Boundary Waters, Message Board, Forum, BWCA, BWCAW, Quetico Park
Chat Rooms (0 Chatting)  |  Search  |   Login/Join
* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.
 Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
    Trip Planning Forum
       Favorite 5 day trips?
          Reply
Date/Time: 03/28/2024 10:18AM
Favorite 5 day trips?

* Help stop spam. Please enter the lake name you see over the flying moose.

  

Previous Messages:
Author Message Text
ddccaarr 05/27/2020 08:44PM
Wow...Thanks to everyone. This website is amazing. My wife and I are doing the planning tonight. The only problem now is over choice.
DownStrm 05/26/2020 08:03PM
Captn Tony: "A couple of ideas
Granite River
Water Falls, some fast water, portages not too bad, decent fishing, big lakes, small lakes, river paddling. Medium crowds by bdwca standards.
Snow bank, Disappointment, Ima.
Water Fall at Cattyman Lake plus a lot of different kinds of lakes to paddle through very busy however by bwca standards."

Thanks for the advice.
I just booked EP57 Magnetic Lake on June 21 to the Granite River for my first solo.
Wables 05/26/2020 06:01PM
unshavenman: "Wables: "




This is a great route!"

Wables route is what I was going to recommend, although I did it without the Ramshead Lake detour."



That was the itinerary I left my wife. I skipped Ramshead, too, as I ran into a group south of oyster who said the algae was so bad it plugged their filters. Spent the last night on Nina Moose instead.
bhouse46 05/26/2020 05:50PM
Enter at Moose (EP30) with tow option to Birch then first night on S arm Knife. Take time to stop at Dorothy's island. Day two up over to Kekekabic then to Frasier and last night on Ima exiting Moose. The hike up the hill from Knife to Bonnie is steep, bit not long and the drop into Ima and getting gear into the canoes is a challenge but overall I would rate difficulty as easy to moderate. You will get the border lake cliffs, bogs, lazy streams, waterfalls and the jumping rocks on Wisini the boys will love. While it is a push in five days I think it gives a great sampling of the BWCA.
unshavenman 05/26/2020 04:31PM
Wables: "



This is a great route!"

Wables route is what I was going to recommend, although I did it without the Ramshead Lake detour.
Wables 05/25/2020 11:13PM



This is a great route!
gymcoachdon 05/25/2020 11:12PM
EP 19 - Stuart River
Day 1 starts with 1.5 mile portage to the river. It is a very nice path, no issues, just take plenty of water or you will have to filter out of the river. Should take about 4 to 6 hours to get to Stuart Lake, but it is a really nice river paddle with several beaver dams. Stuart Lake is very pretty with 2 great campsites. Many like the island near the fall into the lake, I prefer the site across from the portage to the Dahlgren River.


Day 2 relax on Stuart Lake. Good walleye and Pike fishing, but if it is slow, you must at least walk the portage to the Dahlgren River. It goes through a very old stand of huge pines, and follows the outflow from Stuart over a couple small falls, including a really nice one right at the end. Take your lunch with you, and eat at the falls.


Day 3 you will be glad you rested yesterday if you decide to head up to Iron Lake through Fox, Rush, and Dark lakes. The first portage is the toughest, and could be really tough if it hasn't been cleared recently. The others are pretty straight forward, and the reward is coming on to Iron lake heading straight toward the nicest site, a 5 star on the island in the middle. Good luck finding it open! Iron has some great fishing, but if this seems tough, you can always head up the Dahlgren river to Boulder bay of Lac LaCroix on Day 3 Instead.


Day 4 will have you traveling from Iron, through the bottle portage to Lac LaCroix, then down towards Lake Agnes to set you up for an easier exit. If you chose the Boulder bay option, you could stay another night there, it will add about 2 hours to your last day.


Day 5 will be traveling up the Nina Moose River to Nina Moose Lake, then up the Moose River to the exit.



