BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
July 12 2025
Entry Point 39 - Baker Lake
Baker Lake entry point allows overnight paddle only. This entry point is supported by Tofte Ranger Station near the city of Tofte, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 26 miles. Access is a boat landing at Baker Lake with a 10-rod portage into Peterson Lake to reach first campsite. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1497 feet
Latitude: 47.8452
Longitude: -90.8169
Summary: A 5-day loop from Baker up the Temperance lakes to Cherokee, and back through Sawbill and Smoke lakes back to Baker. A fairly difficult trip.
Day 0: We drove up from Stillwater in the morning and camped at one of the 5 walk-in campsites at Baker Lake, and it was nice.
Day 1 (Baker to S. Temperance) - A beautiful day, we decided to paddle all the way to South Temperance the first day which was a great paddle with easy portages except for the last one. We picked the campsite on top of a huge rock that was close to the middle of the lake. Tried fishing some but no luck
Day 2 (Rest) - In the night, we encountered the worst storm of the entire season. While we were there 19 people had to be rescued from the BWCA. We had about 50mph straightline winds, and I'm still surprised that the huge tent we had stood up to it. We slept in and took a rest day because of the intense winds. Amazingly beautiful sunset.
Day 3 (S. Temperance to Cherokee) - We left as early as we could to beat the heat, but it was no good. The lengthy, hilly portages were challenging and by the last portage we were pretty beat. We overpacked and single portaged which led us to speedier exhaustion. Still amazing weather. North Temperance was a beaut- I wish we had stayed there instead of South. We took the southeasterly facing campsite on Cherokee on the southeastern skinny island. Neat little site.
Day 4 (Cherokee to Sawbill) - Left a little later in the day but it was ok. We took our time going down the river letting out of the southwest part of Cherokee and it was a great area. BEWARE: The area between Ada and Skoop Lakes appears to be floatable, but a dam built recently has made the portion impossible to float. Be prepared for a long portage through muck and water. A guy that we saw there said he had been going to the BWCA for 40 years at least once per year and it was the worst portage he had ever seen. By the time we got to Sawbill it was pretty hot. We paddled all the way down to the site next to the portage onto Smoke.
Day 5 (Sawbill to Baker) - Cooler, cloudier weather for the first time on the trip. We were pretty hungry (I underpacked food a little and I felt really bad) and we were taunting each other with vivid descriptions of the burgers we were going to eat ASAP after getting out. We paddled back to Baker and returned our gear to Sawtooth outfitters.
Overall great route.
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1497 feet
Latitude: 47.8452
Longitude: -90.8169
Summary: A 5-day loop from Baker up the Temperance lakes to Cherokee, and back through Sawbill and Smoke lakes back to Baker. A fairly difficult trip.
Day 0: We drove up from Stillwater in the morning and camped at one of the 5 walk-in campsites at Baker Lake, and it was nice.
Day 1 (Baker to S. Temperance) - A beautiful day, we decided to paddle all the way to South Temperance the first day which was a great paddle with easy portages except for the last one. We picked the campsite on top of a huge rock that was close to the middle of the lake. Tried fishing some but no luck
Day 2 (Rest) - In the night, we encountered the worst storm of the entire season. While we were there 19 people had to be rescued from the BWCA. We had about 50mph straightline winds, and I'm still surprised that the huge tent we had stood up to it. We slept in and took a rest day because of the intense winds. Amazingly beautiful sunset.
Day 3 (S. Temperance to Cherokee) - We left as early as we could to beat the heat, but it was no good. The lengthy, hilly portages were challenging and by the last portage we were pretty beat. We overpacked and single portaged which led us to speedier exhaustion. Still amazing weather. North Temperance was a beaut- I wish we had stayed there instead of South. We took the southeasterly facing campsite on Cherokee on the southeastern skinny island. Neat little site.
Day 4 (Cherokee to Sawbill) - Left a little later in the day but it was ok. We took our time going down the river letting out of the southwest part of Cherokee and it was a great area. BEWARE: The area between Ada and Skoop Lakes appears to be floatable, but a dam built recently has made the portion impossible to float. Be prepared for a long portage through muck and water. A guy that we saw there said he had been going to the BWCA for 40 years at least once per year and it was the worst portage he had ever seen. By the time we got to Sawbill it was pretty hot. We paddled all the way down to the site next to the portage onto Smoke.
