Hello Fellow Paddlers

We are currently scheduled to enter EP23 on Aug 24th and exit EP16 Sept 1st. Our main goal is fishing, as well as solitude. My main concern as I am seeing permits book up that this seems to be a popular route. Our plan is to enter as early as we possibly can and cover the most ground to Crooked on the first day.

Should we be worried about crowds around this time and campsite availability? Looking for some reassurance and opinions on the route. This would be our first time doing this specific route, but not our first time in the BWCA. Normally we enter at the less popular entries.

you'll see people, and maybe one or two portages will feel 'crowded' if you have to queue up for a few minutes while waiting on another group.

There should be no lack of campsite availability...you might not get the one you want, but you wont really need to worry about going without.

I would get as early a start each day as you can manage, and start looking for a campsite before 5pm, and you'll do fine.

BobDobbs: "you'll see people, and maybe one or two portages will feel 'crowded' if you have to queue up for a few minutes while waiting on another group.


There should be no lack of campsite availability...you might not get the one you want, but you wont really need to worry about going without.


I would get as early a start each day as you can manage, and start looking for a campsite before 5pm, and you'll do fine."

Thanks Bob, I appreciate the feed back.

I’ve done your route in reverse, starting at Moose River N. It’s a nice route but you should not expect solitude. It’s very popular and you will see other parties every day. The week you have chosen will likely be busy as you’re ending on Labor Day weekend. One reason to reverse the route is to avoid headwinds on Crooked.

I just got done doing this exact same loop but in reverse. Our trip was from May 23rd to the 30th which obviously spans Memorial Day weekend and is the same length of time you will be going for.

I found the loop to be extremely enjoyable. Definitely doable in a 7 day trip with plenty of time to fish. Fishing was hot. Only regret we had was not spending more time on Crooked/Iron.

Despite it being Memorial Day Weekend, campsite availability wasn't much of an issue for us. Only Lake we didn't get our 'first choice' campsites was Crooked. We did talk to one group camped there and it sounded like them and a couple of other groups had been posting up at the same sites for the last 3-4 days. I think this is relatively common for that lake. I wouldn't worry about it too much though as we still managed to snag a good campsite despite it being the evening.

Question: Are you planning on making it from EP 23 to Crooked in 1 day? If so, you are in for one really big day. It's doable but will require good weather and LOTS of drive. I want to say there are 10 portages including one that is just over a mile. It took us the better part of 7 hours to get from the far north end of Friday Bay to Fourtown Lake and this was with no headwinds. I think it can be done but will be difficult.

Lastly, as old_salt mentioned, you may want to consider doing the route in reverse. There is a higher chance winds will be out of the west vs the east which could make paddling from Crooked --> Iron --> to the southside of LLC difficult. Additionally, the Moose River flows north. I don't think its a necessity to do this route in reverse but just something to consider.

Let me know if you have any questions and I think you are in for a great trip!

Reverse direction has advantages, but I wouldn’t change your permit if you already booked it with EP23. Doing EP23 through Fourtown to Friday Bay is a big day. Last year, we exited that way from a campsite NE of Friday Bay, hit some headwind, and needed 9-10 hours to get out.

Assuming a EP23 permit, I would recommend the Horse River to LBF as the first day. You’ll get some additional good fishing at some Horse River pools, LBF, some of the narrows of the first stretch of Crooked north of LBF, and Big Current that you would miss going directly to Friday Bay. Also need to see the pictographs.

Abbey: "Reverse direction has advantages, but I wouldn’t change your permit if you already booked it with EP23. Doing EP23 through Fourtown to Friday Bay is a big day. Last year, we exited that way from a campsite NE of Friday Bay, hit some headwind, and needed 9-10 hours to get out.


Assuming a EP23 permit, I would recommend the Horse River to LBF as the first day. You’ll get some additional good fishing at some Horse River pools, LBF, some of the narrows of the first stretch of Crooked north of LBF, and Big Current that you would miss going directly to Friday Bay. Also need to see the pictographs. "

I agree, no advantage going directly to Friday bay. Unless you want to miss some good fishing... haha. Also Table Rock... you have seven days... later in August teachers and students are either back at or gearing up for school. So while still active it isn’t as bad. Down side of peak season. Solitude is what you make it... this is a great time to go.

Blaze007: "I just got done doing this exact same loop but in reverse. Our trip was from May 23rd to the 30th which obviously spans Memorial Day weekend and is the same length of time you will be going for.


I found the loop to be extremely enjoyable. Definitely doable in a 7 day trip with plenty of time to fish. Fishing was hot. Only regret we had was not spending more time on Crooked/Iron.


