It's time to plan another BWCA trip. I'm leaning towards the Gunflint Trail, and I hope you all can help me choose an EP. We will probably stay about ten days in mid to late August. Our primary concern is solitude, and we don't mind long portages. Ideally we would like a loop of about 60 miles, but in and out is OK too. Where can we avoid the August crowds off of the Gunflint.

For reference, my favorite EPs have been Crab Lake and Little Indian Sioux North because we were able to find some solitude even in August.

This is a tough one. I can think of a few places where you are less likely to see people in Aug., but, not like what I have seen on a loop on the smaller lakes out of LIS North.

Here is my best option:

Frost River Extended (This route is water level dependent. Check with an outfitter for water levels on the Frost River.)

Entry 50 - Cross Bay Lake - Head southeast-ish on the Cross River to Ham and Cross Bay, Rib, Lower George, and Karl to Long Island Lakes.

Next Day (2) head out to Long Island River, Gordon Lake, Unload Lake, and Frost Lake. You can compress the first two days into one if you want, but with ten days, I would take my time. Frost Lake is hit or miss. I have been there in Aug when we were the only ones there and other times when it was full. There are several nice campsites and sand beaches here with better than average chances to see moose. Stay a couple days if you find it empty.

Day 3 - Frost River - There is a campsite on Balogna Lake just a short portage off the Frost River where you could stop and break up this long day, but I recommend getting it done in one. This is a high quality wilderness route that has very little use. I won't list all the lakes but refer you to a map. The route ends at the campsite on Afton Lake.

Day 4 Afton Lake, Fente Lake, Hub Lake, Mesaba Lake. Mesaba Lake is a very nice lake in the middle of a very seldom visited area of the BW. Stay here for a couple of days. Again, I have mostly seen the lake empty in Aug., but I have also seen it full.

Day 5 . Mesaba, Hub, Fente, Whipped, Mora, Little Saganaga Lake. Little Sag has several bays and islands that can make you feel like you are the only person on the lake.

From Little Sag there are several routes back to Round Lake (Entries 51 & 52). Head through Gillis Lake to travel through the Brandt Lake Entry. Head through Tuscarora for the Missing Link Entry. The Round Lake put in is only about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile from your put in at Cross River/Ham Lake put in.

There are several nice lakes and campsites on your way back, but you should expect to see many more people through here.

Hope this helps.

My answer won't help you a ton because this route isn't a 60 miler, but the Granite River route out of Gunflint Lake and Magnetic Lake is a fun route. My guess is you'll head in at Seagull and make a loop or you'll head to Quetico.

I'd take the entry point 51, missing link, and head to Tuscarora and on to little sag. from there you can continue west for your trip and make a loop around, or just do day trips. you can also head north to gabi but once you get further north to ogish, south arm of knife, jasper... you will still see more people. not sure when labor day is in 2020.

that frost river loop is also great if the water levels cooperate, you can also extend from Hub lake and go west on the Louse river section which takes you to the kawishiwi river, then head north to beaver, adams, boulder and then head back to little sag and out through Tuscarora to missing link. this route took 2 of us gals, 8 or 9 days with 2 layover days for fishing and just hanging around.

Thanks. This is helpful. I'm a bit hesitant to plan a route that requires good water levels as the water often seems to be pretty low in late August, so I probably won't plan to do the Frost River option.

cycle003: "Thanks. This is helpful. I'm a bit hesitant to plan a route that requires good water levels as the water often seems to be pretty low in late August, so I probably won't plan to do the Frost River option. "

The water levels have actually been up in Aug the last few years. It is also not hard to switch over to Mocha's plan if levels are down. From the Cross Bay Entry you would travel to Cross Bay Lake and then turn west through Snipe Lake. I would head southwest through Cooper, Hubbub and Howl to Tuscarora and then on to Little Sag.

We have done the Louse River in low water conditions and that is a very high quality, low people route. Go to Little Sag/Mora and then south through Whipped and Fente to Hub and Mesaba. You can join the Louse River by going southeast out of Mesaba through Chaser and Dent to Bug Lake. Take the Louse to Malberg and head back north to Little Sag through Pan, Makwa, and Elton.

The loop that Mocha describes (I think) would take you from Little Sag southeast to Malberg and northwest to the Adams/Boulder area, then back east along Cap, Ledge, Vee, Fee, Hoe and closing the loop at Makwa Lake.

Are you specifically looking for something off the Gunflint or would another east end entry be OK? E.g. Sawbill(38) or Kawishiwi(37)? It's just tougher to get into that less visited central corridor of the Frost River, Louse River, Boulder, Adams, Cap, Ledge, Hoe, Vee, Fee Lakes from the Gunflint Entries 50/51/52.

Mocha: "that frost river loop is also great if the water levels cooperate, you can also extend from Hub lake and go west on the Louse river section which takes you to the kawishiwi river, then head north to beaver, adams, boulder and then head back to little sag and out through Tuscarora to missing link. this route took 2 of us gals, 8 or 9 days with 2 layover days for fishing and just hanging around."

Wow! Combining those essentially four routes is something I've never heard of or even picked up on the map. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks. I'm not wedded to the idea of going in off the Gunflint. Mainly, I'm trying to mix it up and fill in empty space on the map of routes I've taken. I haven't been past Poplar Lake on the Gunflint, so I was wondering if I could find some solitude out that way. Sawbill might be an option, but I had the impression it was a busy EP based on how crowded the campground was when we stayed there a few years back.

I think I'll map some of these options in PP over the holidays.

Any trip reports you all think might help?

The Meeds Lake entry point is a good one. Most people are intimidated by starting with a long portage and the lakes just west of Meeds are underused. From there you have lots of options to move around and make different size loops out of it.

Pick one and go! Once you're in, the options are unlimited. Mocha put out probably the best option (like she knows what she’s talking about or something) haha! And like mentioned, the Frost Lake option is right there. I did that pretty much out of Brule a few times. Her option is a little better in the way that Brule can get angry.

Also a great loop would be there far eastern side McFarland / Little John up the Royal and take the border route to Mountain and to Clearwater down to Caribou and back through Pine. You could take in Johnson’s Falls if you’ve never been there. Also some side trips along that route. I started a longer trip around August 20th and outside of lakes on the edge like Duncan it was very secluded I thought.

Well when I got to the other end of the BWCA later in the trip I had to almost physically throw a family of three off that island site on Finger Lake, but that’s getting back to your backyard so to speak. Haha! (It was friends from this site...) my point was after the second week of August, numbers seem down a bit.

nctry: "Pick one and go!"

I totally agree, but not much I can do about it now since we can't even get a permit yet. Nothing else to do about paddling the BWCA except dream and talk about it. I do plan to map out some of the suggestions. Even if it's busy, we'll still have a good time.

Sawbill up to Louse River and then from Malberg to Boulder/Adams. Back out however you want. Yes Sawbill is popular but you'll leave that in the first hour or two