I have been to the BWCA once last year, I have lots of camping and canoeing experience, I know one trip isn't much, but I have a lot of common sense when it comes to backwoods camping. I would like to get my wife and kids exposed to it. My wife has very little canoeing experience, but I think she would do just fine, and my girls, age 10 and 11 have none, other than in my Scanoe that has a trolling motor on the back.

What lakes would be a good one to get them introduced to the BWCA? I know I've read that the number lakes are good for beginners, but I would have to go before Labor Day because of school. I have also heard that that area is really busy with the Boy Scouts.

Another possibility is finding a spot with a good campground on a lake and do day trips. I know Sawbill has a campground on it and we could do day trips to other lakes. If doing that, would it be wise to get a longer canoe and just let the girls sit in the bottom with a cusion instead of getting two canoes with three novice paddlers? I have been trying to figure out how to get them all up there. If we get on a bigger lake like Sawbill in two canoes, I don't know if my wife could handle the canoe with one of the kids.

Sorry this is so long, just hoping someone out there has been in the same situation and found a way of doing it. I’m leaning more towards day trips to start.

Thanks everyone and happy paddling!!

Sounds like time to get everyone out canoeing near home to teach them how to paddle and handle a canoe. The girls are plenty old enough to become good paddlers pretty quickly.

Your idea of starting out camping in a campground (once they open) and taking some day trips is a good one if you aren't able to spend enough time on the water with each of them before your vacation. If they are able to get in some good paddling practice beforehand, I think it would be very appropriate to pick an entry point with small water lakes and travel far enough to find a good spot to basecamp. I would use two canoes to get to basecamp, then do day trips in a single canoe to explore the area.

You will get some great ideas for spots from folks on here.

Camping at a SNF campground and taking daytrips can be a good introduction to the area. But if you want a more "authentic" BWCA experience, consider renting a large canoe for all of you and your equipment and putting in on an entry point lake that has several campsites on it. Canoe across the lake and set up camp, no portages and not an organized campground. Can introduce them to the idea of portaging on a daytrip, without any gear.

There are several such places including Clearwater, Kawishiwi, Sawbill, Brule(big water)Isabella(portage from car to landing) and Slim Lake(portage from car to landing). Lake One is another that would qualify. East Bearskin entry has one easy portage into Alder Lake, setup camp there. A daytrip not too far from there is Johnson Falls which I know the kids(and you) would enjoy. One of the more scenic spots in the BWCA.

Clearwater is gorgeous, well known as one of the prettiest BWCA lakes. Slim lake is a very nice lake with an easy portage to get in and 4 good campsites. There are lots of options, depends on what you and your family are up for this year. No matter how you do it, hope it's a great trip.

I second renting a 4 man canoe. The kids will get paddling experience and it will be stable to sit in.
A nice route is Snowbank to Parent to Disappointment with a day trip to Cattyman Falls & a paddle through Jordan Lake Narrows.
Another nice route Big Saganaga through Red Lake to Seagull and if you want to make the trip easy take shuttle to American Point on Big Saganaga and have them pick you up at 3 mile Island on Seagull.
Another option is to put in at ep 36 and paddle to Perent Lake.

At the risk of being laughed off the board, maybe South Hegman, EP 77, would fit your needs. I took my grandson up there last summer, his first trip, and pretty much mine, too, with a gap of 30 or so years from my last one. It does get a lot of traffic, but most seemed to be day trippers. One short (300-400 feet) portage into North Hegman, pictographs, and Trease lake north of there. I would recommend camp site 1, close to the portage, nice roomy site, good kitchen area, and okay shore fishing. You have to portage down to the lake from the parking lot, about 85 rods (1400 feet) but it is a good trail, nice and wide.