I've some back issues and can't do any more multiple long portages anymore. I've been driving up to Canada and going into Beaverhouse Lake and staying there for a week. It's the easiest access I know. Is there anywhere on the BWCA side that is similar with a really large lake such as Beaverhouse Lake with a possibility of a small portage to another lake? Thanks!

You could drive the other end of Quetico (about an hour and half or so) and put in on French Lake. This would allow you to paddle out of French to Pickerel. It's big water but you could hug the shoreline as many do and camp on Pickerel, the Pickerel Narrows or all the way out on Batch without any portages.

Can't do any portages or any long ones? A tow on Moose would get you very near Knife lake which has a lot of options but a short portage or two to get you there.

Seagull is larger and broken up with islands to make it feel secluded.

Big Saganaga at the end of the Gunflint would qualify, but it's got motorboats. Brule is big, too.

Depending on how easy you want to take it, putting in at Moose and then heading into Knife would take four portages (if I remember correctly), but none of them are long. Then you'd have a lot of water to explore.

Or as someone else already mentioned, head back to the Q, just farther east to Pickerel. Put in at French Lake or Stanton Bay, and you'll have plenty of water to keep you occupied.

If looking for Q lake from south, one very easy portage gets you into Carp lake. Enter Moose, paddle to Carp portage. Stop at ranger at PP for permit so there is that portage but no carry. Tow to PP if you want, i prefer paddle. BWCA side of Carp has never seemed as attractive.

Moose has some nice sites in deep bays but unless shoulder season motor noise becomes bothersome after a day.

Snowbank offers some of what you ask for. One portage to Disappointment or Parent.

Ensign is one portage(+ a little one) but very popular - little solitude - not at all like Beaverhouse.

Brule

Another option for a northern entry into the Q is the Nym lake entry. It's a short half hour or so paddle across and then one portage of about a half mile to Batch. From there you paddle down to Pickerel Narrows or turn south to Maria which is somewhere in the range of about 140 rods if I remember correctly. It's flat more or less and easy to walk. There are island sites on Maria and good walleye and SM fishing.

A few that come to mind to stay right on the entry lake are: Seagull, Saganaga, Clearwater, and Pine.

A few where you can stay right on the entry lake or have a very short portage to the next lake are: Brule (portage to South Temperance), Sawbill (or portage to Alton), Moose up to Sucker (or portage to Birch), Lake One (or 2 short portages can get you as far as Lake Four).

seagull lake , a good fishery and short portage to rog and the 1 to alpine is a 100rds but as wide and flat as any portage is in the BW.

From Fall Lake there are two very easy portages that get you into Basswood. You can also use portage wheels on those portages. The lower part of Basswood (Pipestone Bay) allows motors but if you get far enough north motors are not allowed and there is a lot of water to explore from there.