Hello all,

How much traffic would you expect/have you seen in the Carp Lake area in mid-June? I very much prefer isolation and solitude on my trips, but this year my can't-miss trip with a long-time canoeing buddy is limited to three nights, and we're considering the Carp entry for something different.

We usually enter Agnes or Khash and travel 20+ miles single-portaging our first day in order to get away from crowds. With a few nights, we aren't interested in spending so much time traveling, but if we're likely to encounter real busy-ness, we might as well hit up the BWCA.

Any info would be appreciated!

Luck always plays a big role in determining how many people you see. Are you thinking of doing the Man chain with that Carp entry? The problem with the Man chain is that you really don't have a choice but to do the whole chain. Now it is very scenic, and the portages are easy (and well worn by Q standards) and they only let two parties a day in from either end, but you will tend to run into those parties because everyone has to go on the same lakes. And you can get in sync with another party and although you might only see a few other parties in a day, you'll run into them again and again. Khashapiwi or Sarah or even Agnes are more of a network of routes and IMO better options if you are seeking solitude.

Carp Lake can be busy. You may find the lake has a BWCA-like number of people on it. Push into the NE end and you'll encounter fewer people. Go a bit further into Emerald and you may have that lake to yourself. Challenge yourselves to portage up the side of a cliff from Emerald through High Man into the NE end of That Man and you can explore a bit further up the Man chain. The Man chain, as Marsonite mentioned will not be empty of people, but you may not see many or any on This Man or Other Man. People camping on Carp can easily do day trips to Sheridan and That Man.

Between Khash and Carp, I suspect fewer people on Khash but I wonder if you went to East end of Carp towards Emerald if you wouldn't find solitude.

I don't know your goals - travel or base, fish or sight see - but I think for Q solitude quick from PP, Louisa offers a lot. That portage by the falls is a deterrent to all but a few, big lake, beautiful, full of trout.

Poacher or Anchor?

In three nights your options are somewhat limited. As Billconner mentioned Louisa is a good option, if you hit it right you might not see folks and it can be achieved in a day. If you choose Carp Emerald Lake can be empty (if everyone with Carp permits is bent on the Man Chain). If you don't mind bumping into people from time to time but like great scenery and travel you can manage the Man Chain in three nights. Plough is beautiful but has limited camping. Almost no one goes through Beaver and Fisher lakes. Given three nights I'd base camp on Emerald and spend days exploring the routes in the area- plenty of water to paddle.

A quick check of the Q reservation site would give an indication of the number of folks entering before, the day of and after your entry date. It is a helpful tool but obviously not to be an absolute answer for any number of reasons. But a good indicator.

Thanks for the input. Yeah, three nights is a bit of a bummer. I/We have been through the Khash and Agnes area probably a dozen times, so part of the interest in going elsewhere is just the desire to see something new. I just didn't want to feel like I was camped on Sawbill. :)

I have not been to Anchor, but I've been to Poacher many times. I like that little lake, but with the mile portage in and the stream headed out, we'd be a little limited for daytrips.

I'm happy to hear the lakes one portage off of Carp are less busy. I think that's the way we'll go.