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Birdknowsbest
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I am sure you know the farther in you go the more secluded and private it will be. The island on Horse out of Mudrow is a great base camp but could be hard to get. Lots of good day trips, Basswood falls etc.
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TWL
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My wife and I married in Sept 1996 and spent several days in the "Little Ollies Cabin" off the Gunflint. Paddled up into Rose Lake, out Clearwater. it was one WET week. Glad we were in a cabin...still glad. My wife met someone in a resort that week that talked about losing her husband and recommending that my wife tell me she loves me every day. She does. Every day. 12X a day. There are worse problems in life! We have had 21 years of bliss...
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troutslayer4
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After hearing me talk about my 2 trips to BW she is now dead set on having our honeymoon there. DEAL!!! That's just another confirmation I chose wisely. She's never been, and it has been many years since I've gone. This is just a feeler post as I will start my research more intensely in the near future. Wedding is June 14, 2019 hoping to honeymoon immediately after depending on work time off freedom. Our priorities, a secluded beautiful area to base camp with some fun day trips nearby. We chose relaxation over constant pack and go. Then comes the obvious fishing, we both love to fish and fly fishers chime in too!!!! All species taste great so I'm not picky, just want to put her on some good numbers maybe a sizeable fish if lucky. I know it's a transition time mid june for fish staging but we will probe more into that. Anyone know of any foraging food growing during that time frame? That's pretty much it, we are both crazy excited to speed time up for this to happen. Thanks in advance!
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manmountain8
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For a Honeymoon I would suggest Clearwater Lake off of the Gunflint Trail. You could stay at the Clearwater Historic Lodge and there are lots of day trips available. Clearwater itself is not exactly secluded but it is beautiful and there are many beautiful lakes nearby. Maybe the most scenic area in all of the BWCA. The area is known as the Minnesota Mountains as their are spectacular bluffs all over the place. Clearwater only has Lake Trout and Smallmouth and the Trout will probably not still be shallow by that time of year. Bass fishing will be picking up though. Nearby Deer and Caribou Lakes have good Walleye and Pike and Mountain Lake to the North is considered one of the best Lake Trout Lakes in the State and it is very secluded. Choosing a Lake off the East side with Gunflint Trail access will bring you by the North Shore too. I would highly suggest incorporating some North Shore stuff into a honeymoon. See some waterfalls, State Parks with spectacular scenery, Split Rock Lighthouse, Gondola Rides and Alpine Slide at Lutsen, nice restaurants, etc. If it were me I would close the trip off with a night or two at a North Shore Resort Like Bluefin Bay and soak in the hot tub or something. Maybe a scenic boat Tour on Superior? Just some ideas.
https://clearwaterhistoriclodge.com/
https://www.bluefinbay.com/
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cburton103
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Hahaha that was fantastic, carmike. I started reading and thought, "No!! Not Disappointment! That's the only lake I've ever not been able to find a campsite on after checking something like 13 different sites! What a nightmare for a honeymoon where they're seeking solitude!"
And then I read the rest of your post. Quite the classic!
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andym
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We camped for part of our honeymoon but it was car camping in the Florida Keys. We had a very private site right on the ocean and could get up in the morning and just walk into the water. It was a seriously great way to relax together.
Good advice about the tent. We were so poor that we had a cheapo tent from a discount store and one night the wind died and we got attacked by bugs. We had to retreat into our rental car. In the BW, retreating to the car is not possible and we've had some nights where we had to retreat into the tent. So, a good tent is definitely important. Also good rain gear and a tarp for relaxing out of the rain or sun but still outside.
Carry a little extra weight to have some luxuries such as good chocolate, wine in a bag (just ditch the box or get a wine bladder to transfer wine from a bottle), or some fine scotch depending on what you enjoy. Kahlua in hot cocoa can really hit the spot, too. Look in the camping recipes section for advice on how to bake in the BW. You can't go wrong with a great dessert at the end of a meal.
