I don't need advice for me....have been there, done that...have "city boy" hubby and two young sons...3 & 5 .... all with NO experience....everywhere I want to go is too much for them...suggestion appreciated.

I have a couple thoughts...put in at an entry point lake with some campsites on it. Canoe 30 minutes to an hour and set up camp without even portaging. Then over the next couple days take them on some daytrips including portages without being fully loaded with gear to get them used to the idea. There are several possibilities including but not limited to: Kawishiwi lake, Lake One, Sawbill lake, Clearwater Lake.

If that is still too much for them then consider car camping in a SNF campground on an entry point lake like: again, Kawishiwi lake, Baker Lake, Sawbill lake, Fall lake. All the comforts of car camping yet in a beautiful near wilderness setting. Take trips during the day to acclimate them to what it's like. Show them the portages and the remote campsites and explain how a real trip would work. You should know if it peaks their interest or not for the future.

Good Luck

campnscrap: "I don't need advice for me....have been there done that...have "city boy" hubby and two young sons...3 & 5 .... all with NO experience....everywhere I want to go is too much for them...suggestion appreciated"

A quick divorce with you granted full custody of both boys before it's too late. (it was you that asked for suggestions)

Here's a link to a SNF route that is great for beginners.

Fenske Lake Route

I took my two great nephews on their first trip here. They are city boys, also, San Diego, ages 9 & 11 and had never been camping or in a canoe. It's not the BWCA, but you wouldn't know it.


These were taken on Sletten Lake.

We had high wind and heavy rain on entry day, so just postponed it one day. No problem as no permit needed. Echo Trail Outfitters and Fenske Cabins are right on Fenske Lake and there is also a campground on Fenske. We stayed in a brand new bunkhouse and just entered from there. The outfitters were great to work with. In three days, we saw one other canoe that was day tripping while staying at the cabins. The boys loved learning to canoe and portage and do want to go again.

Nice to see you posting, Lisa! It's been a while. Good luck with your planning. You're going to have fun.

Saganaga is a good option with a relatively short paddle time depending on your campsite choice. We took our kids in there as their first trip when they were still toddlers. Horseshoe island has a great site and was an easy paddle in/out. Just a thought.

As a 5-year old boy, I would like an area on shore where I could wade and catch frogs, minnows, about anything I could get my fingers on. Better yet, give me a small net so I can try to scoop them. And a bucket to put them in. I'm not afraid of bloodsuckers or crayfish either!

Give me a shallow warm water sandy/not too mucky bottom lake to do this in and I'll be at it most of the day!

If you put a big boulder nearby, I'd sure like to climb it. But watch out, I tend to fall and hurt myself on these. Like climbing trees too.

You better bring 2 nets/buckets because my little 3-year brother is gonna want to do whatever I am.

Soo....what lake would this be? I don't know. My trip partners never want to catch frogs:)

Wood Lake comes to mind. The portage in is super easy, almost like a road. You can camp on Wood lake or take the short portages to the surrounding ones. When I went through in 2011 I stopped fishing because I was sick of taking the little 1-2' northerns off my hook. But as a 5 year old catching endless fish would be a great!

Like others have suggested. Going to a lake that starts with a portage is good. Gets you that experience and then straight to a camp site to soak it all in. Having some nearby lakes for day portages could be nice too seeing if they are up for it or not.

Wood (not many branching lakes)

Gabbro (no downsides)

Perent (river instead of portage) (no branching lakes)

Alton (short paddle to short portage) (no real downsides)

Caribou below Poplar (paddle and two small portages) (lots of day trip areas)


Personally I would pick Perent for a first trip. You are a couple hours in and its a nice lake.

Enter at Baker Lake and stay on Kelly. Easy 12 rod and 3 rod portages. Less than 3 miles and your set up. Nice sites and good fishing. Day trip option to the North end of Kelly and play in the rapids, or take the Portage to Jack lake and check out the Abandoned Gold mine. My son loved it. There is a camp site on the north end, but it is about a 4mile + trip there. We saw a moose in the small stream to the NE of camp. Fishing up there can be good also with the current.

If you are near the Twin Cities, Lebanon Hills is a park with several small lakes and portages that can also serve as an introduction for a day or overnight canoe trip. Don't give up, you just may need to take smaller steps to get where you want to go.