It would be a four to five day loop that would hopefully (due to weather) be a great trip, and encourage future trips for them.

Some further info would be helpful:

1. Canoeing experience? Navigation experience? Smaller lakes vs. larger lakes?
2. Fishing - non-fishing?
3. Location preference - West (Ely area), East central (Sawbill Trail area), East (Gunflint Trail area)?
4. BW Tripping Experience? Only one or a couple OR lots of trips?

A couple of my favorites:

Entry 38 - Sawbill Lake - Cherokee Loop - Sawbill, Smoke, Burnt, Kelly, Jack Weird, Pond, South Temperance, North Temperance, Sitka, Cherokee, (Take a day here to day trip to Frost Lake), Cherokee, Cherokee Creek, Skoop, Ada, Ada Creek, Sawbill. Easy to navigate loop. Nice scenery. Better than average chance to see moose. Frost Lake has nice sand beaches for swimming. With five days, you could spend a night on Frost Lake instead of a day trip.

Entry 47 - Lizz Lake - Poplar Lake, Lizz, Caribou, Horseshoe, Gaskin, Henson, Ogema, Kiskadinna, Muskeg, Muskeg Creek, Long Island Lake, Cave, Ross, Sebeka, Banadad, Rush, Little Rush, Skipper, Poplar. The first part of this is pretty busy. After Gaskin Lake the people will thin out. Still an easy to navigate loop. The portage from Muskeg Creek to Long Island is a rock strewn path that starts at the top of beaver dam and follows the creek bed. The portages from Long Island to Banadad can be muddy but reward you with a very nice set of lakes with very few people. Banadad to Poplar is an easy path to follow. One of the portages has been moved to the opposite side of the creek due to beaver activity. The last portage is long but not hard.

Hope this helps.

BWCA graduates go on to Quetico for further study. Advanced course work is offered at WCPP and Wabakimi as well.

bobbernumber3: "BWCA graduates go on to Quetico for further study. Advanced course work is offered at WCPP and Wabakimi as well. "

What Bobber said. :)

Michwall2's Ep 38 is one of my favorites as well. I second that route.

Here's one on the Ely side:
Little Indian Sioux River North-Pauness Lakes-Shell-Little Shell-Lynx-Ruby-Hustler-Oyster-Agnes-Boulder River-Boulder Bay-Lac La Croix-Iron-Rush-Stuart-Stuart River
That was my 5-day 4-night introduction to the BWCA in 1978.

Perhaps even better yet was my second ever trip, same start and finish as the first but took the northerly route between the Pauness Lakes and Lac La Croix:
-Loon-Snow Bay-North-South-Steep-Eugene-Little Beartrack-Beartrack-Thumb-Finger-Pocket-Lady Boot Bay-

I'm sorry for the lack of details. I should of known not to be an idiot. Its going to be 2 adults with modest knowledge of the bwca ,as far as the two highschool grads they are clueless, minimal experience in a canoe and in the wild. Fishing is not the priority, but there will be wet lines. The mission will be to see great scenery and just a great introduction to the wilderness. Personally I'm postponing knee surgery for two trips this year so hopefully easy portages for me, but heck there will be two younger men to lug my gear. After your suggestions I want to do all the loops you have recommended. And thank you so much for your advice.

browndog16: "I'm sorry for the lack of details. I should of known not to be an idiot. Its going to be 2 adults with modest knowledge of the bwca ,as far as the two highschool grads they are clueless, minimal experience in a canoe and in the wild. Fishing is not the priority, but there will be wet lines. The mission will be to see great scenery and just a great introduction to the wilderness. Personally I'm postponing knee surgery for two trips this year so hopefully easy portages for me, but heck there will be two younger men to lug my gear. After your suggestions I want to do all the loops you have recommended. And thank you so much for your advice."

Multiple loop options from EP 62 on Clearwater Lake that will be satisfying to a pair with BWCA experience as well as the recent grads. WIth the Palisades and the Boarder Route trail overlooks accessible from Clearwater, great scenery is served up as if on a platter for your consumption. As bonus scenery, Johnson Falls is within a few easy portages from the entry point.

