We're going in at the very beginning of August. Just yesterday, I sustained what I think will be a pretty bad foot injury...extremely strained or possibly torn fascia on the bottom of my foot (pending MRI results). Walking is very painful right now, and regardless what the MRI shows, the only real treatment is going to be rest and immobilization (along with advil and bourbon). I'm sure there will be some physical therapy and stuff, but the only real cure is going to be time.

So I expect to not be near 100% in 3 weeks. The trip we currently have planned is to EP 1 to Pine Lake. That is only 2 portages, one of which is quite short and easy, the other is pretty darn long, and I'm not really sure how hard.

Anyway, as I sit here and ice my foot, I'm wondering if we should consider an audible to a zero-portage trip...a) so I don't hold the rest of the group back and b) so I don't set my healing back or sustain another injury as I try to hobble through a portage.

Brule comes to mind, and I think Seagull...and I know I could just cruise the maps and look to see what EP's are right on the lake. But thought I'd poll the group to hear what zero-portage trips you've taken that you loved?

Thanks for any input!

Ouch, I've felt that pain before... Just an idea, but have you checked out any of the drive in dispersed campsites in the Superior Nat'l? Quite a few near-wilderness options that are on water. I think it would be much easier on the foot, and free to use. Hope you have a quick recovery!

Good luck finding an EP which is not booked full already. You will be quite lucky to find what you have outlined as filling your needs. Best option is to keep what you have and get the help you need to get across the portages on your present course of action. Longer for all, but 2 portages in and 2 portages out can be accomplished if all work together.

EP 25 Moose Lake. Get a tow to the Washington Island/Lincoln Island area in Basswood west of Prairie Portage. You can paddle up to US Point and Basswood Falls, and even down to Pipestone Bay and back to Back Bay via a short and easy portage. You can get picked up by an outfitter too.

If you ask for a special accommodation the trucker driver of the motorized portage at Prairie Portage will probably let you ride in the truck. Alternatively your tow boat driver can drop you off on the Canadian side for the short portage around the dam and then pick you up.

I agree w/ the USFS campsites you can drive to but are still very remote and nice.

But if permits allow....Sawbill and stay there or the super easy short portage to Alton has a bunch of options. Brule, Sag, etc.

Ouch! That sounds tough.

Lakes that come to mind: Seagull, Saganaga, Moose/Newfound, Brule, East Bearskin, Clearwater, Sawbill, Hog Creek (just a tiny portage). I'm sure someone will mention something missed. Trout Lake has a motorized portage option to get into it...group could hoof it and you maybe catch a ride with someone using the motorized portage.

Or there are some lakes you could use to camp just outside the BW and then the group can do day trips. Big Lake and West Bearskin come to mind quickly but there are definitely others. Or check if campgrounds like East Bearskin, South Kawishiwi, Sawbill, or others have space that allows you to at least fish or do day trips if you are feeling well enough.

Of course, your biggest limiting factor is permit availability. Until you know for sure what your prognosis is, I would hang onto your Pine permit. They may be able to set you up with a foot brace that provides you enough protection to move around effectively and safely. Besides, the portage into Pine is really tiny so unless you get skunked on campsites, you will be doing no more walking than you would at a campsite.

Good luck and here is hoping for a speedy recovery.

Homer Lake wouldn't be a horrible idea.

if fishing is part of everybody's goal , i would pass on pine , just my personal opinion ,and choose either brule or seagull , people in your group can adventure out to other lakes without too much difficulty.
what ever you choose all 3 of those lakes can get nasty when the wind picks. lakes like Pine and clearwater run directly east & west and when the wind is also from those directions they can be just as nasty , have fun and be safe :)

I would recommend Seagull. This is a stunning lake with a lot to see and good fishing. For fishing, palisades and cliffs, natural beauty, and lots of available campsites. . . and no portages. . I think this is the best there is!

As suggested some of the Forest Service campgrounds. Sawbill or Crescent Lake come to mind.

Make a complete change and go to Voyageurs National Park? Campsites need to be reserved so you can set up a specific itinerary, lots of good fishing, three of the four big lakes are connected by channels so no portaging as long as you don’t go to Rainy Lake. Just something to consider. Campsites are a bit nicer thanBWCA, with bear locker and picnic table as well as fire ring and throne.

Brule is my favorite for a no-portage trip as long as the wind isn't up on entry day.
Saganaga also comes to mind.

There are 0 permits available for 'no portage' entry points between now and September.

