I'm planning a couples trip (2 couples) over August 16-18 and there are minimal entry points available. Everyone besides me will be a first timer, so I'm trying to find a great intro route that is not too difficult.

Please let me know if you have any trip suggestions for the available entry points below. I've done a fair amount of research thus far and haven't found "the one" yet. Any help is appreciated!

1 - Trout
4 - Crab & Cummings
7 - Big Lake
24 Fall Lake
36- Hog Creek
37 - Kawishiwi Lake
44 - Ram
45 - Morgan
48 - Meeds
51 - Missing Link
52 - Brant
54 - Seagull
66 - Crocodile
70 - North Fowl
80 - Larch Creek

With such a short trip, out of those I would pick Brant. You can get into an area with a variety of route choices with relative ease on entry.

With the Fall Lake entry point you will most likely have a lot of company.

Missing Link and Morgan will have very long first day portages. Meeds has a long portage into a relatively busy area. Ram entry is one of the toughest routes in the BWCAW.

With Hog creek you would be stuck staying on Perent Lake since you wouldn't have time to do a bigger route. It is sort of the same with Kawishiwi Lake since you would probably only have time to do a trip up to Malberg and back.

Crocodile is a dead-end lake. Not many choices for Big Lake either.

Big water for Trout, and you'd have to find a way across Vermilion too. Seagull is big, and most of the time you would be in the burn area. I don’t know much about Larch Creek, but once again I don’t think you would have time to do a loop.

You have at most 3 days, 2 nights, if I understand correctly. Sounds like 2 nights same camp with day trips or 2 camps very short loop. I don't know your group. Will you double portage? How far would you travel in a day? What do you not like about the ones you've looked at? Can you be on the water very early on the 16th?

I'm not familiar with all of them, but . . .

Crab Lake - Take a tow across Burntside. Long but not terribly hard entry portage. From Crab go to Cummings or loop SW through Clark, Battle, Saca.

Kawishiwi Lake - I like this entry, but usually go farther. Polly is 4 hours away - 8 miles with double portaging. Nothing too terribly difficult, but is that too much? Can stay on Polly, day trip on the Lady Chain, go north to Malberg.

Morgan - Another long but not terribly hard entry portage. But fewer options afterwards than Crab. You could go to Vista or Horseshoe, but could be busy.

Meeds - long harder entry portage. Three sites on Meeds, then you could go back to Caribou, but may be busy, could exit to Poplar via Lizz. Or Meeds down to Pillsbery, Henson, or Gaskin.

Missing Link - not too hard to Missing Link, longer, harder day of portaging to Tuscarora, but nice lake. Could go to Snipe from Missing Link without much trouble. Could exit from Snipe to Cross Bay EP and walk to Round Lake - short, easy walk, I've done it a couple of times.

Brant - would be a nice easy entry to Brant, take a site there. I enjoyed Brant. But if no sites open, you'll have to do some tough little portages to Bat or Gillis. An interesting trip though - I enjoyed it.

No experience with the others. Questions?

Thanks for the responses!

To answer your questions Boonie -

We will most likely base camp and single portage. Probably a max of 10 miles.

I would really like to do Crab entry to Cummings. The tow is the only negative there.

Also, Brant looks like a nice option.

Things I am trying to avoid: real big water, burn areas, long portages (but could be doable) and I'd like to avoid staying at the entry lake, which some of these entry points look like dead ends or have limited options unless you travel 10+ miles.

Aldy1: "Thanks for the responses!
To answer your questions Boonie -
We will most likely base camp and single portage. Probably a max of 10 miles.
I would really like to do Crab entry to Cummings. The tow is the only negative there.
Also, Brant looks like a nice option.
Things I am trying to avoid: real big water, burn areas, long portages (but could be doable) and I'd like to avoid staying at the entry lake, which some of these entry points look like dead ends or have limited options unless you travel 10+ miles. "

Single portage?

