Hi All,

We're pretty late on the route planning for this trip, but hoping we can still make something work!

We are planning on going July 18/19-July 23/24 for our first BW trip. It had been suggested that we start out of Lake One for more route options suggested by the Ely Outfitting Company, but looks like all of the permits are gone for those start days.

Can anyone suggest a different starting point/route that is on the easier side, pretty scenery, and with a few day hike options?

Thanks for your help!

Check out Hog Creek, or Sawbill for those dates. Looks to be available permits.

I would also note that your ask of day hikes is a limiting factor. In the BWCA there are 5 main hiking trails, from West to East:
Sioux Hustler
Angleworm
Snowbank / Kekekabic
Pow Wow
Border Route Trail

There are many additional shorter trails / spur trails off of these.

These are generally accessed from trail heads which are independent BWCA entry points.

Its possible to plan a paddling route that will intersect one of these trails at some point, but with the current limited selection of permits available, its more difficult, and I wouldnt classify any of them as being on the easier side.

If available, I would suggest East Bearskin. Can either go to Moon, Deer, Caribou, or my choice would be to go to Pierz, Crystal, Canoe, etc. (I may not have these in order, as I don't have a map handy right at this moment.) A nice day hike would be the portage from Canoe to Johnson Falls, and it is a scenic spot, too. These are small lakes, the portages aren't difficult, and it is a lovely area.

East Bearskin has availability for July 19th. You could also hike a portion of the Border Route trail with some fantastic views.

East Bearskin is a good suggestion, but the original poster mentioned Ely.

To the original poster, since it is your first trip you may not know that the park is basically split into two sides, east and west. East side trips mostly start off the Gunflint Trail and require use of an outfitter in that area. West side trips mostly start out of Ely and require the use of an Ely-based outfitter.

If you are committed to Ely Outfitting Company, then East Bearskin won't work for you. If you have the flexibility to change to an outfitter based off the Gunflint Trail (Clearwater, Rockwood, Hungry Jack, etc.), then it would be a great choice.

dele: "East Bearskin is a good suggestion, but the original poster mentioned Ely.


To the original poster, since it is your first trip you may not know that the park is basically split into two sides, east and west. East side trips mostly start off the Gunflint Trail and require use of an outfitter in that area. West side trips mostly start out of Ely and require the use of an Ely-based outfitter.


If you are committed to Ely Outfitting Company, then East Bearskin won't work for you. If you have the flexibility to change to an outfitter based off the Gunflint Trail (Clearwater, Rockwood, Hungry Jack, etc.), then it would be a great choice."

This is good advice. I didn't get that it had to be out of Ely--I guess I didn't read closely enough. But others have suggested Sawbill, and that might be the same situation.

When we were looking for a permit, we were usually looking for the east side. And we didn't use an outfitter. I just missed those cues. Sorry.

My suggestion would be to snag a Moose permit....number of different routes out of there. Then keep watching recreation .gov, because people do cancel and permits do open up. There are 14 permits left for July 18, so you wouldn't have to feel guilty about holding a spot.

You could enter at Slim Lake and camp at one of the 3 sites on that lake, or move on to individual sites on 3 more lakes beyond Slim. At the south end of Slim Lake, behind the campsite somewhere there is a network of hiking trails for your enjoyment, including a spot called Ol Baldy. Haven't been there but have read about it.

The sites on Slim are all supposed to be decent or better and the individual site on Hook and Keneu are also both good, with the bonus of being the only ones on the lake!

Im with marsonite. Head in at Moose, go east threw Ensign, head to Ashigan and east. Old Pines trail east of Disappointment is a good day (unless you loose the trail like I did and spend most of evening there). You can get to Kekeabic trail from one or another of the lakes. Lots of choices.

Another option would be to enter at EP8, Moose River South. Have a nice journey down to Big Moose Lake and stay on a large but good fishing lake with several campsites. There is something called the Big Moose Trail which goes north from the north side of the lake which could be a good daytrip although it is an out and back trail. There are also a couple longggg portage trails to Duck lake and Cummings lake that could whet your hiking appetite as well.


Big Moose trail