So I'm brand new to the forum and heading to BWCA for the first time, and I'm looking for some advice. Next summer my sons graduate from college and HS respectively and my entire family will head to the BWCA. My wife and two younger daughters will hang out/explore the nearby towns while the guys will take a 4 day trip in the BWCA. Any recommendations for best routes for fishing? Also best routes for waterfalls? All three of us are in good shape and Eagle Scouts but don't know where to begin. TIA!

Welcome! Over the next 3 months, scour over this site, using the Search function for the topics that interest you. I promise you, there are multiple rabbit holes, along with the most solid information available. Decide on an entry area: Ely, Gunflint, Sawbill, etc. Four days of exploring surrounding towns? Ely area might have it, but the North Shore from Grand Marais to Duluth may have more to offer for a longer period of time. For route info, pick up the Robert Beymer books, talk to some outfitters and scope out their websites. Have fun planning!

My advice would be Little Indian Sioux River North; EP14. Some river & lake travel. Opportunities for some of your wishes at Devil Cascade & decent fishing along Shell & Lynx lake. Also, take a look at the excellent outfitters in town such as VNO, Piragis & many others who would supply you with everything you need for a remarkable trip. This is of course if you need the equipment/ gear.

If you are looking for great scenery and waterfalls, and are up for some challenge, do an entry point along the east side of the Gunflint Trail such as Duncan Lake (you park on West Bearskin Lake). You can create a loop that takes you to Rose Falls, then a long portage from Rose Lake along the border into Rove/Watap/Mountain Lakes (this is stunning geography) before you drop south into Clearwater, Caribou, then Pine. Plan a visit to Johnson Falls. You can complete the loop by making your way to Flour Lake (at which point you have left the BWCA) to Hungry Jack and back to West Bearskin. This area along the Gunflint Trail has some great day hikes for the rest of the family (Caribou Rock, Honeymoon Bluff). The first day, you could also take the rest of the family in to see Rose Falls as a day trip.

Of course, you would not necessarily need to make it a loop given that your wife could pick you up at a different spot. But this loop makes for a very scenic trip with some solid physical challenges in places.

Welcome to the board, FindHim. Lots of experienced paddlers here to answer questions, and many posts, trip reports, gear reviews and other information to read. Have fun planning.

Several years ago, my (now) wife and I entered at Snowbank and headed out to Ima. Nice area for scenery and campsites. You certainly could go a bit further if you so desired.

We did a 4-day, 3-night trip and really enjoyed it. Spent two nights at one campsite and one night at another before paddling out. Can't speak to the fishing. We fished some, but we spent more time exploring and hanging out in camp. Ima is full of structure, though.

Lots of things to see and do in Ely. Nice spa, shopping, coffee, restaurants... all good. After you come off the water, I encourage you to splurge just a little and eat at Burntside Lodge. Wonderful dining experience while overlooking the lake.

If you haven't done so already, check out the Cool spots in canoe country forum. Might help you develop some good destination ideas.

The north shore of Lake Superior has some of the most stunning waterfalls you will ever see. If you are flying in and renting a car, just take the scenic route from Duluth to Grand Maris. Absolutely breathtaking scenery of Lake Superior, rivers and all the waterfalls you want.

As for trip advice, this forum will provide you with all you need. Be sure to use the interactive maps in the Maps and Entry Points portion. There are no "bad" spots in the BWCA so any choice you make will be a good one.

Be warned! Once you have been to the BWCA, you will want to go back again and again.

I would consider making your group size six and take the entire family. Ely and Grand Marais/North Shore are nice for exploring a bit, but it would take some planning as well to fill 4 days to keep your wife and daughters entertained. Also, would they be moteling or camping?

I say take them along on the trip to get a real BWCA experience and finish with in-town sightseeing.

Thanks for the info - definitely a lot to go through! My boys said the more secluded the better with good fishing so I'll start searching for that.

The idea of all six of us going sounds memorable, BUT my youngest daughter will only be four years old so that will have to wait a while, and my wife only likes camping in a camper. We haven't decided if we will tow our camper for them to stay in or simply use hotel rooms/cabins.

The most stunning waterfall in Minnesota has to be Curtain Falls. The border route between Lac La Croix and Basswood Lake is iconic. Easy four-day trip from many entry points.

I would also look into Magnetic Lake down the Granite River into Big Saganaga. You have rivers, small lakes, big lakes, rapids, and waterfalls. I’ve done the route twice and loved it.

A trip to see Johnson Falls off the Gunflint Trail on the east end is probably the other "main" waterfall. But I agree... Curtain would be a good goal and out of Ely. (roughly)

If going off the Gunflint is a choice:

Entry 54 - Sea Gull Lake
Day 1 - Sea Gull to Ogishkemuncie, (You can cut your paddle time by getting a tow to the end of Three Mile Island. Otherwise, the paddle through the islands of Sea Gull is fun.).