I used an outfitter, and they had me drop my car off at Moose River, then drove me back to Launch at the Stuart EP. You could also leave a cheap bike at Moose, (chain it to a tree in the woods) and one of you ride it to the car you left at Stuart entry. It actually isn't too far to walk/jog if someone is in shape! (note that I paid the outfitter!)
Michwall2 05/25/2020 09:36PM
Several thoughts:


Entry 54 - Seagull Lake - Day 1 to Ogishkemuncie, Day 2 to South Arm of Knife, Day 3 Layover, Day 4 back to Ogish or go to Alpine. Day 5 Out.


Entry 47 - Lizz Lake - Relaxed - Day 1 to Horseshoe, Day 2 to Winchell, Day 3 to Ogema or Henson, Day 4 back to Horseshoe, Day 5 out.


Entry 47 - Lizz Lake - More aggressive - Day 1 to Gaskin, Day 2 to Long Island Lake, Day 3 Layover, Day 4 to Banadad, Day 5 Out via Skipper.


Entry 37 - Kawishiwi Lake - Relaxed - Get a shuttle from Sawbill Outfitter to Kawishiwi Lake, Lady Lakes Chain - Day 1 to Polly Lake, Day 2 to Phoebe or Grace Lake, Day 3 Layover, Day 4 to Alton or Kelso Lake, Day 5 Out to Sawbill.


Entry 37 - Kawishiwi Lake - Day 1 Kawishiwi to Polly Lake, Day 2 Polly Lake to Adams/Boulder Lake (Solitude and fishing) - Day 3 Lay Over, Day 4 Adams to Polly Lake, Day 5 Out to Kawishiwi Lake.


Have a great trip.






cyclones30 05/25/2020 08:23PM
Pay for a boat to take you across Burntside just NW of Ely. Get a Crab Lk entry permit and head for Cummings. You can go farther if you want but those are some seldom used long portages after that. Not a big crowd since it's not a "main" part of the park. The initial portage into Crab is long but easy and keeps some others away which is also why it's less busy. The rest of the trip is easy to Cummings. Not that this is a 5 day loop or anything, but a good way to get to some lesser used parts of the park.
cburton103 05/25/2020 07:30PM
Enter at Lake One EP30, first night on Hudson Lake or Fire Lake (I believe Fire Lake was untouched by the fire 8 years ago or so, and it sees minimal traffic). Night two on northern Insula, which is really pretty with the numerous islands and old growth. Next, go through Kiana and into Thomas for night three. Thomas is another really pretty lake with a lot of islands. Spend the final night on Hatchett for a good chance at solitude or paddle on a bit further for less solitude and a shorter last day. Just don’t get caught looking for a campsite past 2-3pm on Disappointment Lake! Take out on Snowbank. You can either stash a bicycle there for the fairly short pedal over to your car at Lake One or you can pay for a ride over with an outfitter. Shouldn’t cost too much, maybe $20-30 I would guess.


The solitude would be fairly good by bwca standards outside of most of your first and last days, but you’ll have the option for more private/remote lakes for all four of your campsites. I’ve seen all of these lakes except Fire Lake, and it’s a very pretty and varied route!
ddccaarr 05/25/2020 06:22PM
Wonderful. Thank you! Keep the ideas coming!!!
Captn Tony 05/25/2020 06:03PM
A couple of ideas
Granite River
Water Falls, some fast water, portages not too bad, decent fishing, big lakes, small lakes, river paddling. Medium crowds by bdwca standards.
Snow bank, Disappointment, Ima.
Water Fall at Cattyman Lake plus a lot of different kinds of lakes to paddle through very busy however by bwca standards.
ddccaarr 05/25/2020 03:48PM
Hello everyone,

My family and I are looking for a good 5 day/4 night BWCAW trip during the first week of August. (Late 40s for parents, 2 boys 12 and 15). We are experienced in the backcountry but not a ton of BWCAW trips. We are comfortable canoeing and spend a decent amount of time on the water. We had a great trip in 2017 (Sawbill/Temperance/Cherokee Loop).

I think I would rank it as 1) solitude, 2) scenery and 3) fishing. We don't necessarily want to push too much (I know that can get in the in way of the solitude part.)

We are really open to any region.

Thanks!