BWCA Over crowded Boundary Waters Trip Planning Forum
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Noupolian
Guest Paddler
  
03/13/2019 10:28PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I'm reserving a permit for Mudro for mid-May but noticed that the Mudro EP is also completely booked out for the last half of the month around the time when I'm going. Should I be worried about overcrowded traffic and not being able to find any available campsites? Dont get me wrong, I like people, but from a distance, especially in the BWCA.

Would it be a better option to switch my permit to another entry point? The entry point allows six permits a day so that is already 42 permits that week not including the restricted which sounds like a lot to me.

Any experience from someone who has been there during peak season?
 
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03/13/2019 10:54PM  
The MN fishing opener is May 11th. There most likely will be lots of fishermen.
That EP is quite popular throughout the year, usually booked up.
HayRiverDrifter
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03/13/2019 11:54PM  
Get an early start. I would recommend heading up to Fairy, Gun or Gull. There are a lot of options from that entry and people do spread out. I have seen a lot of canoes on Fourtown, but farther back in, not so much.
03/14/2019 05:13AM  
It is a busy place because it is such a nice area. But a lot of people hangout on Fourtown Lake, or Horse Lake and basecamp. Many go up the Horse river to the LBF area and spend much of their trip up there. And of course,, some go west towards Boot lake and north. I think your best bet is to do the latter, go west and up through the very nice lakes north of Boot. This area is very pretty, good fishing, lots of nice campsites and moderate portages. The further north you go the more likely it is that you will have some measure of seclusion, like up to Thunder/Beartrap or over to Moosecamp. Fairy is a neat little lake with two campsites but I doubt they are both occupied very often. Gull Lake has a great peninsula campsite and the only other site is at the other end of the lake. It's a great area and no doubt you will see other folks, but it is popular for a reason.
Bimbamjim
Guest Paddler
  
03/14/2019 06:05AM  
2 general tips for busy EPs...

Settle on a campsite early in the day and or get as far away from the EP as possible.
03/14/2019 06:10AM  
Paddle up to the one site on Nikki Lake. It's can be made in a day and is a very nice site ( landing is so so). Most people just pass through on the west side of the lake. Actually all of those smaller lakes in that area would be to your liking.
03/14/2019 09:06AM  
Everybody has their own definition of busy. I am one that avoids all of the “ busiest “ entry points. Waiting in line to portage,worrying about campsite availability, is something I want to avoid at all costs. With the endless choices of more secluded areas,it is pretty easy to not have to deal with the crowds.
schweady
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03/14/2019 11:31AM  
The Mudro EP is always filled nearly every day mid-May thru mid-August. When we go in late July/early Aug, we might meet groups, we might travel ahead of groups, we might travel behind groups, we might overtake groups, groups might overtake us. But it's not ever as bad as all of that. We usually base camp on either Horse or Fourtown. We have never had a problem locating an empty site. That said, we hit the parking lot by 8 am and look for campsites as soon as late morning, maybe 1 pm at the latest. No, it's not everyone's idea of "wilderness." But it doesn't have the feel of a major turnpike, either. We have always found plenty of peace and quiet on either lake once we arrive at our camp.

If you cancel, I'd wager that someone else will snatch it up within the day.
03/14/2019 02:39PM  
Busy entry point. Most everyone is fishing on horse or four town. Past these lakes the crowds thin out quickly. Great area.
wannabeoutthere
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03/14/2019 03:26PM  
Noupolian: "I'm reserving a permit for Mudro for mid-May but noticed that the Mudro EP is also completely booked out for the last half of the month around the time when I'm going. Should I be worried about overcrowded traffic and not being able to find any available campsites? Dont get me wrong, I like people, but from a distance, especially in the BWCA.

Would it be a better option to switch my permit to another entry point? The entry point allows six permits a day so that is already 42 permits that week not including the restricted which sounds like a lot to me.

Any experience from someone who has been there during peak season?"



We have been in this area many times. What was your original travel plan? Where did you want to camp? It has never felt crowded to us.
HowardSprague
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03/15/2019 11:33AM  
It's a very nice area. I would just try to get as early a start as possible, particularly if you are heading to/through Fourtown. Most portages I can deal with group traffic, but I think the Mudro to Fourtown portage combinations would be a bit of a pain if you have 3-4 groups intersecting at the same time. Especially that last 10-rod on the Fourtown end. (I've only done it off-peak Sept/Oct) Very rocky and narrow, with stable footing at a premium.
kamisboy
member (25)member
  
03/15/2019 11:45AM  
I was on this entry point last year in August. Absolutely gorgeous territory. We camped two nights on Fairy (wolves howling at night - fantastic). One night on Moosecamp. Bass fishing tremendous. I wanted to stay on Gun, but not one spot available.

The parking lot and first couple portages were a bit crowded, but beyond that, we had plenty of privacy. You are right that this is a more populated area. If you want complete seclusion, go further up and further in, even into Quetico.

We're going up moose river north this year, headed up to Iron, and I assume it will be very similar.

For my first ten trips I went up Gunflint Trail to the East side of bwca. The beauty there is different. Clearwater and Mountain are superb. A day trip to Gogebic with a kayak for Brown trout is worth every effort. The traffic on that side is far less.

Good luck!
 
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