By way of introduction, I'm 69 with an 18' Current Designs kayak and usually go on solo trips for one to two weeks at a time: Isle Royale, the North Channel, St. Lawrence River with the whales, etc. This year's Isle Royale trip was canceled due to Covid-19.

I'm fully equipped with the usual camping gear, full dry suit, GPS, personal locator beacon, etc. I'd like to take my first trip to the BWCA in early May and I am looking for some trip ideas. While I am set up to portage, I'd rather not and would prefer to explore from a base camp for two or three days and then move to another base camp. Access to a trail for day hiking that I could paddle to would be a plus.

I've read Pauly's BWCA book and picked up the NatGeo maps and have started to get some ideas. I'd like to get some suggestions from those of you "old pros" who've spent some time there.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe there are some hiking trails that come close to the south campsite on Slim. There is a portage in but that would be your only one with gear if you are going to base camp.

Maybe Brule Lake?

If the Canada border is still closed in May perhaps a tow out of Crane Lake into Snow Bay on western end of Lac La Croix would appeal to you. The round trip tow is about $275. I like Anderson’s for the tow. LLC is a huge lake but with all the islands, bays, etc it doesn’t feel so large when paddling on it.

Hi Nick... welcome to the board! You'll find a great group of experienced paddlers here.

In reading your question above, my first thoughts were to go up the Gunflint Trail and spend your trip on Seagull or Saganaga. Both, especially Sag, are bigger water with no portages to deal with, unless you want to. The portages you would find are short and, if day tripping, you'd find them pretty easy to get through.

Saganaga. You’ll enjoy passing the windbound Malecites, the lesser We-no-nah hulls, etc. as they wait forlornly on windswept shores. You can troll a fishing line behind you as you go.

Just saw the previous post. Seagull was my second thought.

All the above replies are spot on ! If you have never did the tow thing, it’s a pretty cool experience. LacLaCroix is absolutely beautiful .

+1 on Lac La Crox. Some motor traffic on the Canadian side, but one of my absolute favorite lakes and lots of room to paddle/explore without portaging if you get a tow.

Thanks, everyone. That was great advice. I'm going over my BWCA NatGeo maps and looking at all your suggestions. Then, I'm cross-referencing those to Pauly's BWCA book. Let the planning begin!

I agree with the earlier posts....if you want to drive yourself to the put-in go for Saganaga way in the NE corner at the end of the Gunflint. You could paddle around there for quite a while and not see it all....even if you just stayed on the US side. Small motor boats are allowed on parts of Sag though...fishing and outfitters giving people rides. Brule would be a second option in the SE corner, big lake but not AS big...can park right by it. No motors allowed on it at all though which is nice.

Or....if you want to go for a fun boat ride mentioned above get a "tow" to Lac La Croix. (you don't actually get towed) No motors allowed on 90% of the US side of the lake and you could paddle there for a long time and see new stuff. They'd pick you up again for your way out whenever you'd set that date/time up when you left.