BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
July 26 2024
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.
Granite River Aug 2004
by seegmiller
Trip Report
Entry Date:
August 21, 2004
Entry Point:
Magnetic Lake
Exit Point:
Seagull Lake (54)
Number of Days:
7
Group Size:
8
Trip Introduction:
Four Dads and four Sons and four Canoes for a week in the Boundary Waters.
Day 2 of 7
Sunday, August 22, 2004
After spending the night in the Church Parking lot in the car in Duluth (there was no room in any motels in Duluth) I showed up at Seagull Outfitters at the end of the Gunfling Trail, dressed in a tie. Debbie said we were the first group ever to come to her store in a tie.
We spent the night in the bunk house and had a quick start breakfast waiting for us when we checked in.
After spending the night in the Church Parking lot in the car in Duluth (there was no room in any motels in Duluth) I showed up at Seagull Outfitters at the end of the Gunfling Trail, dressed in a tie. Debbie said we were the first group ever to come to her store in a tie.
We spent the night in the bunk house and had a quick start breakfast waiting for us when we checked in.
Day 4 of 7
Monday, August 23, 2004
We started out by getting our food and personal gear loaded into the trailer for the trip to the put in place on Gunflint Lake.
We crossed Gunflint Lake and passed into Magnetic Lake. Our compass worked just fine, and we passed the pretty cabins at the north end of the lake.
We started out by getting our food and personal gear loaded into the trailer for the trip to the put in place on Gunflint Lake.
We crossed Gunflint Lake and passed into Magnetic Lake. Our compass worked just fine, and we passed the pretty cabins at the north end of the lake.
We continued through a total of four portages and camped on Clove Lake. The last portage was very tough, 100 rods, and the only available camp was next to the portage. We never did find the latrine.
Day 5 of 7
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
We loaded up and headed on to the Granite River. By the time we had passed through a total of 5 portages, we were ready to camp. We found a great spot at Devils Elbow. The
We loaded up and headed on to the Granite River. By the time we had passed through a total of 5 portages, we were ready to camp. We found a great spot at Devils Elbow. The
Day 7 of 7
Wednesday, August 25, 2004 
This was hang around camp day. The boys played in the lake, and staged their own Olympics. The dads went to the other side of the island and fished and picked blue berries.
This was hang around camp day. The boys played in the lake, and staged their own Olympics. The dads went to the other side of the island and fished and picked blue berries.
Day 9 of 7
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Day 11 of 7
Friday, August 27, 2004
Day 12 of 7
Saturday, August 28, 2004
