Hey Everyone! It's been a LONG time since I've posted on here...and the sad truth, it's been 7 years since my last BWCA trip after 12 trips in semi-annual fashion. However, one is in the works for this fall!

I am planning a BWCA trip with my dad, who's 63 going on 30 as he has a zest for life unlike anyone I've ever known. We plan on entering in September or October on a Wednesday morning and exiting on a Sunday afternoon for five days/four nights of wilderness bliss. We also will be entering on the Ely side. I've never been in the BWCA in a group less than three, so I'm a little excited for this. Among the many of my goals for this trip, two big ones are to:

A. See some fall colors -- is Late September or early October best for peak fall colors?
B. See some waterfalls

My last venture was late October 2010 and we entered through Munro-Sandpit-Tin Can-Horse where we base camped. We did a day trip to the LB Falls, which is one of the best BWCA memories I've ever made! This time around, I'd like to see some more falls in the hopes of being awestruck by both the falls and foliage as well as doing some fishing. I've sort of narrowed to three points of entry/falls area.

1. Fall Lake/Mudro and proceed to all falls on Basswood River. Basecamp somewhere up there. Can you make it from the EP up to the Basswood Falls area in a day? What would be better - Fall Lake or Mudro? I'm considering a tow possibly, too.

2. Moose River and proceed to Lac La Croix and eastward to Rebecca Falls and Curtain Falls. Never seen either falls -- they look amazing - we would also check out Warrior Hill and pictographs, which I have seen but it was 20+ years ago.

3. Little Indian Sioux River North - My first BWCA point of entry ever back in 1988 en route to Shell Lake - I know the 60 rod portage on LIS has some rapids as well as Devil's Cascade which I've never seen. We'd eventually settle in Loon Lake or Lac La Croix.

If anyone has any suggestions, pointers, tips, shortcuts, or preferences on where to go, I'm all ears! I'm venturing tomorrow on a four day, 50 mile canoe trip down the Crow Wing River in central Minnesota with my dad and my two oldest boys, who are 8 and 5 -- I need to start prepping them for the BIG SHOW!! Thanks so much in advance for any help or info you can provide!!

For good fall colors, wait until early October-about the 10th give or take.
Rapids or waterfalls in the fall if the water is low, not so good!

Thank you!

Yep, colors are later than other places due to the lakes moderating the temps. We once left Ely around Oct 7 or 8 and the colors were only ok on the lakes. But driving to Virginia they were amazing. Then they went downhill as we headed south to the TC.

What great outdoors said... but even low water curtain falls is ok. Rebecca is a crap shoot. If you've seen it in high water you might be disappointed in lower water. Not sure on levels, but we've had some good rain that has kept our lake levels pretty good on the range.

Perhaps you have already thought of this, but just in case: be prepared for the shorter days in October. It is a very beautiful time for tripping, but night falls quickly and very early. We found that making camp early to have an evening fire was a very good thing in October. :-) The nights are long. (and sometimes cold, rainy, or even snowy.)

Actually, as I look back at my book now, our "Fall Trip" was September 22-October 1 of 2004, and so it technically wasn't an October trip. I do remember that we ended it on Poplar Lake in snow flurries! (And yes, we were a bit early for the colors.)

Go with option 1 via Fall lake. You should be able to make it to Basswood river in a day.

october 13 at curtain falls

That's a nice picture.....thanks for sharing!

quote The Great Outdoors: "For good fall colors, wait until early October-about the 10th give or take.
Rapids or waterfalls in the fall if the water is low, not so good!"

Right on for peak colors-Usually.

Thanks a lot, everyone, for your responses! They are all appreciated! My dad and I are still in the discussion stages of our trip, but this info helps paint a better picture! We will decide soon --- I am reading "Portage into the Past" by J. Arnold Bolz, and it's leaning me toward the Basswood area. We shall see -- so many lakes, and so little time!

quote jwartman59: "



october 13 at curtain falls"

Awesome photo! Thanks for posting!

I put in at Little Indian Sioux River North (ep14) in mid may. We went through shell and oyster and exited ep 16. I will say we were able to paddle over a lot of beaver dams in spring after you put in. I remember thinking, at the time, about how much more work the it would be if the water was a foot lower. So I would look into that if possible. Also, one of the portages on that trip had the biggest beaver dam I have ever seen. It was like the beaver version of the Hoover dam. Due to this midway through the portage we had to pull/wade through this water bc of the dam.

I am also looking to head in early october and possibly hot tent. We are hoping to basecamp with day trips due to the added weight of the hot tent and stove. It will be weather dependent to decide to hot tent or not.

I want to plan more for good fishing thats why we are maybe thinking one of the falls campsites.