Hello all,

I have never been to BWCA, but have wanted to go for more than 20 years. I live pretty far away in NY state, but have decided that I'm not getting any younger, and next year is the year. To that end, I purchased maps and guidebooks and have started planning a trip. I have some ideas so far, but was hoping to get some pointers and suggestions from people with more experience in the area.

First, the basics. There will be 2 of us, paddling a We-noh-nah Minnesota kevlar canoe. We both have extensive experience paddling and wilderness camping, mostly in the Adirondacks of northern NY. We are planning to go for 6 days, and are hoping for great scenery, fishing, solitude, and to hear wolves.

So far, I've come up with 3 possible trips, although I'm open to other suggestions or modifications.

Option 1- Entry Point 41, Brule Lake. I've read the warnings about the wind on this lake. I have some experience paddling bigger lakes in rough water. (Anyone paddled west on Little Tupper Lake in the afternoon?) I'm thinking we can mitigate this by getting an early morning start and using the points and islands on the eastern end of the lake as a windbreak as we head north. We'll head to Winchell Lake via Lily, Mulligan and Wanihigan Lakes. From Winchell we'll make a loop through Gaskin, Horseshoe, Allen, Pillsbury, Henson, and Omega Lakes back to Winchell, and then south back to Brule.

Option 2- Entry Point 38, Sawbill Lake, north to Cherokee Lake, looping back to Sawbill through North and South Temperance, Weird, Jack, Kelly, Burnt and Smoke Lakes. We would probably include a night at either Frost or Long Island Lake.

Option 3- Entry Point 37 Kawishiwi Lake. This would be a point to point trip, which I still need to look into the logistics of. Heading north to Lake Polly, and then east through the Pheobe river, Hazel,Knight, Pheobe, Grace, Ella, Beth, and Alton Lakes to Sawbill, taking out there. This isn't a super long trip so we'd probably pick the lake with the best Walleye fishing and spend extra time there.

Anyone have any insights or suggestions to offer regarding these options? Or any other options that should be considered? Thanks in advance for any knowledge shared!

Some nice trips, you have done your homework. I am fond of the variety of scenery with a loop starting at Moose and travelling NE to Knife, down to Kekekabic and back out through Ima (where I have heard wolves on two different trips) and Ensign. Base on Fraser with its nice walleye population and option to day trip back to the Raven PMA. Ely is the Canoe Capitol of the World and worth a visit. Dorothy's island on Knife, Cattyman Falls...just a few of the highlights.
And welcome to our board.

All 3 options you laid out would make for a good trip. Personally I'd opt for one of the loop trips just to avoid the logistical issues of having to get a ride back to your vehicle. With these options there really is no need to add that extra big of hassle.

I'm personally a fan of the Brule trip you laid out. It offers you a good variety between big lakes, small lakes, scenic cliffs, and potential wildlife sightings. The lakes north of Winchell also offer some good plan B and C options in the event you find the area more crowded than you hoped. You also have a few ways of looping back to Brule if you want see something new or go a little further.

I really think you've got good options and have done some good homework. I think you're well on your way to a good trip.

BWCA is easier than ADK imho. Never any current. Just moved east last year.

You have definitely done some good homework. You mention solitude. If you are up for some tougher portages, you can gain a lot more solitude on your Brule loop if you go up through the Cone Lakes to Davis Lake. Then go into Kiskadinna and over to Omega. I saw no one on that stretch of my trip. I had Davis all to myself the night I stayed there.

Then you can do the other part of that loop and drop back through Winchell into Brule via the other lakes you mentioned. Gaskin and Horseshoe have loads of people because they are an easy entry from Lizz and Caribou for beginners. But on the plus side, I saw my only moose of the trip on Horseshoe and had a close up encounter with a bald eagle.

The only wolves heard on any of our trips this year was on Red Rock Lake near Saganaga, but I am often sound asleep pretty early in the evening so I am not a good judge.

All great places. All pretty crowded this year. I am familiar with each, and you really won't be disappointed with any of these as you move away from the crowds.
Plan on long paddle days in and out. Plan that you may not be able to make a target lake on your exit because sites will be taken close to the EP.