Kawishiwi to Malberg! - The options for day trips are endless from here.
I would go to the Pictographs on Fishdance to the southwest but other options are:
Northeast to Makwa for the huge cliffs there.
Northwest to Adams for the solitude.
East along the Louse River to Frond or Boze Lakes. Most "wilderness" in feel.

Or if you are even considering a tow, then consider a shuttle from Sawbill Outfitters from Sawbill Lake to Kawishiwi entry and do the Lady Lakes chain. (Day 1, Kawishiwi, Square, Kawasachong, Townline, Polly. Day 2 - Polly, Phoebe River, Hazel, Phoebe River, Knight Lake, Phoebe River, Phoebe Lake, Grace Lake. Day 3 - Grace Lake, Beth Lake, Alton Lake, Sawbill Lake, and showers & beer await you at the outfitter.) . Lady Lakes offer a nice change of pace from lake and river paddling. Good wildlife viewing chances. Most portages are flat and easy. Only the 280 from Grace to Beth offers some ups and downs. The 140 from Beth to Alton has some mild elevation change but nothing bad and your food pack will be empty by then!).

Have fun!

Your best bets I think -

Crab - if tow is the only negative, skip the tow and just paddle across Burntside.

Meeds - go to Omega or Gaskin/Winchell.

Kawishiwi Lake - go to Malberg like Michwall says, lots of daytrip options. You travel through burn from N of Kawishiwi to S end Polly.

Brant leaves you in burn area most of the way to anywhere unless you loop back to Tuscarora, but then you might as well just go through Missing Link. Either one you could get to Little Sag, but would stretch you to a little over 10 miles.

Missing Link - an option might be to go through Snipe to Long Island area. Could go to Frost/Gordon/Cherokee for day trip or even be on them to camp with a little stretch if things go well. Could also go east towards Kiskadinna or Ross.

Last year we entered at Trout and camped on Pine. Then we took a day trip the next day. Paddled out the 3rd day. The only drawback if you have inexperienced canoeists is the size of Vermillion and all the motorboat traffic. The portages are not hard to reach Pine. I wrote a trip report.

Base camping w/ a broken ankle

We also did a 3 day loop one year entering through Meeds. The first portage is definitely long but was very doable with the right mental attitude. We single portage, if I had to double portage it my opinion would be different. The nice thing about the Meeds entry is you see very few people for the first few lakes so if you stop and camp on one of those, it is peaceful. Go out through Lizz so you don't have to repeat the long portage. Note that this area is very adaptable to length of trip.

This year we are going in at Missing Link and then out at Brant. My son loves the Missing Link entry and loves Brant Lake but I have not done either. And my trip report for that trip won't be done by the time you enter.

What do you think your group will enjoy more, the travel time on lakes and portages and seeing new country, or the time in camp relaxing, fishing, taking photos or writing in a journal and just soaking it all in?

Kawishiwi to Polly is 4 hours. Polly is a gorgeous lake but busy. 3 more hours double portaging gets you to Malberg which is a beautiful place too and somewhat more remote feeling. Lots of daytrip options as mentioned. Good fishing, possible sand beach sites and the gateway to one of the more remote areas of the BWCA to the north and west. Great entry and area. If your answer is that you like the travel and seeing new areas this would be a great route. You will travel through a burned over area north of kawishiwi to the south shore of Polly but it is kind of interesting to see. You won't be camping in it which is a good thing.

Enter at East Bearskin Lake and paddle 35 minutes or so to the portage to Crocodile Lake. Take the one moderately challenging portage and pick from one of four campsites on Crocodile. As mentioned this is a dead end lake but because of that does not attract a lot of visitors. It is a very pretty lake and has excellent fishing for walleye and big perch. Also a good chance at wildlife sightings. Daytrip options include exploring further down the Crocodile River and portaging up to a remote lake in the Vegetable chain. With this permit you must stay all nights on Crocodile Lake, which in my opinion is just fine. For the distance and time from your vehicle I am not sure you will find a more remote feeling spot in the BWCA. From put in you can be in camp in a couple hours of leisurely travel. If time in camp drinking coffee, relaxing, taking photos or journaling and just soaking it all in is more to your liking, this would be a great spot. If you go...the second campsite heading east is the best, the 4th campsite down in the narrow end of the lake is also a good one. I don't know if fishing matters but this lake offers some of the best walleye fishing to be had up there.

