske Lake Campground.

The campground is about 20 min from Ely and those two entry points just a few minutes further down the Echo Trail.

Another option is one I used last year with my two great nephews (who had never camped or canoed). There's a canoe route in the Superior National Forest which starts on Fenske Lake . We were planning on moving camp every day, but I got sick so just stayed on Sletten Lake, but it's just like the BWCA. They experienced enough of wilderness canoeing to want to come back and do a harder trip.





Here's a picture of Sletten Lake.
There are good trip reports of all three of these entries if you are interested.

And a link to the SNF Fenske Lake route:
SNF Fenske Lake Canoe Route

QuietWaters, these are fantastic suggestions. Thank you. I will definitely investigate these further.