I'm fortunate enough to be headed up the Gunflint Trail in less than a week. Can't wait!

I plan to do a loop out of EP50--Cross Bay Lake. I'll be headed to Frost for the first night, and then following the Frost River to Afton or possibly Mora, depending on how the day goes, for night two. It gets easier from there, as I plan to make a short journey over to Tuscarora for the third night. I'd like to get in camp early enough to enjoy some lake trout fishing.

I originally thought I'd spend two nights on Tuscarora, but I needed to shorten my trip by one day and would like to be back to the EP by mid-morning on the last day. I plan to spend my fourth and last night on Snipe which puts me maybe three hours out from the put-in.

Question: Which route to Snipe out of Tuscarora is most desirable? The longer portage to the northeast looks like it is probably less swampy than the shorter route to the east, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience with these two routes and I would welcome any insight you may have. Thanks!

I have done both, although I have always done them in Sept., so water levels will likely be higher for you. I went from Cross Bay to Snipe, then across the Howl Swamp portage - not really a swamp - to Tuscarora (2-3 years ago). I exited through Missing Link to Round, which is an easy walk to your car at Cross Bay. That would probably be a quicker, easier exit for you from Snipe, but I have not done the Snipe-Missing Link portage.

I enjoyed the trip from Snipe to Tuscarora via Copper Lake and Howl, but there were some flooded out portions between Snipe and Copper, which were awkward. There's a beaver-dam flooded section in the middle of the portage to Tuscarora (shows on the map as Howl Lake), which you just have to paddle 100 feet across. There were also a couple of downed trees.


The Tuscarora-Missing Link portage should be a lot less "swampy" (maybe a little muddy) and without the other problems, so if you're not looking for that much "adventure", that's probably the way for you to go. Either way you go out will start with a pretty good climb.


A note on the Tarry to Crooked portage landing - it's awkward, very rocky, deep water, no real landing.


On Tuscarora I've stayed at site #520 and 542 - both are nice.

You can walk from Tuscarora Lodge to the Cross Bay EP in five minutes so I would actually just exit there. In that case, spend your two nights on Tuscarora. You can be out in 2-3 hours depending on if you're single or double portaging.

Even the walk from the Round Lake landing is only 15-20 minutes, but it's closer from Tuscarora. The portage is a beast, but you're not far from being out on Tuscarora.

I've done the Tuscarora-Missing Link portage in August and it was a sidewalk stroll. I've seen it in June and it had several inches or deeper of water/mud on it the whole way. I would say May will be muddy.

I'd hate to miss Snipe, it is a beautiful lake, but you have already had several long travel days. I would suggest going out to Round and the short walk to your car. Spend an extra relaxed day on Tuscarora.

Thanks for the great advice everyone. This forum has always served me well. I haven’t decided exactly what I’ll do with that part of the trip yet, but I don’t need to commit to anything yet...., Both plans have appeal to me.

I’ve only ever been to two lakes on my planned route, having traveled to both Frost and Long Island from the south and east, so I’m really looking forward to doing this route.

There are some pictures (captioned) of the Snipe to Tuscarora (via Copper, Hubbub, Howl) in my 2015 album at my Shutterfly site , starting about picture 31.


A note on Mora camps - the 2 campsites on the northern shore are in a burn area and not good sites. The middle one is best.

Tuscarora is a pretty nice lake and so is Snipe. Whatever you do, you'll have a nice trip. Report back afterwards :).

Have a good trip.

Thanks boonie. The photos in that album really give a good visual of that Howl Lake portage and other points of interest on parts of my route.

I’ll definitely do a trip report after this one.

Hey! I made it back. Had one of the best trips ever! That Frost River area is wild and beautiful.

Paddled right through Tuscarora and stayed on Snipe. Long story.

You weren’t kidding about the “landing” at the Crooked/Tarry Portage. Gives new meaning to the term “wet foot”.

I took the Howl Lake portage rather than the Missing Link route and found that portage to be in good shape, just long.

Oh, and Mike and Carl at Rockwood really know how to take good care of a person. I don’t need much these days, just a solo canoe and a place to sleep the night before my trip, but these guys run a really nice operation.

I’ll have a trip report up in a couple days.

Cool! Glad you had a good trip!

Yeah, that Tarry landing is a "challenge" solo :) Especially for a guy with a short inseam ;).


The Howl portage is long, but still shorter than Tuscarora to Missing Link. I actually enjoyed traveling from Snipe to Tusc that way.


I've stayed at Rockwood several times, with current and previous owners. I like it, too.


I'm looking forward to the trip report.