Looking for a spot, preferably in the Gunflint area. We want to do the North Shore drive and go in at Grand Marais. We want to have one portage to a place to camp if possible. Could rent canoes but would rather fish our float tubes.any ideas ?

First - Welcome to the board.
As for routes - check out Seagull at the end of the Gunflint Trail. - No portages and many sites from which to choose.

On Gunflint, I would recommend entering at EP 64 East Bearskin and portaging into Alder for a campsite. That one portage is wide and easy. Once you are in Alder, there are plenty of short portages to take without gear to do some exploring and one long portage (or just walk) that will take you to Johnson Falls.

When I entered at East Bearskin, I rented a canoe from Dave at Hungry Jack Outfitters. He is great to work with!

Brule, Sawbill, and Kawishiwi could be options.

quote Grandma L: "First - Welcome to the board.
As for routes - check out Seagull at the end of the Gunflint Trail. - No portages and many sites from which to choose."

+1

And if youre feeling adventurous, Alpine Lake is only one portage away. Both offer good fishing opportunities.

quote Chefjohnwoods: "Looking for a spot, preferably in the Gunflint area. We want to do the North Shore drive and go in at Grand Marais. We want to have one portage to a place to camp if possible. Could rent canoes but would rather fish our float tubes.any ideas ?"

I'm a little confused here. Are you saying that you would carry all of your camping gear and food for 5 days on your float tubes and then portage into a different lake to camp ? I've done a lot of fishing from a float tube but I don't think I would carry all of my camping gear and food on the thing. If you were going by canoe I would suggest putting in on Brule and portaging into South Temperance. You could always take the float tubes along and inflate them when you get there for fishing.

quote WHendrix: "

quote Chefjohnwoods: "Looking for a spot, preferably in the Gunflint area. We want to do the North Shore drive and go in at Grand Marais. We want to have one portage to a place to camp if possible. Could rent canoes but would rather fish our float tubes.any ideas ?"

I'm a little confused here. Are you saying that you would carry all of your camping gear and food for 5 days on your float tubes and then portage into a different lake to camp ? I've done a lot of fishing from a float tube but I don't think I would carry all of my camping gear and food on the thing. If you were going by canoe I would suggest putting in on Brule and portaging into South Temperance. You could always take the float tubes along and inflate them when you get there for fishing. "

Wow, good catch (pun intended). Rent canoes vs float tubes? Interesting idea - tricky.

Another option but wait...float tubes? Think you will want to rent a canoe.

Anyways...East Bearskin lake, paddle 30 minutes to the portage south to Crocodile Lake. 100 or so rods and steep at first but then not bad. Once you get to crocodile Lake you are home.

Four campsites to choose from, 2 good ones and 2 acceptable ones. The second is a great site and would be my first choice the fourth in the narrow arm is a nice site too.

Here's the good news...Crocodile lake is a dead end lake and generally not very busy. But it is also a great walleye lake, almost impossible not to catch fish. Lots of action, plenty of 12-15 inch fish and occasional 20 or better. Also has jumbo perch and a few pike. Good wildlife sighting possibilities.

Perhaps the biggest attraction, you can be in camp within 2-2.5 hours or so from your car. If you are into exploring you can take the Crocodile River east for a ways and portage to the very seclude Veggie Lakes.

A quirk of the BWCA rules, you have to get a permit for entry 66 Crocodile River, even though you enter at East Bearskin.

Oh yeah, did I mention the walleye fishing??

Trip report:

Crocodile Lake

From an old Sawbill Blog post. Method of travel is circled.....

quote cowdoc: "From an old Sawbill Blog post. Method of travel is circled.....



"

That is a classic.

Is a registration sticker required on your inner tube?

quote IceColdGold: "Is a registration sticker required on your inner tube?"

Only if it's 10 ft long or more, that's a big inner tube.

You could hike in a few miles on the Kekekabic Trail and camp on Bingshick Lake. It's a decent little brook trout lake and would probably be fun to fish in a float tube.