Another suggestion that carries less chance of a crowded EP but has a lot of scenery, fishing and solitude - consider paddling across Burntside (same as Brule for large body of water, with some of the most beautiful scenery in the park, outside the park, with beautiful campsites and world-class fishing). Take the Crab Lake portage and do a loop through the tiny little lakes to west out of Crab for wolves. That is just a little side loop with some beautiful old growth rare flora, and home to several wolf packs.

When you're done there, head to Cummings for smallmouth fishing and the lakes north for more fishing and solitude throughout, not sure why. Maybe it just doesn't have cool names like Brule and Kiskadinna. :)

The Crab portage is long. This route will also put you in Ely, which can be a nice place to visit before and after your long trip. Brule EP is a bit of a hike from showers or outfitters. Sawbill is great, and crowded.

You're well on your way to a good trip it sounds. I like your lady chain option...you're not rushed and you can focus on fishing and all the sights and sounds and taking your time. You can talk with Sawbill outfitters who are right at the Sawbill landing ahead of the trip and schedule a shuttle from them. I prefer to do it at the start of the trip so the end is on your own time and not scheduled with them. (a day early or late because of who knows what)

You'd leave your vehicle at Sawbill, they'd take you and all your stuff and canoe to the other EP and drop you right at the super easy, nice EP 37 landing. Then it's up to you on when you want to get back to your vehicle at Sawbill. 6 days....7 if you really like the fishing or something.

nofish: "All 3 options you laid out would make for a good trip. Personally I'd opt for one of the loop trips just to avoid the logistical issues of having to get a ride back to your vehicle. With these options there really is no need to add that extra big of hassle.

I'm personally a fan of the Brule trip you laid out. It offers you a good variety between big lakes, small lakes, scenic cliffs, and potential wildlife sightings. The lakes north of Winchell also offer some good plan B and C options in the event you find the area more crowded than you hoped. You also have a few ways of looping back to Brule if you want see something new or go a little further.

I really think you've got good options and have done some good homework. I think you're well on your way to a good trip. "

Thanks! What is your opinion of paddling on Brule? I've heard a few stories of people being wind bound for a couple days and not able to move west at all.

All three of your plans look pretty solid.

If you do the Sawbill loop you may want to consider spending a night or so on Sawbill Lake itself. This year, after initial/more enthusiastic plans, we instead decided to go super easy and just stayed our whole trip on Sawbill. It was such a lovely lake, I'm glad we stayed there. It would have been a shame to not fully enjoy it by just passing through.

If you get to Winchell, be sure to look for the hidden water falls on the south shore. This usually runs as just a thin stream that you can easily climb all of the way up pretty much in the middle of the cascade. There is a pretty commanding view of Winchell and the surrounding area from the top of the falls.

Have fun!!

ADKpaddler: "

nofish: "All 3 options you laid out would make for a good trip. Personally I'd opt for one of the loop trips just to avoid the logistical issues of having to get a ride back to your vehicle. With these options there really is no need to add that extra big of hassle.

I'm personally a fan of the Brule trip you laid out. It offers you a good variety between big lakes, small lakes, scenic cliffs, and potential wildlife sightings. The lakes north of Winchell also offer some good plan B and C options in the event you find the area more crowded than you hoped. You also have a few ways of looping back to Brule if you want see something new or go a little further.

I really think you've got good options and have done some good homework. I think you're well on your way to a good trip. "

Thanks! What is your opinion of paddling on Brule? I've heard a few stories of people being wind bound for a couple days and not able to move west at all. "

I think I read that you will be in a Wenonah MN. Brule was pretty sketchy when we sent in on 9/20 this year. In fact, the further we paddled the worse it got. The last 15 mins before we took refuge behind an island (that luck would have it was also an empty campsite), I was scared.

That said, we were in our MN II and I have to be honest, aside from some side to side action from time to time, she cut through the waves quite well. I guess long story short, Brule with the weather ugly can still be done with a longer boat.

Great options outlined, but I'd say if you're really looking for serenity and peace and quiet, you're not getting too much of that from those routes.

A favorite of mine has been taking EP#14 up through the lakes just inside of Lac La Croix, (Little Loon, Slim, Fat, etc., looping back to Shell and out #14) and spending time on lakes with one or two sites. At most you'll see a group or two a day, but should have lakes to yourself and I've heard wolves many times up there. A lot obviously depends on luck, time of year and the fact that no two trips are identical, but I think you'd have a good chance at most of what you're looking for.

For driving, it would be an added hour, but still give you the chance to drive the entire Echo Trail if you wanted.

