My 13 y/o son and I are making our first trip into the BWCAW next month -- thought I better get him into the wild before I have to compete with girls, cars, and Very Busy Schedules!

I know that the number lakes are busy. We're planning EP 30 - Number Lakes - Hudson - Insula if we can. Well-worn path, sure, and we'll probably be base campers since it's our first time there.

The real concern I have is finding a suitable campsite along the way. We are entering mid-week, exiting mid-week, but I'd hate to paddle all day only to find no open campsites.

Like most of us, I just want my son's first experience in the BWCA to be fun and special, but hopefully it would inspire a return visit each year.

Thanks in advance!

If you plan to move back closer to the EP for your last night I would start looking for a site as soon as I hit Lake 4 maybe even Hudson. I have had trouble in past years not doing this and even came out a day early one year. I have never had a problem getting a site on Insula. But it seems this is not a normal year.

dustytrail: "If you plan to move back closer to the EP for your last night I would start looking for a site as soon as I hit Lake 4 maybe even Hudson. I have had trouble in past years not doing this and even came out a day early one year. I have never had a problem getting a site on Insula. But it seems this is not a normal year."

Thank you - that's a really helpful idea!

Welcome to bwca.com!

Check out the maps section and scroll around and see the various campsite and portage comments.

Be in a position to be looking for your next campsite by mid-dayish.
We were later in the day and passed 28 consecutive occupied campsites last week over about 5 hours of travel (different area, but close to any EP will be busy). Made it a rough trip.

sns: "Be in a position to be looking for your next campsite by mid-dayish.
We were later in the day and passed 28 consecutive occupied campsites last week over about 5 hours of travel (different area, but close to any EP will be busy). Made it a rough trip."

May I ask what EP that was? That very thing is a big concern for me this year.

dustytrail: "

sns: "Be in a position to be looking for your next campsite by mid-dayish.
We were later in the day and passed 28 consecutive occupied campsites last week over about 5 hours of travel (different area, but close to any EP will be busy). Made it a rough trip."

May I ask what EP that was? That very thing is a big concern for me this year."

Apologies for my typo in the subject line - I was referencing EP 30 (Lake One)

I did this trip in the end of July last year. we went all the way to Insula on day 1 and had no problem finding a campsite. On our way out (Thursday), we left at 8:30 am, and every single campsite on lakes 1-3 was taken when we canoed past it. we ended up coming out a day early because we couldn't find a site. we had a hard exit time of 10:00 am on Friday morning, othwerise I wish we would have just stayed on Insula Thursday night.

If you will have the horsepower to make the entire return from Insula in one day that might be your best bet if you are returning Friday through Sunday. At the end of your trip you will have a light food bag and some paddling experience under your belts.

There are also some sites on Fire. The last time I was there (not this year) there was not a lot of traffic. It is not too far off the beaten path.

3Ball: "If you will have the horsepower to make the entire return from Insula in one day that might be your best bet if you are returning Friday through Sunday. At the end of your trip you will have a light food bag and some paddling experience under your belts.


There are also some sites on Fire. The last time I was there (not this year) there was not a lot of traffic. It is not too far off the beaten path."

Great - I'll check that out, as well. We're entering Thurs AM, exiting Monday anytime, so hopefully those days will mean more availability. Thanks!

I took my son and daughter thru Lake One when they were about 7-8 years old. I have not been back to Lake One since. However in ten days my now 29 year old son and I are entering again through Lake One. This trip I am not quite sure who is taking who........

There is a few sites we have yet to see be used in our 2 trips to the numbered lakes.
We are doing a similar trip to yours next summer and will shoot for one of them if we can't find something better. Both trips were during the busy season.

2330, 1510, 1508