Hey all,

I've made 8-12 BWCA trips in my life. They've always been peaceful and quiet, however, I'm in search of the most solitude I can find within the BWCA...

Where can I venture out of Ely in order to find the best chance for quiet and solitude? - No faint motor noises, sparsely traveled, low traffic portages; that's what I'm looking for!
Where are your best "off the beaten path" areas/lakes?

Thanks!

You might look at entry at Little Indian Sioux River North - then up to Loon and the smaller lakes on the "inside loop" between Loon and LLC - Coleman Island, Fish Stake Narrows. Check out the PMA "Weene Lake PMA"

Or head over to Adams and Boulder - enter either Snowbank or Lake One - head east through Alice and northeast along the Kawishiwi River into Adams and Boulder. Then on to Cap, Roe and into Raven (PMA).

Not trying to be a smart aleck, but I consider Quetico off the beaten path. Anywhere I can go without seeing very many, if any, people, is off the beaten path enough for me.

It's been about 10 years, but I found a lot of seclusion on the chain between River Lake and Little Saganaga. Definitely had a very Quetico feel to it.

quote Jackfish: "Not trying to be a smart aleck, but I consider Quetico off the beaten path. Anywhere I can go without seeing very many, if any, people, is off the beaten path enough for me."

I completely understand! I've never ventured into the Quetico, however I am very interested. Where should I start as a beginner?

Use mostly dead end portages to a given lake. Ella Hall off the Fall Lake is about as lonely as it gets within a short distance form Ely. No through traffic. You would probably need to base camp.

quote Skarc75: "I've never ventured into the Quetico, however I am very interested. Where should I start as a beginner? "

The northern entry points (Beaverhouse, Stanton Bay, Nym, French Lake) are less busy than the southern entry points, but entering at, say, Prairie Portage gets you to places that would be a long paddle from the north.

So not to hijack this thread, I suggest asking your question in the Quetico forum. There are lots of Q vets here.

quote Skarc75: "

quote Jackfish: "Not trying to be a smart aleck, but I consider Quetico off the beaten path. Anywhere I can go without seeing very many, if any, people, is off the beaten path enough for me."

I completely understand! I've never ventured into the Quetico, however I am very interested. Where should I start as a beginner? "

You might look at Buckingham Lake

I would guess that any of the primitive management areas (PMA's) would give you the seclusion that you seek.

I went into the Tick Lake PMA with my boys back in 2012 and spend 4 days on Jackfish Lake without seeing or hearing any other people. We saw plenty of bald eagles and even heard some howling wolves in the evening.

The northern pike fishing was excellent for numbers, but we did not find any size. It was easy to catch 20~30 pike each in a day, but in 4 days of hard fishing I think that we only had a couple of pike that surpassed 5 lbs (most were 2~3 lbs).

Once we exited to Crooked Lake, we did catch some very nice sized pike & bass, but it was back to seeing lots of groups of people and working to find an empty campsite.

Dave

Howard Lakes in Quetico... Moosy and off the beaten path. You might have to bushwhack a campsite though...

quote mapsguy1955: "Howard Lakes in Quetico... Moosy and off the beaten path. You might have to bushwhack a campsite though... "

Where is Howard Lakes located? Are there more than one lake since you mention lakes?

My experience is limited, but within the bwca the pma sundial was our least visited place.

quote QueticoMike: "

quote mapsguy1955: "Howard Lakes in Quetico... Moosy and off the beaten path. You might have to bushwhack a campsite though... "

Where is Howard Lakes located? Are there more than one lake since you mention lakes?"

They're off of Rawn Narrows. Head east about 3/4 of the way down.

You could go through prairie portage into Kahshahpiwi. Then about mid lake going north exit west to Irene Lake. Solitude abounds then continue west through the Tuck River to McIntyre then down and out.

quote moosedoggie: "

quote Skarc75: "

quote Jackfish: "Not trying to be a smart aleck, but I consider Quetico off the beaten path. Anywhere I can go without seeing very many, if any, people, is off the beaten path enough for me."

I completely understand! I've never ventured into the Quetico, however I am very interested. Where should I start as a beginner? "

You might look at Buckingham Lake"

Just came back from Buckingham last week. Did eight days going from Nym>Pickerel>Buckingham>French. Saw a total of six canoes the entire time (none the first three days). Interestingly, the first canoe we saw was on Buckingham!
AdamX

The little fork river, just west of the bwca, is very wild.

quote Skarc75: "Hey all,

I've made 8-12 BWCA trips in my life. They've always been peaceful and quiet, however, I'm in search of the most solitude I can find within the BWCA...

Where can I venture out of Ely in order to find the best chance for quiet and solitude? - No faint motor noises, sparsely traveled, low traffic portages; that's what I'm looking for!
Where are your best "off the beaten path" areas/lakes?

Thanks!"

I enjoy going to Bog Lake for day trips. Usually I have the whole lake to myself.