ADKpaddler: "Thanks! What is your opinion of paddling on Brule? I've heard a few stories of people being wind bound for a couple days and not able to move west at all. "

Wind bound for a day can happen here or there but being wind bound for multiple days would be rare in my opinion.

Based on your planned route you're not on Brule very long and you'll be on the eastern half which offers plenty of protection. If you wanted to head west to the Cones or Temperance then you might face more wind but no need to do that unless you want to. The route you planned is the fastest way to Winchell and lakes beyond.

If wind is a concern then just plan to be on Brule early in the day before the wind picks up. You can easily get off Brule on your entry day rather quickly. On exit day you could either plan to get to Brule late in the day as evening sets in and winds die down or you can lay up short of Brule the day before so that you're set up to break camp and get on Brule early the next morning.

Brule can be windy but I wouldn't really factor it in as a concern unless you're a novice paddler and wanting to head straight west in the middle of the afternoon. If thats not you then don't worry about it, Brule can be managed.

We paddled Brule Lake in late August. We started paddling at 8:00am and went from the landing to South Temperance. There are more "ripples" on your kitchen table than what we encountered on Brule for the two hour paddle to the west end of the lake. It was heaven, as far as paddling conditions were concerned. We were lucky.

On the way out, it was definitely more windy and we had to quarter some waves, but it certainly was doable.

You have picked some good ones and others have been mentioned. A variation on your option #3 that we did several years ago that you might look into depending on how much you want to travel each day and if you're not portage averse.

We left a car at Sawbill and put in at EP#37, Kawishiwi. We had given ourselves two options for the week depending on weather and travel - the Lady Chain through Phoebe, Hazel, etc. (the short option) or NE from Polly to Little Saganaga and down through Mesaba and Zenith to Sawbill. That route would give you a variety scenery and some solitude.

If it were me, I would choose option #2. We saw more moose in the Kelly/Jack/Wierd area in two days than we have seen in all the rest of our 42 years of canoe-tripping. And I just love seeing moose. :-)

Nothing to offer on the listed routes. But I will say (as someone born in MN and raised on BWCA(W) trips and having also lived in AK, NH and WA) that you may be feeling homesick for your 'Dax black fly experiences when you confront the reality of what MN has to "offer" in the summer: black flies > mosquitoes > deer flies > horse flies, in sequential order through the season, and in ascending order of their exsanguination capabilities.

If you can schedule it, September is the ideal month to be in the BWCAW for this reason and others. May is probably OK for you because you probably already know how to deal with black flies. But you ain't seen nuthin' yet if you come in the latter part of June, July or even into early August:

Bugging Out in the Boundary Waters: 6 Tips to Beat the Bugs

Bugs are a part of the experience. but not that often a defining factor in my 30 trips to the BW. You could find them a major nuisance in any month or be quite lucky for none to a few in any month. Just be prepared and plan to avoid them at the wrong time of day if you can. The fact of the case is most of the day will work in your favor most trips. Even on good weeks, you may find more mosquitoes on portages than anywhere else. Evening mosquitoes are mostly a given and could make for an early start to bed time more likely. A lot of this is the luck of the draw and depends on the weather the 2 weeks or so before you get there.

Bugs are pretty much gone in late August/September. Avoid early June to miss the black fly hatch.

Another +1 on avoiding Brule, she can be a beast, especially in a Kevlar. If you do find a desire to do that route, go east and find an island campsite in case of wind.

Outfitters will give you rides pretty cheap if you don’t want to do a circle route.

I have done options 2 and 3. Sawbill was the outfitter I used on my first couple BWCA trips and they do a great job. Cherokee Lake is gorgeous. Your 2 and 3 are great options, but as other have said, they are fairly popular.

The general rule of thumb is, the harder it is to get to (longer portages, distance from EP), the more solitude you will find.

If you are up for a real challenge, and want to get away from the pretenders, look at this loop...

https://sawbill.com/routes/frost-river-loop/

I did it with a buddy and we are not experts. Just hard work.

You've done some good homework. All look great. I personally like #2. None are real remote but all give a nice variety of water. Enjoy! I like the idea of getting to Frost Lake. Off the beaten path and some nice sites. I like the far western site closest to the river entrance. Now if you want to go remote, do the Frost River. (high difficulty level and must have good water levels)