BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
January 05 2025
Entry Point 47 - Lizz & Swamp Lakes
Number of Permits per Day: 3
Elevation: 1864 feet
Latitude: 48.0420
Longitude: -90.4998
Lizz & Swamp Lakes - 47
Base Camping on Horseshoe
Entry Date:
September 09, 2007
Entry Point:
Lizz and Swamp Lakes
Number of Days:
5
Group Size:
4
Little Loon, Slim, Sec. 3 Pond, Steep, Eugene, Gun
We headed out by about 10 a.m. the next day and made our way over to Slim Lake. We saw a canoe of three waiting for us at the Slim Lake end of the portage. Talked to them about some of the lakes and fishing, ect… They said that they had slept standing up on Eugene (very slanted tent spots), and so that is something we wanted to avoid. We wanted to make it to Gun Lake anyway (the one below Lac La Croix, not the one by Mudro).
Judd caught a nice bass right by the portage exiting Slim. I caught a pike as well. Moved on to Steep after the Section 3 pond. Not much luck for fish, although we were moving through. On Eugene we decided to fish for some pike, as it looked as though this was a good pike lake from some research I had done. Sure enough, there were a few nice size pike. Jake landed a nice one we decided to call dinner. Clint caught probably the largest pike he has ever caught… The only problem was not being able to get it out of the water. It spit the hook as we tried to get the fish in the net (the net was too small hehe). The pike looked to be about 35” or so. Clint nearly went swimming after it as it slithered away. I was getting my camera ready to get the picture as it threw the hook, and missed an opportunity to get a good photo.
We made the next portage to Gun and saw that the water was some of the clearest water in the BWCA. This lake is supposed to hold lakers and SMB. We trolled some Rapalas, hoping to hook into a laker or bass. Judd hooked a decent bass we added to the stringer right before the south most campsite on the lake. We looked at the south site and it looked wonderful. Nice open area with good rock shore. We started to unload after a decent day of moving. Clint and Jake looked at the other site, while Judd and I landed a couple more bass to cut up for dinner. Fishing from this site is amazing. The water clarity allows you to see over 10 feet down, and there are masses of SMB all over. Almost like shooting fish in a barrel lol.
The site also provided for some decent rocks to dive in off and with the warm weather we took a swim or two. Massive blueberry patches surrounded the camp too. Not to mention we were the only ones on the lake. The vodka shots started to pour, as we cut up the fish. After getting the filets, we cooked the fish in aluminum foil, butter, salt and pepper, added to some wild rice soup. We soon realized that we had drastically underestimated our drinking supply when we cracked open our second 1.75L of Karkov (we had only brought two and this was our second of five nights). Once again, great moon rise and sunset as the day came to an end.
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We managed all the portaging very well. It wasn't as bad as we had imagined it would be and was an integral part of the experience. We rented ultra-light Kevlar canoes that weighed about 40 pounds each. Once you got them on your shoulders and balanced, they were pretty easy to carry. We did double-portage though, carrying the boat first and then the gear. When you can manage a look at them, the portage trails are incredibly beautiful but some are better than others. 
The area got a lot of rain before we arrived so one portage trail turned out to be up what amounted to a knee-deep, fast-moving boulder-strewn creek. Fortunately, that was on a day trip with no gear, just boats.
We walked the portage trails to Misquah and Jake lakes without boats. We then paddled a little way down the South Brule River before returning to camp. Thursday we paddled back out the way we came in, but in the rain.
After going, I understand the draw of the place and why people go back, year after year. It's the beauty and the solitude, the pleasure of the paddling and the pain of the portages. We paddled 50 acre lakes with one campsite, 200 acre lakes with 3 campsites spaced so far apart you would never know there was another camper for miles. We did see some people in canoes on Horseshoe Lake where there are 5 campsites and on some of the portages but on other lakes, it felt like we were the only people on earth. The quiet is amazing. I just wish it were closer so I could go back again, year after year! And did I mention the Trail Center? What a cool place with great food for a pre- and post-trip celebration! 