Greetings, we are planning our mid-September trip and wondering if making it to Moosecamp lake is a reasonable expectation (weather permitting) ? We are fast on the water....slower on the portages, but hoping to hit the water around first light. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks, Mark.

That is doable in a day. Other posters have said the Moosecamp river is low so I would use the Boot-Fairy-Gun route. All the portages are short and easy.

joeandali: "That is doable in a day. Other posters have said the Moosecamp river is low so I would use the Boot-Fairy-Gun route. All the portages are short and easy. "

Agreed and agreed. Days aren't quite as long then as they are in June/July but still doable, especially with an early start. If there isn't a lot of rain ahead of your trip, I'd check with outfitters or back here to see if the river levels are good enough to try.

The set of 3 portages from Mudro to Fourtown....the 2 short ones at beginning and end are basically like walking over ankle breaking rocks the whole time. Take your time on those, especially if it's been wet.

Great area you will love it. Moosecamp is an ambitious goal for first day in but doable. Depending on how much time you have you might want to consider making that a 2 day thing. There are lots of cool lakes and campsites on the way and its almost a shame to pass them all by on the way. But if time is limited then you can do it with an early start.

We went in a few years ago and camped on Boot the first night. Caught my biggest ever walleye there. Went to Gun for a couple nights but as we passed through Fairy Lake I wanted to camp there. Small intimate beautiful lake with 2 good campsites but I would bet that rarely are they both occupied. Good fishing. Neat lake. Might be a good stopover for night one if you have the time. Southern campsite is really nice.

Gun is beautiful, gin clear, we noticed a huge difference as soon as we hit the end of the Fairy to gun portage. Good sites to be had.

Alas we did not hit Moosecamp Lake as the reports we heard is that the Moosecamp River was tough paddling due to low water that year...and I think it might be even worse this year. I wouldnt plan on heading out that way.

Gull Lake has a great peninsula campsite for on the way up...or on the way back. Reported good walleye fishing.

We headed up for a day to the 5 star campsite on Beartrap Lake and it is nice. Thunder Lake is also pretty cool, a very remote feeling and the DNR census numbers for walleyes are off the charts. Lots of options, again depending on how many days/nights you have.

i am jealous, I would love to camp a night or two on Moosecamp, it has captured my imagination for fishing, solitude and beauty. However you go, enjoy and have a great trip.

cyclones30: "

joeandali: "That is doable in a day. Other posters have said the Moosecamp river is low so I would use the Boot-Fairy-Gun route. All the portages are short and easy. "

Agreed and agreed. Days aren't quite as long then as they are in June/July but still doable, especially with an early start. If there isn't a lot of rain ahead of your trip, I'd check with outfitters or back here to see if the river levels are good enough to try.


The set of 3 portages from Mudro to Fourtown....the 2 short ones at beginning and end are basically like walking over ankle breaking rocks the whole time. Take your time on those, especially if it's been wet. "

Thanks for the heads up. First time visiting this area...we wanted to do the river but it sounds like it my not be navigable at this point.

lindylair: "Great area you will love it. Moosecamp is an ambitious goal for first day in but doable. Depending on how much time you have you might want to consider making that a 2 day thing. There are lots of cool lakes and campsites on the way and its almost a shame to pass them all by on the way. But if time is limited then you can do it with an early start.


We went in a few years ago and camped on Boot the first night. Caught my biggest ever walleye there. Went to Gun for a couple nights but as we passed through Fairy Lake I wanted to camp there. Small intimate beautiful lake with 2 good campsites but I would bet that rarely are they both occupied. Good fishing. Neat lake. Might be a good stopover for night one if you have the time. Southern campsite is really nice.


Gun is beautiful, gin clear, we noticed a huge difference as soon as we hit the end of the Fairy to gun portage. Good sites to be had.


Alas we did not hit Moosecamp Lake as the reports we heard is that the Moosecamp River was tough paddling due to low water that year...and I think it might be even worse this year. I wouldnt plan on heading out that way.


Gull Lake has a great peninsula campsite for on the way up...or on the way back. Reported good walleye fishing.


We headed up for a day to the 5 star campsite on Beartrap Lake and it is nice. Thunder Lake is also pretty cool, a very remote feeling and the DNR census numbers for walleyes are off the charts. Lots of options, again depending on how many days/nights you have.


i am jealous, I would love to camp a night or two on Moosecamp, it has captured my imagination for fishing, solitude and beauty. However you go, enjoy and have a great trip."

Thanks Lindy, I enjoy reading your reports/comments. My wife & I will be out for 7 nights, looking to base camp on gull, gun, beartrap or moosecamp & explore the area, maybe hike to wagosh. Fairy sounds great also, I may be ready for a nap at that point! We are showing our age a little...but pack lighter every year. Thx.

WoolShirt: "

cyclones30: "

joeandali: "That is doable in a day. Other posters have said the Moosecamp river is low so I would use the Boot-Fairy-Gun route. All the portages are short and easy. "

Agreed and agreed. Days aren't quite as long then as they are in June/July but still doable, especially with an early start. If there isn't a lot of rain ahead of your trip, I'd check with outfitters or back here to see if the river levels are good enough to try.



The set of 3 portages from Mudro to Fourtown....the 2 short ones at beginning and end are basically like walking over ankle breaking rocks the whole time. Take your time on those, especially if it's been wet. "

Thanks for the heads up. First time visiting this area...we wanted to do the river but it sounds like it my not be navigable at this point."

If anything, try it on a day trip when you've got all day and an empty canoe. Set a goal of doing a clockwise loop so you're going downstream into Fourtown. If you reach a point where it looks like you're stuck....turn around and you're back to camp the way you came. (don't pull a doozie like a group of idiots earlier this year there and abandon your canoes and call for help leaving all your gear behind)

We were camped on Gun Lake this year in July. It was our 4th camp of our week long trip. We left camp on Gun Lake (the closest camp to Bullet Lake) and were back at the parking lot at Mudro by noon.
We didn't paddle hard and ran into some portage traffic at Fourtown which slowed us a little. We double portaged. Definitely doable in a day.

However there are limited sites on Moosecamp lake so have a back up plan.