Day 5 (Sawbill to Baker) - Cooler, cloudier weather for the first time on the trip. We were pretty hungry (I underpacked food a little and I felt really bad) and we were taunting each other with vivid descriptions of the burgers we were going to eat ASAP after getting out. We paddled back to Baker and returned our gear to Sawtooth outfitters.
Overall great route.
Father and Son BWCA trip
by Hueyav8r
Trip Report
Entry Date:
August 01, 2017
Entry Point:
South Kawishiwi River
Number of Days:
6
Group Size:
2
Trip Introduction:
I’ve been to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area a couple times, Quetico and Algonquin but I never taken any of my adult children with me except for a week in a cabin in the BWCA. I’ve have taken them on a long weekend trip to the Ausable River in Michigan and the Current River in the Ozarks. My son John is a PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering. He spends his days in the Clean Room doing research or in his office, sometimes seven days a week.
I planned the trip in early August to be a route that would be a circle and end up where we started. With advice from Voyageur North Outfitters figured part of the route would be too dry in August to paddle and it would require a long possibly bushwack portage. The revised plan was to enter #33 Little Gabbro Lake and paddle up the South Kawishiwi River to Lake One, possibly Lake Two and back again to take out. That was the plan, stuff happened.
Part 2 of 6
My drive from Indianapolis thru Champaign IL to pick up John and onto Wisconsin the first night was non eventful. We didn’t want to push it all the way through. We did stop at the Cherry Valley Café in Cherry Valley IL Friday night for their all you can eat Walleye dinner. I would recommend if you can plan that into your drive. This drive was an opportunity for some Father and Son time. We arrived in Ely on Saturday midday, gave us time to visit the tourist sites and show him Piragus. We stayed at Voyageur North’s bunk house. Very affordable way to spend a night just before you hit the water. 
Part 4 of 6
First day on the water I was driving to the access point and stopped at the wrong site. The funny thing before we headed to the water I took a picture of the sign that showed we were at the wrong access point. I never even noticed what I was taking. We entered at #32 South Kawishiwa River portaged everything to the water and began our trip. I had the map in front of me and didn’t see anything match up to what the map was saying. We were heading NE but nothing was right. I carry a GPS just in case I’m lost and decided to take a look. Realized then we were about 3 kilometers west of where we needed to be. Once I knew where we were all was good, we continued. Eventually catching up to where I was planning to stop for the evening. Dinner first night was steaks, potatoes and green beans. The sunset view of the water was wonderful. 
Part 6 of 6
Second day on the water, with no set plan we decided to leave our gear at the site and go on a day trip. We continued up the Kawishiwi River and onto Lake One. Lake One was crowded, I didn’t see an open camp sites. I was wanting to get away from people so we turned back and returned to our camp site. Early day ended and my son relaxed reading a text book on the US Constitution. He was taking a break from Lasers and whatever else to relax with the Constitution. That’s my son. 
Part 8 of 6
The third day on the water we paddled west across the Kawishiwi River and down to Clear lake. Found a wonderful camp site and decided to spend two days there. Our down day was spent relaxing, I set up my hammock and it was used a lot that day. 
Part 10 of 6
The fifth day we were going to paddle out and luck would have it, rain all night. My son’s tent got wet inside and when I woke up he was sitting under the rain fly looking miserable. I was expecting the rain to stop but it didn’t. We packed up in the rain and headed out. We were soaked but our spirits were good. We passed a group of men coming in that were surprised we didn’t fish. Their comment was “who would be out in this weather if they weren’t fishing”? Guess they never heard of a Father and Son trip.
Part 11 of 6
On the portage from Eskwagama Lake to Sourth Kawisiwi River I slipped on a rock portaging the canoe and sprained my ankle about ten feet from the put in. John went back and portaged the remaining gear in one carry. On the final portage from the take out to my car he carried everything. I only carried a small day pack. As soon as we were in cell range he was texting my daughter that’s an MD and she advised I ice my foot and elevate. I laughed, little hard to do that and drive all day. We got back to Voyageur North, returned their canoe and took a hot shower. I’m not sure other Outfitters do this, but Voyageur North offers showers if you rent your canoe from them. It’s great to have a hot shower for the drive. That night at the hotel I did my best to follow the Dr orders.
The trip was a good bonding experience for us. I was glad he took time away from his work/studies. It’s 2019 and he is going with me again. This time with a group of first timers I’m leading. 
discuss this trip report (4 comments) - last post on June 17, 2019