What I find most compelling is the clarity of the water in that area. I find the scenery of the bottom of the lake to be almost hypnotizing.

There are great descriptions of the loops, lakes and campsites on the Clearwater Historic Lodge website. Look for the "Canoe Routes and Campsites" header.

While in the area, make sure to get to Trail Center before 11:00 for a Pancake.

Good Luck

I was about that age and the loop that made me fall in love with the area was Fall Lake EP up to Basswood Falls, down the Horse River to Horse Lake, over to Jackfish then out back through the same entry. Beautiful stuff...mix of small & big water, waterfalls, fishing, etc. You can cut out a bunch of paddling through motorized zones if you get a tow to the top of Jackfish on Day 1.

treehorn: "I was about that age and the loop that made me fall in love with the area was Fall Lake EP up to Basswood Falls, down the Horse River to Horse Lake, over to Jackfish then out back through the same entry. Beautiful stuff...mix of small & big water, waterfalls, fishing, etc. You can cut out a bunch of paddling through motorized zones if you get a tow to the top of Jackfish on Day 1."

That would be Jackfish bay on Basswood lake I presume... at first I thought cool, you went into what is now a pma and went after those hungry pike! Haha. Then I realized what you meant. But the range river area is pretty cool.

I guess Mudro to Fourtown and the loop around to moose camp, Gun, and fairy gives you options. Pretty good fishing at times. Took my family of three kids there with one on the way. We had a blast, caught fish (Mickey Mouse rod and reel is sketchy with a five lb northern my then five year old can attest. He’s 35 now... a month and a half later we’d have had four kids to bring in.

If you enter a big lake like Moose, Brule or Snowbank I’d recommend getting an early start. That said I took many groups out of Moose straight up to the border route and cut east to knife. Then back down through Vera and Ensign back to Moose.

Ok. So 5 days/4 nights and Sherpas!? This is tailored made for a trip down the Frost River! Pack light and bring your camera. The Frost is a very cool route.

Start at Entry 50 - Cross Bay Lake

Day 1 Cross River, Pond, Cross River, Ham Lake, Cross River, Cross Bay Lake, Rib Lake, Lower George Lake, Karl Lake, Long Island Lake (Take the portage from Karl to Long Island rather than paddling around.).

Day 2 - Long Island, Long Island River, Gordon Lake, Unload Lake, Frost Lake. (This is a short day and can be combined with Day 1, but the Frost is a long day with no where to stop so a short day here is OK.) Make sure you are looking along the beaches on Frost to spot a moose in the morning before you leave.

Day 3. Frost River, Octopus Lake, Frost River, Chase Lake (if you want to break up the trip you can try the small campsite on Bologna Lake, but we thought is was too early in the day to stop when we went through), Pencil Lake, Frost River, Afton Lake.

Day 4 - Afton Lake, Fente Lake, Whipped Lake, Mora Lake, Tarry Lake, Crooked Lake.

Day 5 Gives you a choice. Option 1 - Crooked Lake, Owl Lake, Tuscarora Lake, Long portage, Missing Link Lake, Round Lake. Option 2 - Crooked Lake, Gillis Lake, Bat Lake, Green Lake, Gotter Lake, Brant Lake, Edith Lake , West Round, Round Lake. The Round Lake take out is about a quarter mile from the Cross Bay put in.

We did option two because I wanted to visit those lakes, but I think option one would have been quicker and, frankly, easier than all the in and out of the canoe.

nctry: "

treehorn: "I was about that age and the loop that made me fall in love with the area was Fall Lake EP up to Basswood Falls, down the Horse River to Horse Lake, over to Jackfish then out back through the same entry. Beautiful stuff...mix of small & big water, waterfalls, fishing, etc. You can cut out a bunch of paddling through motorized zones if you get a tow to the top of Jackfish on Day 1."

That would be Jackfish bay on Basswood lake I presume... at first I thought cool, you went into what is now a pma and went after those hungry pike! Haha. Then I realized what you meant. "

You presume right...Jackfish Bay is what I meant....but I'm going to that same area this summer again and Jackfish Lake in the PMA is definitely on my radar - I'm hoping to convince my group to head there for a day trip. Hungry pike sounds fun!