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       Entry Point of the Week: EP 16 Moose River North
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Date/Time: 03/28/2024 11:10AM
Entry Point of the Week: EP 16 Moose River North

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Previous Messages:
Author Message Text
ejsiljen 04/14/2020 10:10PM
My very first trip started here about 25 years ago. The portage from the parking lot to the river was a shock for a first-timer, but the trip created a love of the BWCA that continues to this day.
Jackfish 04/14/2020 07:15PM

Entry point portage trails don't get much easier than this.






The launch area is pretty nice, too.






The winding Moose River
snakecharmer 04/14/2020 06:43PM
By far my favorite area of the BWCA. Excellent fishing and so much to see and do. Something for everyone. It really has it all!
tommyc 04/14/2020 03:50PM
Bogwalker: "Last time I went in there was an extra portage that was not marked on the maps due to a beaver dam that failed and washed a lot of sand into a bend. The portage is just before another one, has some swift water and is a short five rod carry over a sand bar.

I have used this entry a half dozen times and is a favorite of mine."

It is a very nice entry. We liked the river, had only been on lakes before a trip to EP16 about 2013 or '14. When we went in there was no extra portage, but coming out we thought we were on the wrong river because nothing looked the same after the flood. Wasn't until we were paddling next to a couple beaver a little further up that we figured out something had let loose.
tommyc 04/14/2020 03:43PM
We did the reverse of your trip in 2017, in from Horse Lake and River after entry at Mudro. We got a very nice campsite on Three Island on Iron Lake, it was so nice we stayed two nights and then went all the way to EP16 in one day on the way out. It was later in the summer but still some good fishing. Rebecca Falls on the Canada side of Iron are a nice sight.
mooseplums 04/11/2020 07:10AM
This was our entry point for our annual fishing trip for about 20 consecutive years...still a favorite though it's been about 15 years since I've been back there. I started exploring other areas. I think it's time to go back.
schweady 04/10/2020 12:33PM
VoyageurNorth: "Adam, I love this new kind of posting!

Is this going to stay up or be replaced in the future?

This kind of great post will really get the paddling juices going!"

Fully agree and hope these weekly EP threads will be pinned to the top or gathered together in some way.
VoyageurNorth 04/09/2020 11:41PM
Adam, I love this new kind of posting!


Is this going to stay up or be replaced in the future?


This kind of great post will really get the paddling juices going!
Wables 04/08/2020 03:58PM
One of my favorite entries. My first trip when I was 12. My daughter’s first trip when she was 12. My first solo. Burying my grandparents. Introducing newbie friends to canoe country. Weird meals cooked in a Dutch oven. Tons of memories here.
Jaywalker 04/07/2020 07:27PM
I’ve done this entry point 3 times, most recently just last summer. I like the odd twisty river compared to the standard large lake for a while, and I really like the lakes it gets you to: LLC, Oyster, Ga-be.


One thing I’d like to point out is this; several of the campsite reviews for Nina Moose, the first/last lake on this route, have mention of poison ivy around the campsite. I have not inspected them, but would like to point out that this summer I photographed a viny, three-leafed plant on the north beach that I thought was poison ivy, but was definitively identified by sage members of this forum as either blackberries or dewberries, causing me to suspect that the campsites on this lake also may have blackberries or dewberries and not poison ivy.
Beast388 04/07/2020 12:49PM
EP16 was the start to our 2019 trip. We were on the water before 7am and were in a campsite on Boulder Bay by early afternoon. Fishing was good on LLC. After 2 nights we ventured through Bottle Portage to Iron...ultimately heading for the campsite at the mouth of Petersen Bay. It was occupied and so was every site as we headed toward Curtain Falls. Luckily, the last site before Curtain Falls was open and we snagged it.

This was a great site, we enjoyed the closeness to the falls, and fishing the current under it. We were catching 'Eyes with top water tackle....it was weird.

We ventured back to Petersen Bay one day and the fish were seemingly jumping into the boat. It was a blast, and we came back to camp with plenty of fish to feed 9 guys for dinner.

After 3 nights on Iron, we headed back down LLC to Lake Agnes for 2 nights. Agnes was fairly occupied, but we did end up at campsite #1804, which was decent. Fishing on Agnes wasn't nearly as good, and our last day was quite windy...too windy to be on the water. At least the sun was out.

Our final morning entailed heading back down through Nina Moose to the EP, showers, grub and then the 10 hour drive home.

All in all, great location.


Boulder Bay







Curtain Falls







Morning spent in Petersen Bay







Sunset on Lake Agnes
Speckled 04/07/2020 09:10AM
Love the idea! Moose River North is a favorite.


Some info.
Travel Time - 2 hours to Nina Moose, another 2 hours to Agness and 2 more to just leaving Boulder Bay of LLC. For our group of 4, this was double portaging and paddling at a steady, but relaxed pace.


Take the two portage route into Boulder Bay out of Agnes, the other one is super muddy and the river was lined with rocks.


Campsites - the last campsite in Boulder Bay is huge and spacious. It's a favorite. First Island campsite leaving boulder bay was also a winner. Island was full of blueberries. The campsite on the point in Tiger Bay is nice as well.


