BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
July 08 2025
Entry Point 34 - Island River
Number of Permits per Day: 2
Elevation: 1564 feet
Latitude: 47.7912
Longitude: -91.3332
Island River - 34
Isabella Lake to Quadga Lake
Entry Date:
May 31, 2008
Entry Point:
Isabella Lake
Exit Point:
Island River (34)
Number of Days:
6
Group Size:
6
Day One- 6 AM and 6 of us; two teenage boys, the father of one, the grandpa of the other, Axeman07’s father-in-law and myself (both grandpas) board our van and head north. While we are a younger/older crew we shared duties and worked together beautifully during the course of the trip. Pulling a trailer with two Kevlar canoes and an old Grumman warhorse canoe we made a couple of stops to stretch and gas up but since we plan for bringing our own travel food on the way up we made it to EP 35 in eight hours. That time included a stop at Al’s Bait Shop in Two Harbors to pick up our permit, fishing licenses, and watch the video.
On the way in we met an exiting group that told us of their pretty large site and decent fishing on the far east bank of the lake. With a brisk north wind we decided to look over that site first (the furthermost east site near a small island and the mouth of the river coming from Azure lake). This was a good test of how to work with our new canoe partner and get the feel of our canoes. On the far southeast corner of the lake we came across a moose and an eagle (right off the bat!) so were feeling pretty good about our start. The site was deemed a good one for us and we unloaded. We used 4 smaller tents and this site allowed us to each find a decent spot and spread out around for good “snore control”. The fire area faced west and was spacious. A neat feature of this site was the footpath that took us back to the rapids behind us that we could hear during our stay. I tried a quick outing for fishing around the campsite with no luck but the evening quieted down and we had a serene sunset. 
Day One- 6 AM and 6 of us; two teenage boys, the father of one, the grandpa of the other, Axeman07’s father-in-law and myself (both grandpas) board our van and head north. While we are a younger/older crew we shared duties and worked together beautifully during the course of the trip. Pulling a trailer with two Kevlar canoes and an old Grumman warhorse canoe we made a couple of stops to stretch and gas up but since we plan for bringing our own travel food on the way up we made it to EP 35 in eight hours. That time included a stop at Al’s Bait Shop in Two Harbors to pick up our permit, fishing licenses, and watch the video.
On the way in we met an exiting group that told us of their pretty large site and decent fishing on the far east bank of the lake. With a brisk north wind we decided to look over that site first (the furthermost east site near a small island and the mouth of the river coming from Azure lake). This was a good test of how to work with our new canoe partner and get the feel of our canoes. On the far southeast corner of the lake we came across a moose and an eagle (right off the bat!) so were feeling pretty good about our start. The site was deemed a good one for us and we unloaded. We used 4 smaller tents and this site allowed us to each find a decent spot and spread out around for good “snore control”. The fire area faced west and was spacious. A neat feature of this site was the footpath that took us back to the rapids behind us that we could hear during our stay. I tried a quick outing for fishing around the campsite with no luck but the evening quieted down and we had a serene sunset. 
Day One- 6 AM and 6 of us; two teenage boys, the father of one, the grandpa of the other, Axeman07’s father-in-law and myself (both grandpas) board our van and head north. While we are a younger/older crew we shared duties and worked together beautifully during the course of the trip. Pulling a trailer with two Kevlar canoes and an old Grumman warhorse canoe we made a couple of stops to stretch and gas up but since we plan for bringing our own travel food on the way up we made it to EP 35 in eight hours. That time included a stop at Al’s Bait Shop in Two Harbors to pick up our permit, fishing licenses, and watch the video.
On the way in we met an exiting group that told us of their pretty large site and decent fishing on the far east bank of the lake. With a brisk north wind we decided to look over that site first (the furthermost east site near a small island and the mouth of the river coming from Azure lake). This was a good test of how to work with our new canoe partner and get the feel of our canoes. On the far southeast corner of the lake we came across a moose and an eagle (right off the bat!) so were feeling pretty good about our start. The site was deemed a good one for us and we unloaded. We used 4 smaller tents and this site allowed us to each find a decent spot and spread out around for good “snore control”. The fire area faced west and was spacious. A neat feature of this site was the footpath that took us back to the rapids behind us that we could hear during our stay. I tried a quick outing for fishing around the campsite with no luck but the evening quieted down and we had a serene sunset.
We packed up for a hike on the Pow Wow Trail. We walked west and north over gorgeous park like paths, and then over beaver dams, then through muck where we could easily spot moose and wolf tracks, on to rocky sometimes treacherous footing along Superstition Lake where we stopped at a campsite for a snack break and some picture taking. We then hiked back the same trail past Quadga Lake to Campfire Lake where we proceeded to have lunch and some took naps while others went back to camp to clean up and take a snooze.
The plan was formed to head back up river tomorrow and start working our way back to Isabella Lake and maybe the roomy site we scouted on day two for our last evening.
We paddled and portaged from then on to the site just before the Island River comes in off to the right. It’s elevated on the left side. We were able to squeeze our tents in and set up rain tarps just before a deluge hit us. It rained hard and nonstop for over 4 hours and the temps dropped to make us hover over the fire the rest of the day. I had hoped to fish the narrow channel right along the campsite but gave up on it after a short try as the sky was opening up. It rained off and on that night and we woke up soggy through and through. 
In the morning we talked over the fire and listened to a small radio one of us had to a dismal weather report of more cold temps and predicted storms that day and for the next. We came up with plan B: to leave that morning by paddling up the Island River to EP 34 and then walking back to get the van. All were in agreement. We took our time packing the wet gear but got back on the water to windy, dark, but so far dry skies.
We encountered two rapids that weren’t bad so we all paddled up them. We saw many ducks (good weather for them!) and made good time getting to the entry point. After walking to get the vehicle, packing up, putting on clean travel clothes we were on the road by 11:14. We could have gutted it out until the next day, as planned, but we agreed that the trip was entertaining being on the river more than on lakes, and we had seen and done quite a bit. Really, is there ever a bad trip to the BWCA? 
