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       Finding Campsites: Boot or Gun?
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Date/Time: 03/28/2024 11:36AM
Finding Campsites: Boot or Gun?

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Previous Messages:
Author Message Text
mjmkjun 05/28/2021 10:46AM
You must be nearing that pre-trip adrenaline surge for your trip. With the Covid pandemic still affecting folks.....and traffic in BWCA, I'd say take the first site that pleases you/group. Seems the 'norm' has shifted. Take a look at availability for that entry date on recreation.gov then back up ten days to view those 10 days prior. That should give you a hint of how busy it's been before you left the landing at the entry point. Hope that helps.
gsfisher13 05/27/2021 11:57PM
What is the goal of the campsite? Base camping for good views? Good fishing? More solitude? For me:
Pros for Boot: great fishing lake, most people paddle through it. good western views for sunsets
Cons for Boot: more thru traffic.
Pros for Gun: farther in, less traffic.
Cons for Gun: slightly bigger lake, more wind. campsites mostly north/south shore, not great sunrise/sunset views. fishing, i prefer fishing boot and fairy and the bullets.
scramble4a5 05/23/2021 03:47PM
I don’t know the site number but the site furthest north on the east side of gun is pretty nice.
Freeleo1 05/23/2021 08:48AM
We loved our site on Gull. We were on Gun and didn't really care for the sites we were finding on Gun. (We came in from Crooked). The popular site on Gull was taken, so we went to the North west end of Gull campsite 1887. It didn't look like much at first and the latrine is visible feo camp, but the view down the lake with the clouds skimming over can't be beat. Also it had a "sofa" by the water's edge. It might be underwater at times, but it was nice when we were there. The 3rd site is pretty close by, but it's not great. We did have an evening's entertainment watching a group of 3 younger guys horsing around over there. They were doing the "Jesus walking on water" pose due to a barely submerged rock a little ways out in the water. Fortunately they went to bed early, and left early also. It might not be as ideal if that site is continuously occupied. We only caught pike there though.
Cb385 05/21/2021 08:28AM
Thanks for the help
naturboy12 05/20/2021 04:20PM
1094 on Boot is also a decent site, and the trail Lindylair mentions goes all the way between the two sites. The weedy bay to the south of both of those sites can be a great area if the smallmouth are hitting, although I have found the entire lake to be very hit or miss (but have never been there in June, which should make it better for you).


One of the site on Fairy is highly sought after (the one on the east side point), so I wouldn't count on that one being available. I agree if you see a spot on Boot, it will likely be best to take it.
lindylair 05/20/2021 01:26PM
Yup...probably busy. Boot seems like it might be the less "desirable" of the two lakes and it is also closer to the entry point and some may not want to stop that early. So if you find a decent open site on Boot you may want to take it or pay the price later in the day. Site 1095 on Boot is a nice site and if you like to fish, there is a trail from the main camp that leads to the north shoreline of the peninsula and the views and fishing can be very good there. Caught my biggest walleye ever from shore there.


If you push on and Gun is full, Fairy also has two good campsites and although small, it seemed like a really cool lake to me. Good Luck.
Cb385 05/20/2021 12:01PM
What should I expect for campsite availability out of Mudro for Boot and Gun? Going in on June 1st so assuming just take what you can get. Any thoughts?