Fishing - In Boulder Bay we caught our share of walleye on minnows. Outside of boulder bay, we got into more smallies than anything. Overall, fishing was fantastic...also there's some big pike swimming around as well.
bwcadan 04/06/2020 09:09PM
We have travelled this route twice and really enjoyed the variety you can get by entering here. It is a doable route to Lac La Croix for those with moderate conditioning even double portaging. Nice portages, curvy river, big and small lakes, pictographs, Warrior Hill, Curtain Falls, and some really good campsites are there for the taking. Some of the preceding are available from a base camp and not really doable in just the day in. Leave early for best results.
Blatz 04/06/2020 08:48PM
I have a permit for this EP third week of May.
adam 04/06/2020 08:39PM
Banksiana: " Apt name."


Great Picture!
cowdoc 04/06/2020 08:39PM
Indeed it is
Banksiana 04/06/2020 08:05PM
Apt name.
schweady 04/06/2020 06:52PM
A weekly EP focus. A wonderful idea!


Moose River North has always been a favorite EP of ours -- 5 of our trips have started here... all were basecamps on Lake Agnes. Sadly, the two most recent men's group trips there were less than pleasant. In 2015, a member had breakdown related to his fragile mental health that put members of the group at risk, and in 2018, the trip ended in a tragic death. As you might imagine, there is great reluctance on the part of the group to return to this route.


Enough downers... My wife and I have (fingers crossed) a June 25 permit reserved here. And hope for none of the past years' events to have any bearing.


We have nearly always found ourselves basing camp on one of the sites on the north peninsula. Sites 1803 and 1804 are very spacious for our larger groups, and we have always found good walleye fishing nearby.


A terrific day trip to view Warrior Hill and the pictographs is easily accomplished from there. We filled a wonderful 6-hour round trip to the pictos, including time to fully take in the paintings, have a bit of lunch, and explore some of Lac La Croix's grand, expansive campsites.


During the 2019 paddling season, numerous comments circulated here regarding a higher than average level of nuisance bear activity on Agnes, especially in those popular sites in the north end of the lake. I'll be watching reports from May and June to see if anything new is posted in this regard.


Happily, that extra portage that Bogwalker mentioned was no longer necessary on our most recent trip in 2018, but I have marked 7 different beaver dam locations over the years on the Moose and Nina Moose Rivers that sometimes take a bit of teamwork to lift over.
scramble4a5 04/06/2020 06:42PM
Going there in August with hopes of getting up to Beartrack Lake. Interested in what others have to say here.
nooneuno 04/06/2020 06:20PM
permit lined up for memorial weekend, never been to this EP before.
cyclones30 04/06/2020 04:42PM
One of our favorites, we took a group of 5 including 3 first timers (my wife and i were the other 2) at the end of May and into June. Night one was on Agnes, nights 2 and 3 were on Iron, nights 4 and 5 were on Tiger Bay, and night 6 was on Nina Moose on the way out.


It snowed on day 1, heavy frost the first 2 nights, and then was great weather the rest of the time. Good fishing, nice lakes and I like the river travel. (but the bends to get a bit old after a bit) Nice lookout spot on the river between the EP and Nina Moose that others have posted pics of on the map I believe.








scotttimm 04/06/2020 01:07PM
Last year we had an epic trip, entered Moose River North and took out 16 days later at Mudro, EP23. Excellent trip. Made it to Boulder Bay area by early afternoon that first day, but we were pretty whooped and most campsites were full.

Agnes and Tiger/Boulder Bay were excellent fishing in early(ish) June, especially topwater for SMB. Campsites were gorgeous, pictos are a must see. There is a lot to see and do in this area, fantastic for base camping and fishing.

As mentioned before, there were a number of, I'm guessing five, places we had to pull over beaver dams. We plan on re-tracing this route at the end of July, if we can. We traveled then through Iron Lake (the falls were amazing, but the lake was full!) and all across Crooked, fishing and camping along the way. Stayed then six days at Lower Basswood Falls, also fantastic.
adam 04/06/2020 12:47PM
Bushman: "This was 2019's entry point for us.
I really enjoyed the portage right from the parking area. Very easy and quite picturesque.



Not a huge fan of the twisty turny river but there are some nice things to see while on it for sure."



Much prefer Moose River over Hog Creek
Bushman 04/06/2020 11:47AM
This was 2019's entry point for us.
I really enjoyed the portage right from the parking area. Very easy and quite picturesque.


Not a huge fan of the twisty turny river but there are some nice things to see while on it for sure.
AirPrex 04/06/2020 10:53AM
Optimistically am entering here on June 12th so am excited to see what people have to say
TominMpls 04/06/2020 10:53AM
Two of my favorite trips happened from this entry point - way back almost twenty years ago, my first trip away from the freeway that is Lake One was here, and a few years back my daughter and I did our first two-person expedition-style trip together from this entry point. Definitely one of the better Echo Trail entries.
Bogwalker 04/06/2020 10:39AM
Last time I went in there was an extra portage that was not marked on the maps due to a beaver dam that failed and washed a lot of sand into a bend. The portage is just before another one, has some swift water and is a short 5 rod carry over a sand bar.


I have used this entry a half dozen times and is a favorite of mine.
straighthairedcurly 04/06/2020 09:50AM
Cool idea, Adam! I am curious about this entry point as it is one I have yet to try.
adam 04/06/2020 08:05AM

Welcome to the first edition of Entry Point of the Week. With more planning on the horizon than tripping, this is a great opportunity to virtually explore a new region, share your experiences and knowledge.

This weeks focus is Entry Point 16 - Moose River North.

Take a few minutes to explore trip reports and maps, or reply with your perspective on the Moose River North EP. If you haven't done so, take a minute to rate campsites and portages or post photos, places of interest, wildlife sitings, etc on the map.

EP 16 Trip Reports

EP 16 Map