Day 2 - Day trip to South Arm of Knife. Eddy Falls is on the way between Eddy Lake and SAK. You can fish your way to Thunder Point and back after your visit to Eddy Falls.

Day 3 - You are headed to Gabimichigami to fish today. On the way you have an opportunity to visit Mueller Falls between Mueller and Agamok Lakes. As you portage from Mueller to Agamok, you will encounter the Kekakabic Trail. Turn east on the trail and go about a quarter mile. You will find a campsite for those hiking the Kekakabic Trail. Keep going and you will find a bridge over the waterway and the falls both above and below the bridge. Fish Gabimichigami only if you know the wind forecast. It can be treacherous in heavy afternoon winds. If you find yourself with a windy day, there are areas of Ogishkemuncie that you can find a place to fish with smaller water.


About 20% of Eddy Falls.

Captn Tony: "I would also look into Magnetic Lake down the Granite River into Big Saganaga. You have rivers, small lakes, big lakes, rapids, and waterfalls. I’ve done the route twice and loved it."

I've done the Granite River at least a dozen times. It's my "go to" for newbies. Captn Tony had it right... it has something for everybody.

Mike

bobbernumber3: "I would consider making your group size six and take the entire family. Ely and Grand Marais/North Shore are nice for exploring a bit, but it would take some planning as well to fill 4 days to keep your wife and daughters entertained. Also, would they be moteling or camping?


I say take them along on the trip to get a real BWCA experience and finish with in-town sightseeing. "

+1
Best wishes for a terrific trip, FindHim. I hope that your wife and daughters are also able to experience the awe and majesty of the wilderness.

Thanks again for all the route advice! There is so much to consider...I need an hour a day to research!

Follow up...
So we have decided that fishing in solitude is our top priority and probably spending four or five nights out. Which type of trip would you recommend? Out and back, loop, set-up a base camp for multiple nights, travel with new site each night? This planning is getting fun!

FindHim: "Follow up...
So we have decided that fishing in solitude is our top priority and probably spending four or five nights out. Which type of trip would you recommend? Out and back, loop, set-up a base camp for multiple nights, travel with new site each night? This planning is getting fun! "

If fishing is a priority, beware that you lose a lot of fishing time every day that you move. I'd recommend that you travel hard the first day and get to your destination fishing lake. Make a day trip to a nearby lake during your stay. I guess that would be an out and back, base-camp trip.

Have you selected and talked with an outfitter?? Maybe I missed that.

I would make 3 camps and go for 5 nights. If you go in at Crab Lake you will be entering an area not very populated because the first portage is one mile long. Welcome to the BWCA! After spending a day or two on Crab it's very easy to get to Cummings for two or 3 nights. Then backtrack to Crab and either go out that day or set up on Crab for your last night. There's real nice sites and many to choose from on both lakes. This is in the far western southern section of the BW.

There's many wolves in this area, we saw scat on a few trails and heard them two different mornings. A day trip into Buck Lake with a lunch and fishing gear may be fun. We stayed on Buck for 3 nights. It's pretty wild and remote back in there. You can reference my 2020 trip report if you want.

Crab Lake 2020

** If you look on Day 9 of my trip report you will see a pic of a map section of Crab Lake and a short loop of smaller lakes just to the west. This might be a nice option instead of going to Cummings and then backtracking to Crab. Go to Crab and do this very secluded and little used loop to the west. You may want to camp and fish on Hassel Lake. I hear the site is good there and it has walleyes. BTW, the map pic is a Voyager Map.

Because it's your first trip the tendency with all newbies (including myself) is to overpack. Really look closely at what you're bringing, especially fishing tackle. In the BW it's a tradeoff - you get easy portages and crowds or you get the butt humper portage on day one and you get relative solitude. I would check with this board and give your list of everything you plan to bring before your trip if you decide to go into Crab and beyond.

bobbernumber3: "

FindHim: "Follow up...
So we have decided that fishing in solitude is our top priority and probably spending four or five nights out. Which type of trip would you recommend? Out and back, loop, set-up a base camp for multiple nights, travel with new site each night? This planning is getting fun! "

If fishing is a priority, beware that you lose a lot of fishing time every day that you move. I'd recommend that you travel hard the first day and get to your destination fishing lake. Make a day trip to a nearby lake during your stay. I guess that would be an out and back, base-camp trip.


Have you selected and talked with an outfitter?? Maybe I missed that."

We have not selected an outfitter yet because we have not decided upon an area...smh. Thanks TomT, as we'll give that a look.