My wife and I have started to plan our 5th annual fall trip up to the BWCA. We typically put in the last weekend in Sept and travel for the first week of October. This year it looks like we'll have 6 days in the BWCA.

Past years we have done trips up Moose River to Mudro via Lake La Croix , Snow Bank to Lake one via the number lakes, Little Indian south to Bootleg...

The numbered lakes trip was amazing in the fact that we didn't see another person the entire trip, felt like we had the whole BWCA to ourselves. We'd love another trip like that but I keep going round and round on routes. One route that looks great but could have other traffic is EP 34 Island River to Lake One via Kawishiwi River.

Wondering if any of you would have recommendations for less traveled routes on the Ely side.

Cherrs

You could consider EP 4 - Crab & Cummings. It's a different section that it sounds like you've never hit before.

You'll probably want a tow across Burntside, then are faced with a very long portage to start your journey (over a mile), but it's not hilly or anything crazy, just long.

And after that, in October, my guess is you're going to feel like you have the place to yourselves (again), almost no matter where you head. The areas south of Crab are pretty rugged and campsites are not great (generally speaking), but it will be desolate. Head up to Cummings and there are a bunch of really nice sites...and even if there are other people on that lake, they're spread out enough that you won't even know it.

There are a bunch of options for exploring/moving camps - paddling creeks & rivers, good fishing, etc. all throughout this area. There are a bunch of one-site lakes around too, which will definitely give you that seclusion if it's your top priority.

Thanks, I'll give that area a look!