BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
July 18 2025
Entry Point 52 - Brant Lake
Brant 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 a canoe landing at Round Lake with an 85- and a 35-rod portage to Brant Lake. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.
Number of Permits per Day: 4
Elevation: 1500 feet
Latitude: 48.0692
Longitude: -90.8455
Brant to Tuscarora via Little Sag Route:
Round
Brant
Bat - Mud
Gillis - burn area is evident:
French
Peter - first lake trout:
Virgin
Little Sag - green trees again!
Mora - gorgeous divide of burn and green
Crooked
Owl
Tuscarora - second lake trout!
Missing Link - with lighter food pack, the portage is OK
Round
Number of Permits per Day: 4
Elevation: 1500 feet
Latitude: 48.0692
Longitude: -90.8455
Brant to Tuscarora via Little Sag Route:
Round
Brant
Bat - Mud
Gillis - burn area is evident:
French
Peter - first lake trout:
Virgin
Little Sag - green trees again!
Mora - gorgeous divide of burn and green
Crooked
Owl
Tuscarora - second lake trout!
Missing Link - with lighter food pack, the portage is OK
Round
Alive
by DragonWolf
Trip Report
Entry Date:
July 21, 2012
Entry Point:
Seagull Lake
Number of Days:
5
Group Size:
6
Trip Introduction:
As my first BW trip ever, & my Dad's first & last solo campsite I found myself wishing to go there however I could. I was graced with a friend and family as company, instead of having to go solo, and it was unforgetable to me!
Day 2 of 5
Saturday, July 21, 2012 On this day my Uncle, Aunt, & I began to drive from the cabins we stay at in Northome, MN to Grand Marais where we would meet OneMatch(Jerry) and my cousins. When we got there we met Jerry in a grocery place, and got a call from my cousins stating they were farther back then us, so we decided to meet them at Tuscarora lodge, where we would spend the night.[paragraph break]When we got to Tuscarora we settled in and had dinner before Jerry did a little show for everyone! 
Day 2 of 5
Sunday, July 22, 2012 Woke up this morning, had breakfast at the lodge and we started to pack up for the trip. Thanks to Dad I had everything I needed, (even if I didn't know what it was for or what I was doing). Once that was done we all got in a vehicle and headed to EP54. 
[paragraph break]Wearing dad's life jacket and using one of his paddle we went all over the lake. Searching for the place he camped became like a game, and with all our confusion I saw him laughing at us with each place we hoped was it and rolling on the floor every time we got turned around. But it was worth it! All around was beautiful scenery we never would have seen without the wild goose chase! 
[paragraph break]Had lunch on a site that looked like it would be fun just cuz of the rock you could climb and the scenery around you, I pulled out Dad's journal while we were here so we could try to get a better idea of where he had camped. [paragraph break]As it got later in the day we decided to base camp at a different site for the night. We called it "the Beach Site" because it had a large area of shallow water that was pretty well protected from weather. I loved it for a path that you could follow to rocks, which you could climb to get to a very high place, and look out over the lake from. 
Before dark the guys sat round the fire area and tried to figure out the maps and journal to find where we should go next. 
[paragraph break]Wearing dad's life jacket and using one of his paddle we went all over the lake. Searching for the place he camped became like a game, and with all our confusion I saw him laughing at us with each place we hoped was it and rolling on the floor every time we got turned around. But it was worth it! All around was beautiful scenery we never would have seen without the wild goose chase! [paragraph break]Had lunch on a site that looked like it would be fun just cuz of the rock you could climb and the scenery around you, I pulled out Dad's journal while we were here so we could try to get a better idea of where he had camped. [paragraph break]As it got later in the day we decided to base camp at a different site for the night. We called it "the Beach Site" because it had a large area of shallow water that was pretty well protected from weather. I loved it for a path that you could follow to rocks, which you could climb to get to a very high place, and look out over the lake from. Before dark the guys sat round the fire area and tried to figure out the maps and journal to find where we should go next.
Day 3 of 5
Sunday, July 22, 2012 Woke up this morning, had breakfast at the lodge and we started to pack up for the trip. Thanks to Dad I had everything I needed, (even if I didn't know what it was for or what I was doing). Once that was done we all got in a vehicle and headed to EP54. 
[paragraph break]Wearing dad's life jacket and using one of his paddle we went all over the lake. Searching for the place he camped became like a game, and with all our confusion I saw him laughing at us with each place we hoped was it and rolling on the floor every time we got turned around. But it was worth it! All around was beautiful scenery we never would have seen without the wild goose chase! 
[paragraph break]Had lunch on a site that looked like it would be fun just cuz of the rock you could climb and the scenery around you, I pulled out Dad's journal while we were here so we could try to get a better idea of where he had camped. [paragraph break]As it got later in the day we decided to base camp at a different site for the night. We called it "the Beach Site" because it had a large area of shallow water that was pretty well protected from weather. I loved it for a path that you could follow to rocks, which you could climb to get to a very high place, and look out over the lake from. 
Before dark the guys sat round the fire area and tried to figure out the maps and journal to find where we should go next. 