You are very lucky. So am I. I feel sorry for the folks on here that can't share the BW with their spouses. I helped my wife collect rocks in the high Sierra for her thesis and we spent a very rainy night drinking whisky from the bottle in my tent. And that was before we were even going out. It did solidify my desire to get her to move from friend to partner for life.
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andym
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I’m going to add a hammock or two camp chairs to the list. Light comfy camp chairs may be things that have changed a lot since your last trip.
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4keys
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BWCA is a great place for a honeymoon. That is what we did, and we have been married 32 years this June. We did a loop from the Crab Lake entry, and other than the first and last day we didn't see anyone, which was great. Our first portage was a mile carrying a heavy alumnacraft canoe, which might be considered a relationship test.
Someone mentioned Clearwater, but I don't think he mentioned Johnson Falls, which would make a great day trip.
Whatever lake you go to, enjoy it.
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carmike
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If I were you, I'd head to Disappointment or Neglige Lake. Maybe Sultry or Missionary, too? Then maybe to the Weeny PMA before heading over to Cummings. Then head for a fire and hot dogs on Ashdick, stopping at Beaver in between.
Just don't head to Hoare in Quetico.
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cburton103
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troutslayer,
My wife and I went to Quetico after being married for 1.5 years. Still one of my favorite trips ever, and I've been 8 going on 9 times now. I don't know your fiance, but the pace of a trip with my wife was quite different than with my guy friends I go with. Be willing to go with the flow and set up camp early or take a long picnic break in the middle of the day. In fact, maybe only travel in 6-8 miles on day one with only a few portages and really bring some good food, chocolate, wine or the like depending on both of your preferences. Then just base camp, fish, relax, etc. A honeymoon is a great time to relax after all of the stress on a bride of planning a once-in-a-lifetime wedding.
Here's my advice - save up $300 bucks extra and go to Quetico. Maybe even ask a few family members for honeymoon cash instead of a wedding gift. 1/10th the number of people, which means you'll have much more solitude almost regardless of where you are. And with solitude comes better fishing. Sounds like you both like that.
Not sure what times of year you've been before, but the middle of June is when 5-6 of my trips have been. Probably the worst bug time of the year. The mosquitoes will almost certainly be a big factor on portages and at camp most nights. Make sure your tent is bombproof - avoid getting wet and letting bugs in the tent! Also, bring pants and long sleeves, as well as hats and mosquito head nets.
That said, we've generally had good to excellent fishing this time of year in Quetico. The smallmouth action can still be quite hot depending on where they are in their spawning cycle on the lake they're on. Lake Trout can still be fairly easily caught on good lakes. Pike are pike. Walleye will be getting a bit deeper - I'm a southerner, so I still haven't figured out how to catch walleye consistently when I'm not near moving water.
I think it would be awesome to spend the first night or two of your honeymoon somewhere along the North Shore of Superior, then get a tow from Seagull Outfitters to Hook Island. Check in with Janice the Quetico Ranger in Cache Bay. Then paddle up to Saganagons and set up a base camp. Saganagons is a great lake for all species. It sees some traffic, but nothing like the bwca. If you want a chance at seeing no one else for days, continue on to the eastern part of the lake past the portage towards the Falls Chain.
Happy to walk you through the bit of extra due diligence/paperwork required for a Quetico trip. I've found it extremely worthwhile, and would strongly encourage you to consider it. You won't regret it!
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nm1
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I have no advice for you, but I do have a question: Does she have a sister?
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MN_Lindsey
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I also put a vote in for Crab Lake.
Or Fairy Lake out of Mudro. NE campsite!
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rpike
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Rose Lake is about as pretty as they come, and it's easy to get there, which means it may not be as secluded. By mid-June, the bass fishing should be cranking up. You should still be able to find a trout or two, but you will earn them. You can make a fun circle loop day trip: Rose - Daniels (via long but flat portage) - West Bearskin - Duncan - Rose. Only the first portage is long. Daniels is full of little lake trout.
You can also hike on the Border Route trail from Rose.
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HighnDry
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An island site on Sag would be beautiful. It would not be complete seclusion but it's a beautiful lake. Another option is to keep going and find a site just off Knife in the Ester area perhaps.
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