Two different types of trips for sure, what strikes your fancy?


Kawishiwi entry



Crocodile Lake

Good info already. Are you wanting to catch fish? See cliffs, waterfalls, etc? You said no huge lakes so take out Trout, Fall, and Seagull probably.

How long of a portage is too long? If you want some distance but easy travel, Kawishiwi Lake is good. We went in there last spring. Medium length portages though. If you want easier but quieter entry, Larch or Crocodile get my vote. Easy travel, shorter distances, more time to do whatever you want.

Not too familiar with the Ely side, but contrary to other comments I would avoid Crab & Cummings with beginners. That one is extremely difficult and will discourage beginners in my opinion. A tow across Burntside won't alleviate the pain of the portage.

I would go Ram personally with that short a trip and first timers. You can get a little of everything there. Go to Little Trout to camp sets you up with short portages and no big water and a little ways in. Fish for trout that day. 2nd day I'd head to Vista. This allows them to experience a longer portage with not much to carry so it is still easy but gives them an idea of what to expect. Plus then you can try for some pike or walleye for that days food.

That trip would be my preferred option out of all the ones you threw out there.

Edit: I would avoid Kawishiwi because a lot of that area is burned and kind of depressing especially for first timers. Perent is a dead end for your duration and will be crazy busy that time of year. Morgan is a long portage though if you get past that part it would be a decent area to go. Meeds is again a longer portage and bigger water which would make me stay away if you are concerned with first timers. A first time paddler in wind on a decent sized lake is no good :) The rest of the options I am not familiar with.

Appreciate all the insights!

To answers some questions:
Lindylair - I think it will be a combo of traveling/seeing new areas and chillen at camp. It will be fun to share their first experience and not rush anything. However, I'm usually a B-line to my site kind-of-guy, with minimal breaks.

Cyclones30 - I think general day trips to explore nearby lakes is all we're looking for. No particular sights in mind to see. The group seems ok with long portages, but would like to balance hard portages with easy paddling at least. (Go Cyclones btw!)

I am really interested in doing Crab to Cummings or Meeds to Gaskin/Winchill area.

In regards to the Meeds entry point - What stops people from traveling through Caribou lake from Poplar rather than through Meeds? Other than breaking the rules. Just feel like this would happen often.

Thanks for the comment on the Crab portage. It does look awfully long. After that it looks about as easy as it gets to get to Cummings, which interests me greatly.

People go to Meeds via Poplar via a rocky portage. The Meeds entry is regarded as much more difficult, so that's why there is still availability. Personally, I've found very difficult fishing in that neck of the woods that time of year.
How old are you guys? We did a couples trip with another first-time couple in our early 50's. Went up to Malberg through Kawishiwi. It wasn't an easy day for the group and the newbies were pretty worn out.
If I were you, and based on your interest in Crab/Cummings, that's what I'd do. Get a tow. It's fun. They put your canoes on top of the boat and you go for a nice boat ride. Call a couple Ely outfitters and ask if towboat guy can help with the portage for a fee. It'd easily be worth the dough. You're on vacation. (unless you are young.)
As a bonus, the bass fishing should be pretty easy over there.

I would do Hog Creek with the time you have available. About 2 hours max down a winding creek and into the lake. One easy portage. Good fishing. You can spend time exploring Parent Lake and down the parent river, and chill in camp.

Hog Creek does look like a good easy option How's paddling the creek? Tough when the water level is low?

And lundojam - we're in our late 20's. We should be able to get some miles in. That first travel day is always fun and the most rewarding.

