I try to take a trip every year, and I try to see a different part of the park every time. It's amazing how different each lake is. And the West side is so different from the East side. What's the most beautiful part of the BW that you've ever seen?

Whichever part I'm in that day...

I think Lac La Croix is stunning, along with Twin Falls.

walllee: "I think Lac La Croix is stunning, along with Twin Falls. "

Lac la croix and the area south, best camping and canoeing, mountain lake and south, best views but crappy campsites.

Quetico is the most beautiful part of the BWCA.

Seriously, as in every aspect of life, beauty is highly subjective. Get out there and experience it for yourself. Honestly, you will enjoy it even more if you learn as you go.
Your experiences will help determine what interests you most.

I was on Lac LaCroix last year in and out of Iron. I thought Iron was stunning, and I'll be back. I wasn't overly impressed with the route there. Agnus, La Croix, down to Moose Portage. Bottle River was nice, and the howling wolves were amazing one night we spent on the way back.

I hear you! A rough weather day, a dead fishing day, it doesn't matter. Any day in the BW is better than a normal day at the office!

jwartman59: "

walllee: "I think Lac La Croix is stunning, along with Twin Falls. "

Lac la croix and the area south, best camping and canoeing, mountain lake and south, best views but crappy campsites."

I've camped on both. Mountain was beautiful. We had a great site. But we we're the only ones on the lake. Caught a whole mess of shallow water Lakers too. There was still a foot of snow in the woods, and it was a trip I'll never forget.

bobbernumber3: "Quetico is the most beautiful part of the BWCA."

I've only been in Quetico once. It was an amazing May trip. We hammered the smallmouth and walleye. It was gorgeous. For this camper on a budget, it's tough to do annually. I'm doing a 21 day solo in a couple years. I'll probably hit Quetico again during that trip.

Mackwa is my pick for most beautiful that I have seen

iwegean: "Seriously, as in every aspect of life, beauty is highly subjective. Get out there and experience it for yourself...
"

Yes, I do get out there! I'm going twice this year. I'm wondering what parts you are partial too...

The Fourtown Loop was an eye popping trip for me (August 2018). I'm doing that trip in the fall this year. Hopefully the colors will be spectacular.

I've always told people that it doesn't matter where you go in the boundary waters, only that you go at all. My preferences are hills, cliffs, and exposed granite. Clearwater, Brule, and Little Sag are some of my favorite areas. Isolation also helps.

I sincerely love all of the BW, and have seen a fair portion of it (though there is plenty more.) I think it's all gorgeous, though there are definitely parts of it that you have to find beauty in different ways. I do have a soft spot for the big topo and the exposed granite. There's also something to be said for what time of year you go. I went on a trip this last October which was the first fall trip I had done. It was incredible seeing the cliffs covered in both fall colors and a pile of snow (we got 7 inches during our trip.) The other interesting thing was not seeing anyone outside of our group the entire weekend. As others have said though, beauty is very subjective. I have a very easy time cherishing the scenery of places like Lake of the Clouds, Misquah, Beaver, or Watap. I definitely have a harder time appreciating places like Meat/Sprite/Phantom or the Numbers Chain in a peak season traffic jam. And I understand having a harder time with the heavily burnt areas (though I personally think Horseshoe and the Hope Creek area are still incredible.) To each their own. Still, the ugliest swamp in the Boundary Waters has every skyline beat in my book.

TreeBear, I love your reflectiveness. I've done one October trip. Didn't get snow, but was gorgeous! Doing a late September trip this year. Hoping to capture some first timers forever...

x2jmorris: "Mackwa is my pick for most beautiful that I have seen"

I just looked at some pics of Mackwa. I've never been there, but its looks are making me want to find it!

The big vistas are great (Thunder Point, SAK, Seagull Pallisades, top of the Winchell cliffs are some of my favorites so far), but I also go looking for the small out of the way places.

There is a little stream that enters Oyster Lake on the west side that has a beautiful little waterfall just off the lake.

As you portage from Phoebe to Grace Lake there are several small waterfalls that are intimate and enchanting.

Climb to the top of the waterfall on the south side of Winchell Lake.

