Hello All! I am planning a trip to basswood to camp on one of the islands east of Basswood falls. I have only been to Knife lake from EP 25 previously. On the Knife lake trips I would get water from the middle of the lake and drank it, no issues. Is Basswood as clear and drinkable as Knife?

Basswood is not as clear as Knife. Knife might have twice the clarity. That does not make Basswood a dirty lake. Yes you can drink the water out of Basswood, but I would treat it. I also wouldn't drink the water out of Knife without treating it. The lakes with a tint are said to be "bog stained".

Agreed, the water is more tan. Not that it's dirtier per say, just more tannins in it. The water from Knife eventually ends up in Basswood so...do as you wish.

For years, I drank from any lake that had some depth to it. For safety reasons of our health, we do not need to get any viruses, so now I purify all drinking water by my group whether 2 or as many as seven. It probably would be OK to drink water from locations away from the shoreline without filtering, but why risk it?

3/4 Canadian club
1/4 Basswood water

I think your good.

I utilize both options. If I'm out on the lake, traveling or fishing (if fishing, I'll head deep momentarily), I dip mid-lake and am completely comfortable drinking it.

In camp, I filter.

Thanks for all the advice! Appreciated.

After thinking about it I would drink the water from Basswood before I would drink tap water in Detroit.