Despite it being Memorial Day Weekend, campsite availability wasn't much of an issue for us. Only Lake we didn't get our 'first choice' campsites was Crooked. We did talk to one group camped there and it sounded like them and a couple of other groups had been posting up at the same sites for the last 3-4 days. I think this is relatively common for that lake. I wouldn't worry about it too much though as we still managed to snag a good campsite despite it being the evening.


Question: Are you planning on making it from EP 23 to Crooked in 1 day? If so, you are in for one really big day. It's doable but will require good weather and LOTS of drive. I want to say there are 10 portages including one that is just over a mile. It took us the better part of 7 hours to get from the far north end of Friday Bay to Fourtown Lake and this was with no headwinds. I think it can be done but will be difficult.


Lastly, as old_salt mentioned, you may want to consider doing the route in reverse. There is a higher chance winds will be out of the west vs the east which could make paddling from Crooked --> Iron --> to the southside of LLC difficult. Additionally, the Moose River flows north. I don't think its a necessity to do this route in reverse but just something to consider.


Let me know if you have any questions and I think you are in for a great trip! "

Blaze007,

Thanks for the great input! We are planning on EP 23 to just above LBF and into the crooked narrows depending on if we get a spot. I have mapped it out and it is a bit of a haul. We are planning on getting out at daybreak and making a whole day out of it. Hoping for favorable weather, obviously that would change things for us that first day.

Colbrew: "

Blaze007: "I just got done doing this exact same loop but in reverse. Our trip was from May 23rd to the 30th which obviously spans Memorial Day weekend and is the same length of time you will be going for.



I found the loop to be extremely enjoyable. Definitely doable in a 7 day trip with plenty of time to fish. Fishing was hot. Only regret we had was not spending more time on Crooked/Iron.



Despite it being Memorial Day Weekend, campsite availability wasn't much of an issue for us. Only Lake we didn't get our 'first choice' campsites was Crooked. We did talk to one group camped there and it sounded like them and a couple of other groups had been posting up at the same sites for the last 3-4 days. I think this is relatively common for that lake. I wouldn't worry about it too much though as we still managed to snag a good campsite despite it being the evening.



Question: Are you planning on making it from EP 23 to Crooked in 1 day? If so, you are in for one really big day. It's doable but will require good weather and LOTS of drive. I want to say there are 10 portages including one that is just over a mile. It took us the better part of 7 hours to get from the far north end of Friday Bay to Fourtown Lake and this was with no headwinds. I think it can be done but will be difficult.



Lastly, as old_salt mentioned, you may want to consider doing the route in reverse. There is a higher chance winds will be out of the west vs the east which could make paddling from Crooked --> Iron --> to the southside of LLC difficult. Additionally, the Moose River flows north. I don't think its a necessity to do this route in reverse but just something to consider.



Let me know if you have any questions and I think you are in for a great trip! "

Blaze007,


Thanks for the great input! We are planning on EP 23 to just above LBF and into the crooked narrows depending on if we get a spot. I have mapped it out and it is a bit of a haul. We are planning on getting out at daybreak and making a whole day out of it. Hoping for favorable weather, obviously that would change things for us that first day. "

We are going up through horse and not fourtown fyi

Abbey: "Reverse direction has advantages, but I wouldn’t change your permit if you already booked it with EP23. Doing EP23 through Fourtown to Friday Bay is a big day. Last year, we exited that way from a campsite NE of Friday Bay, hit some headwind, and needed 9-10 hours to get out.


Assuming a EP23 permit, I would recommend the Horse River to LBF as the first day. You’ll get some additional good fishing at some Horse River pools, LBF, some of the narrows of the first stretch of Crooked north of LBF, and Big Current that you would miss going directly to Friday Bay. Also need to see the pictographs. "

Abbey, that is exactly the route we are going. Horse river to LBF / crooked narrows area on the first day.

Mudro to LBF: Plan for 3.5-4.5 hours if single portaging. After LBF its 8 miles of paddling to get to the Eastern side of Thursday Bay. To do it on day 1 isn't too bad, just hit the water early and keep paddling. We usually eat lunch at the falls and continue on from there.

BigCurrent: "Mudro to LBF: Plan for 3.5-4.5 hours if single portaging. After LBF its 8 miles of paddling to get to the Eastern side of Thursday Bay. To do it on day 1 isn't too bad, just hit the water early and keep paddling. We usually eat lunch at the falls and continue on from there. "

Awesome, thanks for the input !

Several times in past campsites were a premium. We paddled from entry to top of Wednesday or even Thursday to find a site. In between Wed and Thurs is a small bay with nice site for smaller group.