BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
October 30 2025
Entry Point 60 - Duncan Lake
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1432 feet
Latitude: 48.0709
Longitude: -90.4517
Duncan Lake - 60
Short September Solo
Entry Date:
September 09, 2025
Entry Point:
Duncan Lake
Number of Days:
2
Group Size:
1
I decided on a spur of the moment trip with the kid safely back in school and looked for open permits. I had hoped to go out of the Sawbill area but missed out on a cancelled permit so looked to the Gunflint. Many years ago, while leading groups with a nearby camp I had done the border route multiple times but it's been 15 years since I travelled to this particular entry (Duncan Lake). I decided a solo challenge of the stairway portage to Rose and the long portage from Rose to Daniels that I learned as the "Baby Grand" was a good way to test my mettle and not be subject to a pace or distance that would be an issue if weather arose. After a fitful night of sleep due to a heavy rain storm while camping on Hungry Jack before setting out, I started out in a cool, foggy morning across a brooding West Bearskin and Duncan. Portages were a bit wet (as was everything) but the day improved marginally. I camped at the second campsite east of the Stairway Portage. This site features quite a bit of trees that have been damaged about 10-20 feet up due to a previous storm, but nothing that seemed to be at risk of falling on a tent site. Just East of the main entrance to the site by about 40 feet sits a gradual landing for canoes. It is covered by a downed tree so you must duck to get in (though not aggressively). The recent rains showed where a lot of this site is on the low side of slope. Someone carved channels to direct the water away. Presumably the previous nights guests. There was a bit of firewood left, though it was larger pieces and some trash left in the fire grate. This is always disappointing to find but it happens. The sight has nice views to the NNW. The pit toilet is about 65 steps up a short hill. While in camp a family of three otters bounded across this trail together. In the past I have seen moose swimming across Rose, and I was once windbound on the East side of the lake for a day, but this trip proved to be calm. The following morning was so foggy you couldn't see beyond 20 feet from shore. By the time I broke camp the fog had lifted some but was still concentrated and thick on the Eastern side of the lake when I reached the portage.
I made my way east towards the Long Portage and Daniels Spur. Most of this was dry footing, but some sections along the middle third were next to beaver ponds and featured mandatory wet-foot crossings. A ruffed grouse ambled across the portage at one point and sat next to the trail waiting for me to pass.
For the second night, I stayed on Daniels at the campsite that sites East of the creek, along the lake's Northern shore. This sit features a stairway leading up to it from the point, but the easiest boat access is on the Western face. Maps refer to this as campsite 667, and it has good elevation along with nice sunset AND sunrise views. While no one was noisy, a late arrival of a group on the campsite to the SSE was easily heard. Being right on the edge of the BWCA I have found Daniels to be serene at times, and uncomfortably noisy at others. This time I could hear the backup alert of equipment on what I presume was Clearwater Road. This site generally slopes towards the water but has a handful of decent tent sites with the best of these sitting just North and East of the fire grate.
On my final day, a short paddle to the West and across the portage into W Bearskin was uneventful. I would have included more notes, but forgot a notebook so all of these are from memory a month and half later.
