Just looking for info & opinions.
In the past I've mostly hurried right through Basswood. I know the island into Sunday Bay is nice, but I'm mostly thinking West of there.
Not Seeking North Bay info...been all over that.
Canadian Point or Merriam Bay area would be nice.
Thanks !

There are not many. Strangely few sites in the stretch from North Bay to PP. I look forward to doing it again.

Ed, I read once that one of the islands in Merriam Bay has the Oldest Pine in the park. As time permits I will research it.

This is One of my trip options for next year ..... exploring most of Canadian Basswood to start our trip. Kings Point, the giant beach north of there, Ranger Bay and work my way Northwest to Lost Bay and then up through South, West, Jeff, East to Agnes... and then home somehow...

Kings Point, where the old ranger station use to be is pretty good. Sand beach landing and I have "rented" the interior of the old boat house instead of setting up my tent. The floor needed to be cleaned of debris to make room for my sleeping pad/bag. There isn't any fireplace here but I was cooking on a stove the entire trip.

The old ranger station is worth a stop and probably overnight. I recall finding what could be called three sites, one with a fire ring. More of a grassy grove place than the typical Q sites.

A couple years ago we portaged in from Kett and then rounded U.S. Point and eventually went down to Wind Bay and through Wind Lake back to the Moose landing. We spent the night on the island on the Canadian side just north of the BW motor zone - NW of English Channel (PCD sites RZ and RT). There are actually three separate campsites on the island, kind of cheek by jowl, with the one all the way to the east being nicest. But I would say the island would not be a target for camping, just the most convenient place where there seem to be few good options. (But the PCD does show some unconfirmed sites north of that island.)

If you find something on Big or Little Merriam Bays, let us know - we'll keep it a secret!

Camped on the first campsite south of U.S. point and just remember you had a great view south down Washington bay and the campsite was fine. We got stranded for a few hours and had to stay on a small Island just after getting on the U.S. side because of strong south winds. So we set up camp late. Loved paddling Washington bay,just potential for strong winds. You can take a portage from Washington bay to Merriam bay which can help sometimes if it is windy.

Keep saying I got to see Kett lake once at least. It has got my curiosity,maybe loop thru from Basswood-Tuck etc. or day trip from Basswood?

We have every once in awhile go from North bay and down thru wind lake going home. More portaging but time wise maybe a hour slower?

Pinetree, Kett is an interesting lake. It is rather large with about 4 distinct bays. I seems like it was a through-fare lake (judging from my two one night stays) so a day or two to fish it might be productive. The campsite at the south end peninsula is nearly a 4+ star site. The portages into Kett from Basswood are a workout which helps to keep the riff raff out.

Are you looking for a big group?

We just went through that area with my 7 year old. There looked to be soem decent options in little Merrium bay along the eastern shore of little Merrium , the island in the western part of big Merrium, English Channel, island just west of English CHannel for medium to small groups.

Good fishing too.

T

Stayed a night at the site on the very tip of Canadian Point. It was a decent site, but nothing special. It had a lot of slope to it, so tent pads are challenged. As I recall the best tent pad was in the shadow of a large widow-maker. Otherwise, the fire area and view was nice. The site would work okay if you can't get one of the nicer sites nearby.

Thanks everyone!
Very helpful !
We will be small group 2 to 4 people & one or two tents, so some of those smaller sites sound nice.

May the wind be at your back or no wind and lot of sunshine.

quote Canoodler: "Kings Point, where the old ranger station use to be is pretty good. Sand beach landing and I have "rented" the interior of the old boat house instead of setting up my tent. The floor needed to be cleaned of debris to make room for my sleeping pad/bag. There isn't any fireplace here but I was cooking on a stove the entire trip."

Love Kings Point and what little we saw of Basswood. Funny, when we were there in 2011, there was a decent fireplace and I believe one log about 15 yards(?)from the boathouse toward and facing the lake. Put our tent west of there. One of the neatest places in the park that I have seen. (Floatplane picked us up there.) No picture of fireplace but it's to the right past the trees in this one. (Probably 3-4 other campsites and fireplaces at various places around the point and one old one back in the big pines.) --Goose

Wonder what year they closed the Kings point Custom station?

There's a nice campsite on a haunted island just east of Rookery island.The campsite is at the southwest corner at the spookey cedar tree.

quote topperone: "There's a nice campsite on a haunted island just east of Rookery island.The campsite is at the southwest corner at the spookey cedar tree."

Sounds good ! Unless I'm solo ;)

quote Stumpy: "

quote topperone: "There's a nice campsite on a haunted island just east of Rookery island.The campsite is at the southwest corner at the spookey cedar tree."

Sounds good ! Unless I'm solo ;) "

At least you would have company on the island.

I hear there might be some stump-legged guy terrorizing campers in that area . . .

When I first started solo camping, it is a little different feeling when it gets dark. Funny a little thin tent wall is like a security blanket and I sleep fine.

quote PINETREE: "When I first started solo camping, it is a little different feeling when it gets dark. Funny a little thin tent wall is like a security blanket and I sleep fine. "

Good point Pinetree!! This thin cocoon of tent material really doesn't do anything to make you safer from anything except rain (most of the time!). Goes to show how ignorance can be so blissful!!!

quote PINETREE: "Wonder what year they closed the Kings point Custom station?"

Jon Nelson said that Kings Point Ranger station hasn't been occupied since the 1950's. He related the story of a ranger, Walter Hurn, who was assigned to Kings Point in the 1920s and created an elaborate English garden around the cabin complete with flowers and vegetables. Sig Olson related how he would come out of the riot of the bush and stop by Kings Point to see clean gravel pathways with a profusion of flowers and vegetables in straight lines along side the paths. The huge contrast "did something to us" Olson said!

We stayed at some nice camp sites along the shore NW of the old ranger station.
One faces north into Ranger Bay and used to have some nice log furniture. Another site is on a very nice beach on that western shore almost directly west of the old cabin.
I know these are actually a few miles west of what you are looking for, but if you do go up a couple miles north of the border you'll find them in that NW section of the lake.

I'm a huge fan of King's Point. I stayed there twice this last summer. Great spot to watch the sun set. I also like the beach site by the portage into Burke Lake. I stayed there for an entire week this last summer.