Walk back to Leah Lake from the campsite at the narrows on Mesaba. There is a beautiful rhododendron garden there. I didn't see it in bloom but could imagine the beauty.

The sand beaches of Frost Lake are special spots.

Between Louse Lake and Trail Lake there is a stretch of the Louse River that passes through a grassy area that fronts a tamarack stand that is gorgeous.

The Louse River west of Frond and Boze Lakes hold some the most ancient feeling spots in all the BW.

And speaking of ancient, anyplace with pictographs.

It is hard for me to beat Duncan Lake. The high hills and the portage to Rose where the views of that lake are worth a separate trip. Decent camp sites add to the enjoyment as well and base camping can give you the time needed to sit and other times for a pleasant paddle as well.

Michwall2: "The big vistas are great (Thunder Point, SAK, Seagull Pallisades, top of the Winchell cliffs are some of my favorites so far), but I also go looking for the small out of the way places.

There is a little stream..."

You've given me a lot to check out! I don't think I've been on any of those lakes except the Seagull palisades.

I sure agree with you about the little perfect spots that are all over the Boundary Waters if we're still enough to notice...

bwcadan: "It is hard for me to beat Duncan Lake. The high hills and the portage to Rose where the views of that lake are worth a separate trip. Decent camp sites add to the enjoyment as well and base camping can give you the time needed to sit and other times for a pleasant paddle as well."

I've been all around Duncan Lake, but never quite made it. I'll take a look!

I think the weather and time of year greatly affect how we perceive an area. I have great memories of Finger Lake in the last week of September. A perfect still sunset followed by a misty blue sky morning. I did the Fourtown loop up through Moosecamp and around to Fairy and Boot Lakes but it rained the whole week and I saw the sun maybe twice. It was dreary.

So catch a lake when the weather is right and it can create memories. I like to get up just as it's getting light and start the coffee. The sunrise and sunsets are the best time for viewing.

Finger Lake sunset.
Lower Pauness sunrise

The most beautiful part is all of it...what a great place. The Adventure

If I have to pick 1, I would say anytime I see that beautiful bronzeback come crashing out of the water to hammer my topwater....or feel a strong tug of my line underwater. Then holding it out of water admiring its browns and blacks and weight...just before I let it swim away to fight another day.
If I had to pick another, it would be the fight of that gator where it runs hard away to be pulled slightly in then bolts away again. Holding its long torpedo shaped body for a quick photo is neat.
Perhaps another would be the gentle tap, tap while jigging then the beautiful white tip on a walleye that you see as it circles as you reel it in. Those big eyes, white tipped fin, flaring of the gills...very neat and wild.
The whole fishing experience is the beautiful part. The game of cat and mouse, the wonder of what is on the other end of your line, the Adrenalin rush.

This might not be quiet what you were thinking but to me, its the most beautiful part.

What a great place.

Id have to say Cherokee has some great cliffs/rocks, and the campsite on the little island has a Tamarack growing horizontally over a perfect little beach...

dhfish: "Id have to say Cherokee has some great cliffs/rocks, and the campsite on the little island has a Tamarack growing horizontally over a perfect little beach... "

Headed to Cherokee this July from EP 50. Which island are you talking about? :)

Tough to say...I'd say I generally like the east side better. A few favorite lakes: Kekekabic, Ogish, JAP, Knife, Winchell, Long Island, Cherokee.

I also like Lac La Croix and Crooked on the east side.

Very hard to choose anything, but I'll answer specifically.

Camped on Lynx lake, at the western mid-lake site by the bay. It's elevated, and there's one rock that is particularly elevated. Sitting atop that on my camp chair on a beautiful summer day, with about a 250 degree view of the lake and woods is about as beautiful as it gets for me.

The farther away from EPs.

I really enjoy the East side for look and feel. Ogish, Kekekabic, JAP, Long Island, Winchell.

Knife Lake is also a favorite.

I am a big fan of the E.P.'s off the Arrowhead Trail. Beautiful, deep clear lakes, high palisades, good fishing, nice campsites, access to Johnson Falls and hiking on the Border Trail.