BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
July 02 2026
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
Vacation on Allen
Entry Date:
June 02, 2026
Entry Point:
Lizz and Swamp Lakes
Number of Days:
7
Group Size:
2
After a night at Rockwood bunkhouse, we headed out from the outfitter approximately 7:30AM. Our goal was to hit the only campsite on Allen via Lizz/Caribou/Horseshoe. We've done this so many times it almost feels like second nature to paddle and portage this beautiful wilderness. No breeze and a little bit of sun with temps in the upper 60's/low 70's. It had been mostly dry off the Gunflint the week previous - so a decision was made to go without a fire for the week. Relative humidities were uncommonly low - roughly 20 percent - which is pretty unusual. Traffic was very light. As we paddled through Caribou and Horseshoe, all the campsites we could see were empty - an experience we've never witnessed in such a high traffic EP area. Our back up plan if Allen was occupied was to head down to Vista. As we pushed off from the Horseshoe to Allen portage and paddled into the main part of the lake, we could see our home for the next week was available. Landed at 11:30AM. A little over 4 miles of paddling and just under 2 miles of double portaging.
We quickly set up most of our camp - gravity water system is always first. Tent, table, chairs, camp kitchen, and bear bag rope system. We knew rain was unlikely for a couple of days, so we waited on our rain tarp.
Once rehydrated, James set up the fishing rods. We headed out mid afternoon to fish. Allen is a cool little lake. Plenty of submerged boulders and downed logs for northern and bass. However, our main goal this week was walleye dinner!
While paddling and casting we found two significant holes that dropped off to roughly 15'. Wind had picked up, so James fished while I held the canoe in place. No luck on this particular afternoon, but our plan for fishing this gem of a lake was agreed upon.
Every morning we have the same breakfast. Bacon, egg, and hashbrown breakfast wraps with salsa. Never gets old. We bring large flour tortillas - but usually by the end of the week, the remaining ones stick together making for difficult use. We now place a piece of parchment paper between every tortilla - and never have a problem anymore.
We happened to enter while the 1st significant mosquito hatch was underway. Pretty much had them 24x7 - but after the 1st day, we grew accustomed to our residents. Probably donated a pint or so - but did not experience too many black flies, so we considered it a win.
Our routine was simple. Eat.....hydrate....and fish. Hit those walleye holes hard but also cast a few Mepps along the shoreline. Caught plenty of smaller northern and bass.
Another windy afternoon. It was strange to have such low humidity with consistent wind out of the east. We heard on our radio about the wildfire outside of Ely and observed quite a few passing forest service planes throughout the week.
As much work as it is to double portage our gear - base camping is what we prefer. We bring many creature comforts these days, so the thought of packing and moving no longer appeals to us.
Our living room view was awesome. We dehydrate most of our meals, but reserve the right to eat fish anytime!
We set up the rain tarp - as forecast called for a rainy Thursday. We've camped through quite a few fire bans, but this trip felt like the driest we've ever been. Although mosquitos were around all day, sunset was the most intense. Early bedtime every night!
After coffee and breakfast, we headed out to the western walleye hole. Caught northern and bass along the shore on the way, so still had our mepps on when we rolled over the hole. Cast toward a couple of bigger boulders that started the drop off and caught walleye.
Had an interesting fish experience - James hooked a nice northern so I cast right behind his lure. His northern spit out the lure and hooked mine. Pretty cool!
As the day progressed, winds shifted and slowly started coming out of the west. Relative humidities increased. We knew rain was coming.
As James was discarding the fish guts, he noticed a huge rock about 300+ yards behind our camp. After dinner, we hiked with our camera. The spot was the top of a hill between Gaskin and Allen lakes - approximately 75 feet higher than both lakes. Had to be left there as glaciers retreated thousands of years ago. Pretty cool spot.
As evening approached, we could sense the pending storm system about to blow through. Headed to the tent at sundown. Immediately started storming - and rained until sunrise Friday. Much needed.
Rose from a long slumber to find everything wet. As long as it rained - and the many lightning/thunder bouts, we did not have any wind.
Repeat breakfast. Clouds stuck around for a while. Headed out to fish again. This trip has been nothing short of relaxing. No late breaking news, no political drama, and no contact from the outside world.
We paddled by a huge beaver lodge on the NE shoreline. Almost looked as if a trail from the woods was formed on top.....Later that afternoon, we heard a loud thud/splash and speculated someone dropped their canoe at the portage. As we looked across the lake, we saw a bull moose swimming after entering the lake from the beaver lodge. It's been a while since we've seen a bull. Full velvet - and swimming at a pace faster than any canoe that had paddled through. Awesome animals - such a cool feature of the BWCA.
Put our chairs on the rocks along the lake for the evening.....the little breeze finally gave us freedom from mosquitos.
Day 4 on repeat. Nice sunrise. Awesome sunset. Great food - an Ellie Asian noodle meal with special sauce packet. As we recall our earlier trips, food upgrade has been wonderful. Nothing beats a home cooked dehydrated meal with fresh ingredients.
Saw quite a few paddlers passing through this day. Most were coming from Horseshoe, but a couple were heading into Jump.
Another glorious day in the BWCA. Ate, fished, and relaxed. Other than one stormy night and a couple of brief showers, pretty dry. We knew there was a chance of rain for Monday, so we planned our strategy if portages were wet. The Allen to Horseshoe portage isn't very long, but it does contain a couple of boulder fields to navigate. Not a problem for my pack mule son, but for this 63 year old man with a titanium hip, it does require careful thought/foot placement.
Enjoyed our final evening on Allen lake. Overall, the campsite is very nice. A few good tent pads. Fire grate close to the water. Plenty of decent bear bag hanging trees. Latrine has easy access.
Awoke around sunrise. After coffee, we started breaking camp. Everything we bring fits into two larger duluth packs and a gunny sack requiring careful folding/placement. With an almost empty food pack, we probably lost 20 pounds for our way out.
Portages were dry. Passed a few other groups along the way, but the paddle out was bittersweet. No place like this anywhere!
We have such a rich history with this wilderness. We arrive to Rockwood a bit after 11AM to shower and start heading back. Stopped at My Sister's Place in Grand Marais for a burger, then on to the cabin to clean and organize the gear for the next trip.
The plan is for a 3 generation trip - James and his son, Spencer. I can't wait!!!!