I did the Fourtown loop this past summer (amazing!), and I want to get up to Iron Lake next summer. What entry point have some of you taken to get to Iron Lake (next to Crooked)? I hear it's a pretty challenging and rewarding paddle.

Just take the Moose River North entry (EP #16) through Agnes.

You are going to love Iron Lake. I have been there several times but I must confess I took the easy way out with a tow to Bottle Portage from Crane Lake.

How much was the tow?

Two years ago, we used EP16 and camped on Lac La Croix just north of Boulder Bay the first night, doubling portaging. The river canoeing was fairly easy and tranquil.

Base camped at a western site on Three Island near Curtain Falls. We were there around the 2nd week of June and the SMB fishing was exceptional, especially top water presentations. Two of the group members wanted to leave a day early and informed us at noon their desires. By the time we packed up and headed back to EP16, it was close to 2:00pm. We made it back to parking lot by 8:00pm. What a day of travel.


You can't go wrong heading to Iron, I will definitely go back.

kamisboy: "How much was the tow?"

Around $200 a guy but that was a few years ago. Andersons on Crane Lake.

Options are Moose River North, Stewart River, and maybe Mudro...
But I’ve gone in as far east as South Fowl, Gunflint and as far west as Crane... never took a tow from Crane. The Stewart River is a little more portaging but a little more secluded. One idea is to go Moose River to Lac La Croix to Iron. Then down to Stewart Lake and take the Dahlgreen back toward Lac La Croix. Two vehicles... you can leave one at Mudro, go in Moose River to Iron and through crooked and you have options to get to Mudro.

EP 16 is probably most common. We did that a few years ago, nice area. Took 2 half days of paddling to get there for us.

What's the fourtown loop?

"What's the fourtown loop?"

The Fourtown loop was amazing. You enter at Mudro, 23, and go up through Fourtown, Boot, Fairy, Gun, Moosecamp, and then back down Fourtown to Mudro. Fishing was great everywhere. There were wolves howling on Fairy. The river from Moosecamp to Fourtown was magical. We went in August. It was just a spectacular trip.

I went to Iron lake last spring. I went down the stewart river to stewart lake for night 1. I took an unnecessary bushwack route to the east on sterling creek and then north on beartrap river.

Leaving Iron I went the east way back to my car, leaving at noon and finishing up the last portage with the sun having totally set.

I recommend Iron very much but don't take the bushwack route unless you really fancy a hard time. The entire area seemed uncrowded or secluded so no need to go off the beaten path.

Last year did Stuart EP (EP19) to Stuart Lake for night 1, then headed north and spent nights 2 and 3 on Iron, then headed back by way of Boulder Bay, boulder river, Agnes, and Moose river to Nina Moose for Night 4, then paddled out the next morning to EP16. Great route, good amount of portaging. The Stuart portage in is a bit long, but you wont really see any people which was a huge plus for us.

Enter at Nina Moose.

I read the responses to your question concerning getting to IRON LAKE and I was a bit surprised that no one suggested going in via Beartrap River. I have gone into Iron from several different venues and I personally liked the Beartrap the best. Far fewer people to contend with.

canoerone

canoerone: "...I personally liked the Beartrap the best. Far fewer people to contend with. "

Is this entering through Mudro at 23? There is no entry point named Beartrap.

kamisboy: "

canoerone: "...I personally liked the Beartrap the best. Far fewer people to contend with. "

Is this entering through Mudro at 23? There is no entry point named Beartrap."

Yes, and up through Boot, Gun, (etc), Thunder and Beartrap Lakes to the Beartrap River.