[paragraph break]Wearing dad's life jacket and using one of his paddle we went all over the lake. Searching for the place he camped became like a game, and with all our confusion I saw him laughing at us with each place we hoped was it and rolling on the floor every time we got turned around. But it was worth it! All around was beautiful scenery we never would have seen without the wild goose chase! [paragraph break]Had lunch on a site that looked like it would be fun just cuz of the rock you could climb and the scenery around you, I pulled out Dad's journal while we were here so we could try to get a better idea of where he had camped. [paragraph break]As it got later in the day we decided to base camp at a different site for the night. We called it "the Beach Site" because it had a large area of shallow water that was pretty well protected from weather. I loved it for a path that you could follow to rocks, which you could climb to get to a very high place, and look out over the lake from. Before dark the guys sat round the fire area and tried to figure out the maps and journal to find where we should go next.
Day 1 of 5
Tuesday, July 24, 2012 I woke up as early as I could. I'm not a morning person, but it was my goal to get a good mist and fog picture or two, as Dad had done. 
There was another place to "park" a canoe at on a different side, which had cool rock areas that I enjoyed going onto the water at. 
[paragraph break]Dad had walked the portage to Grandpa Lake, to see if he wanted to go there, so we decided to do the same. The walk itself was fun because of the people and nature around us, but just like Dad I was glad we didn't have to bring a canoe up and down that trail!! I did highly enjoy jumping on the wood bridges it had though! 
[paragraph break]Grandpa Lake itself was beautiful, but much smaller than Seagull lake, it also contained Toad #1 and Frogs #2 & #3! 
[paragraph break]We went back to the Amok site and relaxed the rest of the day. I took a picture of a canoe where Dad's would have been before we brought it up though, and managed to get the now cut down tree that he had tied it to in the picture. 
I took a night picture, because it is something I love, and it was the last night to enjoy it. 
There was another place to "park" a canoe at on a different side, which had cool rock areas that I enjoyed going onto the water at. [paragraph break]Dad had walked the portage to Grandpa Lake, to see if he wanted to go there, so we decided to do the same. The walk itself was fun because of the people and nature around us, but just like Dad I was glad we didn't have to bring a canoe up and down that trail!! I did highly enjoy jumping on the wood bridges it had though! [paragraph break]Grandpa Lake itself was beautiful, but much smaller than Seagull lake, it also contained Toad #1 and Frogs #2 & #3! [paragraph break]We went back to the Amok site and relaxed the rest of the day. I took a picture of a canoe where Dad's would have been before we brought it up though, and managed to get the now cut down tree that he had tied it to in the picture. I took a night picture, because it is something I love, and it was the last night to enjoy it.
Day 5 of 5
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Woke up to rain! I love rain, but when your tent is in what seems like a lake, and the bottom of your tent starts floating and becomes a waterbed you have a problem! No sooner did I wake up and actually notice this then did I find out that water was starting to come in through the zipper area that was getting dangerously close to being under the puddle my tent was in! 
[paragraph break]Grabbing my clothes and electronics, as well as all my paper type things I raced to the tarp and hammock Jerry had set up and got warm again. I leaned back and enjoyed the rain around me from the comfort of the hammock till others woke up! Even with my stuff drenched I kinda wished for the rain to continue, so I wouldn't have to leave yet! 
[paragraph break]When the rain died down I went back to check on my tent, and was glad I got out while I could! If Dad had been rained on he certainly would have noticed, and wrote about it, but I still couldn't help but laugh at the perfect pool more then half my stuff was in! 
[paragraph break]We packed up camp and started getting ready to head back home soon after the rain became a light drizzle. I didn't mind taking my time on the paddle back! 
[paragraph break]We stopped by Tuscarora Lodge before driving back to my place, and said our temporary good-byes to each other before separating into our original groups. 
[paragraph break]After this first visit I am glad I went. Glad my Dad planted the idea in me to go with him since his first trip in the BW. And now I am full of the intent to continue making trips up there, where he truly was ALIVE.
[paragraph break]Grabbing my clothes and electronics, as well as all my paper type things I raced to the tarp and hammock Jerry had set up and got warm again. I leaned back and enjoyed the rain around me from the comfort of the hammock till others woke up! Even with my stuff drenched I kinda wished for the rain to continue, so I wouldn't have to leave yet! [paragraph break]When the rain died down I went back to check on my tent, and was glad I got out while I could! If Dad had been rained on he certainly would have noticed, and wrote about it, but I still couldn't help but laugh at the perfect pool more then half my stuff was in! [paragraph break]We packed up camp and started getting ready to head back home soon after the rain became a light drizzle. I didn't mind taking my time on the paddle back! [paragraph break]We stopped by Tuscarora Lodge before driving back to my place, and said our temporary good-byes to each other before separating into our original groups. [paragraph break]After this first visit I am glad I went. Glad my Dad planted the idea in me to go with him since his first trip in the BW. And now I am full of the intent to continue making trips up there, where he truly was ALIVE.
discuss this trip report (14 comments) - last post on October 21, 2012