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Date/Time: 03/28/2024 07:50AM
Crooked Lake Pictographs

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Previous Messages:
Author Message Text
nctry 11/02/2012 06:23PM
quote KevinL: "In my trip report I have both the ones below Lower Basswood Falls and the ones past Warrior Hill along with the GPS coordinates.



That year we went in at Fall Lake and came out Nina Moose. Trip Report



My trip report was done as a blog. "





I went out of my way to see the ones on Sunday Bay and they were... well... I had to use my imagination. :) Never noticed them on maps before.
KevinL 11/02/2012 04:22PM
In my trip report I have both the ones below Lower Basswood Falls and the ones past Warrior Hill along with the GPS coordinates.


That year we went in at Fall Lake and came out Nina Moose. Trip Report


My trip report was done as a blog.
schweady 11/02/2012 03:57PM
quote mirth: "Unless its an unusually damp late summer and fall I don't know if I'd consider the Horse River a good route. You could spend a good day just on the river if its low enough."
True. Like I said, our day trip was Aug 17 and I was very pleasantly surprised that the water level was still high enough to provide a very enjoyable day. I recall that we spent exactly 8 hours away from our site on the north end of Horse Lake, snacking along the way, having a leisurely lunch, lazing about the falls, enjoying the pictos.


Maybe my prayers actually worked this time.
mirth 11/02/2012 01:30PM
Unless its an unusually damp late summer and fall I don't know if I'd consider the Horse River a good route. You could spend a good day just on the river if its low enough.


Sounds like Buz has a good option for getting a tow. Late September or the 1st weekend of October I think would be just about perfect timing for colors. We were off by a week or two when we were up.
buz 11/02/2012 10:20AM
I take a tow from Packsack outfitters on Fall lake to goose narrows. look them up for information, gets you to the river the quickest, unique tow with wheeled portage across from fall to basswood. If you are staying in the US, its the way to go, IMO. The river is nice to portage in, and you can get there easily by mid afternoon this way.
Sloth 11/02/2012 10:04AM
quote nctry: "Are you talking the one's by lower Basswood Falls or Sunday Bay. I wouldn't go out of my way to see the Sunday Bay ones... Not much to see. "


Yep, I'm thinking the ones by Basswood Falls.


Mirth - I'm hoping to do a late September or early October trip, to try in mix in the fall colors.


Thanks for the replies everyone! I'm continuing my research and looking at all the info on this site. Any other tips or advice is appreciated! It's a long winter, might as well spend some of it planning BWCA trips :)




Whitepine 11/02/2012 10:02AM
Most scenic route would be to enter at Fall and either paddle or get a tow up through Pipestone Bay to Goose Narrows at the NE end of Jackfish Bay (where the motor zone ends). Then make your way down the Basswood River. Three main waterfalls on the river - Upper Basswood, Wheelbarrow, and Lower Basswood. Then you could check out the USFS boathouse on Crooked, the pictos, Table Rock, and the car in Car Narrows of Crooked. You could return up the Horse River to Mudro, head back the way you came, or head down to Curtain Falls (could daytrip here too) and check it out. Check out Rebecca Falls on Iron, and then head across Bottle Portage and exit at Nina Moose. All depends on how much time you have and how you travel.
nctry 11/01/2012 10:10PM
Are you talking the one's by lower Basswood Falls or Sunday Bay. I wouldn't go out of my way to see the Sunday Bay ones... Not much to see.
schweady 11/01/2012 01:53PM
Sloth - For our family trip last August, we entered at Mudro, base camping three nights on the island on the north end of Horse Lake (mice!) with a day trip up to Lower Basswood Falls and the Crooked Lake pictographs. I'm not sure if it was just being with family, or due to my new-found interest in researching the history of the area, but I cannot identify either a better trip or better day I've had in the wilderness.

We bring some of the creature comforts and therefore double portage, and although I daresay that we are quite efficient, we are not in a race. Our day trip (no equipment to double-haul that day) was August 17th, a late summer date when you might expect a rather difficult time on the river due to low water. But, we were blessed with some timely rainfall early in the month and only had a few rocky lift-overs in addition to the 3 marked portages.

With all of that in mind, here is my gps track data from that day:
Mudro entry to east bay of Horse Lake around the start of the Horse River: 5.9 mi, 3hr 30m
Down the Horse River to Lower Basswood Falls: 4.9 mi, 2hr 30 m
Over the portage around Lower Basswood Falls to the pictographs: 1.5 mi, 0hr 35 min

The three flumes of LBFalls are quite impressive, even late in the season. Some decent fishing may be found below the falls (make sure you fish in waters where you are licensed) and below the rapids at the northernmost portage on the river. Also, there is some evidence of past logging activity at both the north and south ends of Horse Lake, and a nice sandy beach on the peninsula at the start of the Horse River. The portage from Horse to Fourtown is supposed to have a pretty waterfall, and of course the truck on Fourtown and the other artifacts in that area make for a fun day of exploring. Exact locations for most of that stuff should be available on this site's maps.


mirth 11/01/2012 12:57PM
Hey Sloth,


Entering Mudro or Basswood is probably your best bet. There's tow service on Basswood, I believe.


We went in Mudro in September 2011. With optimal conditions its possible to reach the lower Basswood Falls / Pictos area in a day but you need an early start. If the Horse River is low it'll take you considerably longer with all of the additional portaging.


We looped up to Friday Bay of Crooked and then went back South through the Papoose Creek and Gun/Fairy/Boot. If you take the Moosecamp River back to Fourtown there are logging artifacts along the river, as well as the remains of a logging camp at the mouth of the Moosecamp River and an old abandoned car back behind a campsite on Fourtown.


When are you thinking of going?
Sloth 11/01/2012 10:58AM
Hi All,

I've always wanted to do a trip to see the pictographs on Crooked Lake, and I'm finally in the infant stages of planning. I thought I'd see if anyone had any advice/insight. Specifically, I'm wondering about:

- What is the best entry point/route to get there?
- How long does it take to get there from entry?
- Is there a tow service at all? Anyone recommend it from a time saving stand-point?
- What other sights are there along the way? Specifically interested in other historical sights, falls, picture points.

Any other info that you have to offer, tips etc. would be great.

Thanks much!