I will be with a group August 4-8. We are entering the water at entry point #57 on Gunflint Lake and going north. Looking for suggestions on what to expect.

EP 57 is actually Magnetic Lake (but accessed through Gunflint Lake) and it's typically the starting point for paddling the Granite River. This is a fun little route as you literally straddle the international boundary the entire way to Sag.

The portages vary between short and easy to short and rocky, but none of them are back-breakers. There is a short rapids before you get to the "Devil's Elbow" of Maraboeuf Lake that is easily maneuvered. Depending on the water level, you may bump a rock or two as you go through, but we managed just fine.

There are quite a few campsites along the route. We only camped at two of them - one for one night and the other for two nights. Both were very nice. We stopped at a couple others to have lunch, etc. I'm confident that you'll find a decent options for campsites.

Fishing was so-so, but we were there in September. We caught walleyes, smallies and northern pike, but not big numbers of any of them. Had enough to supplement our meals which is all we needed. It was just my son and me.

We paddled up to Sag, then curled around to the west, then went south down the "Sag Corridor" to the landing, where we called the outfitter to pick us up. We would have stayed one more night, but the site we had our eyes on was in use and the other was sub-standard. It was only a short distance to the landing so we paddled on. The trip was four days, three nights. We had a good time and enjoyed the route.