There are LOTS of places in MN and WI that offer great canoe-in or drive-up camping and many of them are underutilized in comparison to BWCA entry point lakes, which have been so over-used the last few years that the forest service reduced permit quotas at many of them this last winter. Entry lakes have been full-up the last couple summers, and it would take a lot of strain off of the system in place if more people were willing to simply go someplace else instead of insisting on a non-wilderness-style trip in a designated wilderness area.

Here's my favorite screenshot of a google maps search for 'rustic campground' just south of the BWCA.

Since no one has suggested this yet - Keep you current permit and take the option to paddle to the north end of Trout and take the really short portage (30 rods or so) into Pine creek. Paddle down the creek / stream (not much in moving water or rocks) down to Pine. Eliminates the longer portage into Pine and gives you the basecamp that you planned.

Lastly, keep the same permit and basecamp on Trout. I have done this several times and camped up near Pine Creek. You can fish around the islands and points there or paddle into Little Trout (skinny channel). Granted, walleye are rather scarce, but can be found. Pike and SM are available. Last year my trip partner and I caught 3 10-12lb NP on Trout.

Good luck with your foot

Z4K: "....

Here's my favorite screenshot of a google maps search for 'rustic campground' just south of the BWCA. "

Do you have experience with any of these rustic campgrounds? Recommendations?

It's not quite on that map shown, but we really liked crescent lake by baker lake entry point. It's not in the boundary waters, just right across the street, and feels like it. There aren't any houses on the lake. It's car camping. 50% of the campsites are first come first serve, and you can't reserve them in advance. Many of the campsites are far enough apart that you can't see one from the next. There are many right on the lake. It's a beautiful lake.

Another option, would be to float the namekagon/Upper St.Croix river in Wisconsin. You could float/paddle from Trego down to the wisc/mn border near Danbury. There are free campsites along the river, first come first serve. I've heard it's beautiful, and on my bucketlist. There are shuttle services, otherwise you can just stage a 2nd vehicle at whatever exit point you choose.

If I were going into the boundary waters, I would probably go through Sag, to the west end, and stay in 1st, 2nd or 3rd bay. Or there are 50 some campsites on sag. You could also go into Red Rock, which is only like a 5 rod portage. Zephyr is also about a 5 rod portage off 3rd bay. So you would have some options. Sag usually has paddle permits available.

If you don't see the permit you're looking for right now, don't get discouraged. There seems to be a lot more cancelations this year, with life getting back to normal, and all of the various things that can derail a trip. I would just watch the permit availability on a daily basis. Other permit options do pop up, if you keep looking, especially as you get within a week or two of your entry date.

Sorry for the late reply.

analyzer: "It's not quite on that map shown, but we really liked crescent lake."

+1

analyzer: "the namekagon/Upper St.Croix river in Wisconsin. You could float/paddle from Trego down to the wisc/mn border near Danbury. There are free campsites along the river, first come first serve. I've heard it's beautiful, and on my bucketlist."

+1, on my bucket list as well. Really enjoyed Craig Blacklock's recent work in that area.

I've stayed at Kawishiwi Lake, Baker Lake, Windy Lake, Harriet Lake, Hogback Lake and Wilson Lake campground before. Kawishiwi, Hogback and Baker tend to fill up. Harriet is my go-to 'backup' when others are full and I'm tired of driving around looking; I've never seen it full and even if all of the fire rings were taken there is plenty of room in the old field to put up a quick camp so you can keep looking for something better the next day. There are a few backcountry sites you can access from Hogback, and many other lakes in the area have paddle-in FCFS sites, such as Wilson, Silver Island, Crescent, Rice, Lichen and everything in the Timber-Frear area. Crescent, Lichen and the area behind Hogback are my favorites for this especially the one site on Canal which is 0 portages away from Hogback. If you do go there, make sure to take a good look at the trees around camp before setting up as dead and dying birches have been a problem there in the past but I believe most of them were taken care of last year. Some maps show sites on Thunderbird and Shoepack but the 4x4 trail to Thunderbird was pretty overgrown last year. Ninemile has a really great pay campground that I've stayed at before. I haven't looked this summer but in past years it's been hard to reserve a site at most of the pay campgrounds this late in the year. I believe all of them also have FCFS sites.

Bill Conner linked this great pdf the other day, I think it's going to replace my google maps screenshot for when these questions arise. USFS Drive-Up Camping

Unless Lonnie is out of the biz this year, your current entry permit will get you onto a no-portage lake, just get the tow across EP1 and paddle to a site on Trout. The entry permits are running slim, so the lake will be busy, but there are about 40 campsites on the lake, just give yourself search time.