BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
June 20 2024
Entry Point 50 - Cross Bay Lake
Cross Bay Lake entry point allows overnight paddle only. This entry point is supported by Gunflint Ranger Station near the city of Grand Marais, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 45 miles. Access is thru the Cross River with two portages to Ham Lake and a 24-rod portage to Cross Bay Lake. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.
Number of Permits per Day: 3
Elevation: 1670 feet
Latitude: 48.0760
Longitude: -90.8222
Cross Bay Lake - 50
Number of Permits per Day: 3
Elevation: 1670 feet
Latitude: 48.0760
Longitude: -90.8222
Cross Bay Lake - 50
Cross Bay & Frost
by jquast34
Trip Report
Entry Date:
May 26, 2024
Entry Point:
Missing Link Lake
Exit Point:
Cross Bay Lake (50)
Number of Days:
6
Group Size:
9
Trip Introduction:
This marks the 12th consecutive year this group has done our annual BWCAW trip. It was a great trip once again. We have gotten so lucky most years considering what the Boundary Waters can throw at you.
We stayed Friday night at Bef's camper in Superior. Saturday we mosied up the North Shore, stopping at Castle Danger Brewery, Bluefin Bay, GM and Poplar House for an excellent dinner. We stayed at the bunkhouse at Tuscarora Lodge .
Day 1 of 6
Sunday, May 26, 2024 We were served a wonderful breakfast at Tuscarora lodge at 7am. French Toast, fruit, coffee etc. I am really impressed with Tusc Lodge. The staff was great and the process of renting canoes etc was seamless. We paddled through Missing Link and into Snipe Lake. Those two portages were not easy, The portage into Cross Bay was much more tolerable. The plan we had made in the bunkhouse the night before was for one canoe to go check the north site on Cross Bay and another canoe go check the south site and radio to each other status updates. Since I was in the 3-man, we were slower than the rest of the group. By the time we were paddling on Cross Bay, none of our group was in sight. We made a decision to head south and to our delight, our boys were already setting up camp at the south site, despite the guy at the outfitter all but guaranteeing it would be taken. It is a great campsite. We had room for 9 guys and a good canoe landing. Plus the fishing that first night was great. We caught walleyes within view of our campsite. 
Day 2 of 6
Monday, May 27, 2024 I had went to bed super early the night before so I was the first one awake around 5am. It was cold, hence, bug-free at the latrine which was not to be taken for granted. I made a small fire to warm my bones and took a canoe out solo into the fog. Listening to the water rushing in the rapids, hearing ducks quacking, and the mist on the lake all made for a very serene morning. Quite different than scrolling on my phone, watching tv or doing chores like I normally would be doing at home on a non-work day. My buddy Joel woke up and noticed me out there and hollered at me and I came and swooped him up for a little fishing. We ended up with 6 walleyes before coffee/breakfast that morning. The buoy of the "refrigerator" bag we sunk did not properly unravel so the bag pulled the buoy underwater. We had a rescue mission to attempt to retrieve the bag using strong fishing line. That didn't work. Myself and Tyler paddled out there to attempt to swim around and find it using goggles. This was also unsuccessful and COLD. Then, on our paddle out after giving up, I spotted the yellow buoy about 6 feet from the surface. We sent Tyler on a diving mission and he retrieved it. A big celebration followed. The fishing slowed down a bit that night. The campfire was very fun that night. 
Day 3 of 6
Tuesday, May 28, 2024 Rain. Luckily we had put up a tarp city. We stayed under the tarps for a few hours while it down poured. 
Day 4 of 6
Wednesday, May 29, 2024 We got up, ate breakfast and headed south for a day trip to try and find some Lake Trout. It was quite the day trip. We were gone for around 11 hours. We went into Rib, Lower George, Long Island, Gordon, Unload and Frost. We stopped for lunch at a nice beach site on Frost. It was a very slow day fishing until around 5pm when they turned on all of a sudden. We had a good couple hours of fishing, and headed home with 6 lakers on the stringer. It was another late night around the fire with the fellas. A few celebratories! 
Day 5 of 6
Thursday, May 30, 2024 Two guys from our group had to leave Thursday morning. Because of the storm that was forecasted to hit us the next morning, the rest of the group decided to leisurely head out as well. We took our time and packed up camp and headed to Ham lake where we stopped at a campsite and fished a little. We wanted to stay at Tuscarora Lodge again and just fish round lake for the night bite, however they did not have availability. So we decided to head out and drive down the Gunflint to Grand Marais and stayed at the Harbor Inn and watched the Timberwolves end their season at the bar.
Day 6 of 6
Friday, May 31, 2024 We woke up and had breakfast at the Blue Water Cafe and headed home. Another wonderful trip. Fishing was good, we scored our Option A campsite, the weather was good despite the one rainy day and I wont say the bugs were good, however we have seen much worse. Good crew, good times. Until next year!
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