Headed up to Iron end of May for our annual trip. Trying to take a few different routes. The large bay under Curtain Falls with the creek that runs toward Crooked and them turns into a dotted line on the maps I have seen(Not Peterson). Is it passable to Crooked(who has taken it)? We have been in that creek many times and seen some great wildlife, but we have never tried to make it all the way to Crooked. We want to stay on that first campsite on crooked closest to Curtain Falls for a night
2 questions:
Is it passable?
Is that a good campsite? Party of 4

I have no clue if it's passable, but if it is....there will still be some portaging to be had for sure since you'll need to be doing the same vertical difference Curtain Falls has between the 2 lakes. (and I assume that may be bushwhacking)

Yes, the creek looks so tempting on the map. I tried it years ago in a solo canoe and got nowhere. It was probably summer, so you may get further in May. I guess if it were an easy passage everyone would take it instead of the Curtain Falls Portage. The campsite you speak of on Crooked has only 1 good tent pad. My wife and I spent 1 night there last summer. I think there are 3 places big enough to put a tent, but 2 of them are rough and/or down in a depression. Are you in a hammock? If so no problem. One plus for that site is a sand beach on either side of camp, for launching or swimming. I have stayed at the island site to the east of there in 2019. Unfortunately, I arrived about midnight and left very early (dark) in the morning. Nice flat places to put small tents in the pine needles though.

Look at the topo lines. Looks like a steep ravine. High-water spillway down to the creek and like cy says, that ravine has to gain some elevation.

Looking at satelite imagery on google earth...that dotted line section does not look in any way canoeable.

Looking @ satellite....it looks like the 2/3 on the iron end are wide open but muddy/weedy. If there's high water you might have a decent time getting through that. In August? Yikes.

The last third on the Crooked end....is a small stream that's falling down into a pool. But looks like a straight up canyon w/ what I'd assume is no trail. You'd almost be better off bushwhacking more straight East to that other little bay to avoid the canyon. Either way....that last third through the woods isn't going to be easy no matter the season.

Thanks guys! Great info. We will have to make the campsite work. However, we will just head up to the falls. Not to ruin the top secret portage up Curtain. But does anyone know why it is not on any map I have seen. I understand why there is one because getting up the Curtain mouth can be difficult sometimes, but if you are new and don’t know the Lower super secret path from Iron to Crooked you could get wet and have a bad day.

What's there to ruin? I'm confused. You're just talking about the alternate landing on the west end of the falls portage? It sounds like you know it's there so...you're just curious why it's not on printed maps? Maps don't get updated very often and if it's not an "official" portage (some people just start going that way) then it may never be recognized?

I don't think there's anything to ruin there...

I'm confused by this as well. Just take the portage. There is no secret. It is depicted on my maps I believe.

Just remember the cross current as you approach the western landing of the portage. Many canoes have dumped there.

You guys sound a little serious. I was just kidding about the Super secret part. I was just interested in why I never see it on my Fisher map. Thanks guys for responding, I didn’t mean to confuse you. I always appreciate the insight and experiences on this site. I am just itching to get out and excited for the new season.