20s!? Malberg it is. :)

lundojam: "20s!? Malberg it is. :)"

I agree, and if things get tough you can always stop on Polly or Koma and get the same feel. (with a few more people on Polly)

Hog Creek is an easy entry...and from what I've heard the water level is not usually a problem later in the year. It is a long and extremely winding paddle, kind of cool...at first. it almost gets frustrating and monotonous by the end but then you are at Perent Lake. There are some really scenic spots along the paddle in, but also a lot of the same scenery. Perent Lake is a very good walleye lake and also very pretty, filled with islands, points and bays. But it is a pretty good sized lake and fairly shallow which means that when the wind is blowing she gets rockin!! It could be a good trip, as long as you know what you are in for on the way in, and the wind potential on Perent.




The wind on Perent




It isn't always windy:)



You will be traveling a lot of country that looks like this



Good route, glad I did it. Don't think I would ever do it again.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I created this trip proposal and included 5 options to share with the crew. I'll keep you posted with what we select.

August 2019 Trip Proposal

1. Crab to Cummings
2. Meeds to Gaskin/Winchell
3. Missing Link to Tuscarora
4. Hog Creek to Perent
5. Kawishiwi to Polly/Malberg

I wonder which trip will float their boat . . . ?

Aldy1: "Thanks for all the suggestions! I created this trip proposal and included 5 options to share with the crew. I'll keep you posted with what we select.

August 2019 Trip Proposal

1. Crab to Cummings
2. Meeds to Gaskin/Winchell
3. Missing Link to Tuscarora
4. Hog Creek to Perent
5. Kawishiwi to Polly/Malberg

"

Damn, that's a hell of a presentation! I did something similar with my wife when we were debating but it was pretty much an excel version of your summary with paddle miles and portage miles.

I'd vote Crab, Hog Creek, or Kawishiwi lake out of your finalists. My wife and I are fairly experienced and either side of 30 yrs old. We left the Kawishiwi lake landing before 6am last June and we were eating lunch on Malberg at our site. Very nice area, you're not in the burn area for more than an hour or two while passing through. Hog creek looks like a cool option for those who base camp and you could pack pretty heavily for some luxury items.

IMO , I think Tuscarora is a poster child lake for the BW. Yeah, it's a long portage in but worth it. It's simple for only 2 nights in camp.

Finally got a chance to look at your presentation. Very nice. One thing that jumped out at me was that all portage distances were listed as single portage mileage except for the Missing Link to Tuscarora. On the same basis as the others, it's 1.56 miles vs. the 4.7 miles. Even though one portage is pretty long, it's not much different from a couple of the others - a little longer than Meeds, a little shorter than Crab. Unless Crab has changed a lot since I did it, it's not in the same league for difficulty as Meeds or Missing Link.

Another thing, depending on your available time is that The North Shore of Lake Superior is a spectacularly scenic drive in comparison.

You'll have a nice trip whichever you choose. Enjoy it!

Aldy1: "Thanks for all the suggestions! I created this trip proposal and included 5 options to share with the crew. I'll keep you posted with what we select.

August 2019 Trip Proposal

1. Crab to Cummings
2. Meeds to Gaskin/Winchell
3. Missing Link to Tuscarora
4. Hog Creek to Perent
5. Kawishiwi to Polly/Malberg"

A couple of items for your presentation.

1. Missing Link/Tuscarora - You do not have to go all the way to Little Sag to find unburned campsite areas. There are several on Crooked Lake and two on Mora.

2. Meeds/Winchell - You do not have to travel out the same route you came in. While your permit does limit your entry route, you can travel out through Lizz Lake. This would probably be a much easier route for exiting to Poplar Lake.

For that amount of time with newbies. Hog Creek and Base at Perent

I went with Crab to Cummings. Thanks for everyone's help!

It's a pretty nice area - I think you'll enjoy it. A variety of interesting day trips - a paddle up towards Coxey Pond is interesting.

Well it's obvious your group has a very organized trip leader, really nice presentation. You picked a beautiful area that sees less traffic than most others, I think because the first portage looks long, but as others have noted, it is not a difficult one.

Have a great trip! Given your pre-trip photos and prep, I am looking forward to the trip report.