On Friday, May 27th, we'll be coming out of the park from around Thursday bay.
It's a long haul for us guys in our mid-sixties to paddle out of the park that day.
We are wonder if Fourtown Lake sites might be available OR all taken by late afternoon on this busy holiday weekend. A bit of a dilemma perhaps?

Bwana: "On Friday, May 27th, we'll be coming out of the park from around Thursday bay.
It's a long haul for us guys in our mid-sixties to paddle out of the park that day.
We are wonder if Fourtown Lake sites might be available OR all taken by late afternoon on this busy holiday weekend. A bit of a dilemma perhaps?"

Good luck.I’m going in on 23rd and exiting after Memorial Day weekend to hopefully not have to illegally camp on way out

There is no way of knowing but that is a busy area for sure. Which way will you be approaching from? I am not exactly sure where Thursday Bay is. If through Beartrap then my suggestion would be to start looking for a campsite on Fairy, Gun or Boot and if you find one that is acceptable, take it. If coming down the Horse River then check out Horse but that is a busy lake too. I wouldn't pass an open campsite well into the afternoon in the hopes of finding one on Fourtown. Still a very manageable exit the next day.

lindylair: "start looking for a campsite on Fairy, Gun or Boot and if you find one that is acceptable, take it."

This! If you are coming the other way down Horse River, I think the odds of not finding a campsite go up.

Bwana: "On Friday, May 27th, we'll be coming out of the park from around Thursday bay.
It's a long haul for us guys in our mid-sixties to paddle out of the park that day.
We are wonder if Fourtown Lake sites might be available OR all taken by late afternoon on this busy holiday weekend. A bit of a dilemma perhaps?"

You're really taking your chances arriving late afternoon. I went on a day trip to Fourtown and I was surprised that all the sites were taken so early in the morning and surprised that when I left in the late afternoon, not one group had left! Leave early as possible so there is not a late afternoon scramble.

I would not plan on getting a campsite on fortown at all. That lake is getting a lot of base campers that use sites for days or more at a time. I have watched campers on portages litterly racing over each other trying to get on the lake first to grab a site

Things have changed and the entry and popular lakes are really off limits if you have to camp there. This year will be no different from the past few years if the permit availability is an indicator.
My two cents

sns: "

lindylair: "start looking for a campsite on Fairy, Gun or Boot and if you find one that is acceptable, take it."

This! If you are coming the other way down Horse River, I think the odds of not finding a campsite go up. "

Note: Basswood to Horse is "up" the Horse River, not down.

I did that route last year. We ended up taking a site on Fairy on the way out. I wouldn’t recommend Fourtown as it’s more of a destination for a lot of people. We took the first site available and glad we did. Many were full when we left the next day. It’s a pretty easy day to get out from Fairy, the toughest part are the portages after Fourtown.

I completely agree with lindylair and others. Definitely grab a campsite on Fairy, Gun or Boot. I suspect even those lakes will be crowded. More likely than not Fourtown will be completely crowded with the associated noise.

Mike

Thanks much for the Feedback. We'll be coming from Crooked down Horse river, but the point is well taken - no matter which route you're taking, don't depend on a Fourtown campsite.

Bwana: "Thanks much for the Feedback. We'll be coming from Crooked down Horse river, but the point is well taken - no matter which route you're taking, don't depend on a Fourtown campsite. "

UP the Horse River. The Horse flows into the Basswood River, going with the current is down, against the current is up.

Plan for an extra travel day.
First travel day out: paddle the 8-9 miles from Thursday Bay to the basswood falls area (beautiful paddle topped off by the falls).
Next day, navigate through Horse River and spend another night on horse lake. Then, depending on your portage and paddle speed, you'll need no more than 4 hours to exit on the final day. We did this a few years ago coming down from basecamping on Friday Bay and didn't regret it one bit. Was a very scenic and relaxing exit strategy. Highly recommend it! Added bonus, you don't run into the Mile portage from Friday Bay to Gun Lake like you would going the Fourtown route.

Darin

Banksiana, OK, it is up river. Thanks for the clarification. But it is really kind of irrelevant to the question at hand.

lindylair: "Banksiana, OK, it is up river. Thanks for the clarification. But it is really kind of irrelevant to the question at hand. "

To some extent true, but direction of current is a significant factor in travel time, especially if water levels are high.