Doing a solo loop route next week. Starting at Baker #39, and doing the loop through the Fire Lakes and Sawbill, Cherokee, and the Temperances and aound Cam, Vesper, Gasket and Town.

Trying to plan my paddling days and route direction. Never been in those lakes before.

For those of you who have experience in that route, what are your thoughts on campsite availability for my last night. I am looking at either one of the fire lakes, sawbill or one of the temperances for my last night. I will land at a site fairly early in the day (hoping to relax before I exit out #39 the next day)

I have read here that the fire lakes and Sawbill along with the Temperances are very busy... if you had to pick, which would you prefer.
My only issue in the BWCA is I suffer from CFACA Syndrome.
(Cant Find A Campsite Anxiety)..don't laugh. It is a real thing. :)

You don't say how long your trip is?

You describe a trip going clockwise. Any chance I can suggest counter-clockwise?

Clockwise
Day 1. Baker to north Sawbill. You are not likely to make it to Cherokee from Baker Lake through the Fire Lakes to Sawbill and then north. Day 2. That leaves you at the north end of Sawbill your first day? It will be a relatively short day from there to Cherokee. Day 3. Cherokee to Brule/Temperance through the northern route will take most of a day. Day 4. You can be back out to Baker by the end of Day 4 from the Temperance Lakes.

Counter-Clockwise
Day 1. Baker to Temperances is very doable. Day 2. Temperances to Cherokee Through Brule and Cam. This is likely to be a long day no matter which direction you go. Day 3 Cherokee to Sawbill is very doable. This also puts you on Sawbill at exactly the right time to be looking for a campsite (early afternoon). You can check them out as you head south. You will also still have time to turn east along the Fire Lakes. If forced to go to Kelly Lake, the portage puts you right at the group of campsites on Kelly Lake with the least amount of paddling to check them out.

Counter-clockwise also puts you on Brule at the earliest possible part of the day to try to avoid the wind. The other way puts you on Brule late in the day with the highest likelihood of becoming wind-bound while off a campsite.

I hope this helps.

Michwall2: "You don't say how long your trip is?


You describe a trip going clockwise. Any chance I can suggest counter-clockwise?


"

Whoops--forgot...going in Monday out on Saturday.

Michwall2:
I hope this helps.
"

It does--I like the counter clockwise thought--Only concern is if no campsite available on Sawbill the first night--you don't have many options except heading into Cherokee which would make for an extremely long (if not impossible for a nearly 60 year old guy) day?

wxce1260: "

Michwall2:
I hope this helps.
"

It does--I like the counter clockwise thought--Only concern is if no campsite available on Sawbill the first night--you don't have many options except heading into Cherokee which would make for an extremely long (if not impossible for a nearly 60 year old guy) day? "

I think north Sawbill first night is clockwise. Counter-clockwise would put you on the Temperance Lakes the first night. You might have to go to north Temperance, but I think it is still doable for the first night. Then out on Brule early the next morning.

When we went out of Sawbill a few years ago we did the Cherokee loop, Cherokee night one, South Temperance night 2 then we were planning toward the fire lakes but as we went south we were told everything was taken in that area so we ended up backtracking all the way to Weird Lake, we left real early the next morning and they werent kidding everything in that area was full except a site or two on Sawbill.

Reke0402: "When we went out of Sawbill a few years ago we did the Cherokee loop, Cherokee night one, South Temperance night 2 then we were planning toward the fire lakes but as we went south we were told everything was taken in that area so we ended up backtracking all the way to Weird Lake, we left real early the next morning and they werent kidding everything in that area was full except a site or two on Sawbill."

this is somewhat my concern. However I'm thinking if my last night things are full I can just paddle straight out and camp at crescent Lake for the night. It seems from what I've heard crescent Lake never totally fills up. And it's a little nicer than the Baker Lake campground. Not sure if anybody has an opinion on that?

Re: opinion about Baker vs Crescent Lake for the night. Baker is free. If a site is available, then I would take it at Baker. Just my opinion. But only if a campsite on Kelly Lake is not available if you get there because the fire lakes and Sawbill were full up.