I posted earlier about Astrid Lake as I am thinking about a little getaway for a few days with minimal effort but still pretty and remote country. Got some good info but since then I have discovered Johnson Lake abutting Voyagers National Park which also seems like a pretty neat option. Has anyone been to either, or ideally both that could share some info or comparison of the two...fishing, scenery, campsites, etc?

Thinking a one portage in basecamp relaxing trip, perhaps a bit heavier than normal, maybe even some fresh food and cold beer:) Astrid has two campsites and the Johnson area appears to have 7 if you take the trek up the Johnson River. I think I read something about a resort operating out of Johnson Lake? Anyone have any info on that?

Appreciate any responses.

I've been to both...my information is old, so if things have changed, perhaps someone will chime in.

Johnson lake and Little Johnson lake are pretty nice lakes just on the edge of Voyageurs. You can't quite drive to Johnson. I believe there was a parking lot, and you either portaged or took a four wheeler down to the lake. There is a resort...Sherrick's. There are motor boats too, though I think things would be pretty quiet. Johnson is a clear, fairly deep lake. It never had numbers of fish, but what you caught was good sized. Little johnson (reachable by motor boat on the river) is quite a bit shallower, but has better numbers of fish. I know there are a few cabins in there too...I actually got to know the area by going to a friends cabin up there. There didn't used to be formal camp sites with fire grates etc. but that may well have changed.

Astrid is accessible only by a portage so it's going to be more BWCA-like. No cabins, resorts, etc. You'll get a small amount of road noise. I think some years ago it had good walleyes, but I never caught much there. It's pretty small. You can take a nice day trip up to Pauline and Nigh, and there used to be a hiking trail in there.

Thanks marsonite, good info. Apparently the USFS has developed some campsites in the area, the description and map show 7 sites with latrines, fire grates, etc.. Wondering how intrusive the motorboats would be...a few boats here and there would be fine but a full blown armada would be disappointing. Looks interesting...

Johnson Lake camping