I have a permit for Lake One July 25. I was originally going to Insula, but due to health issues I do not have the energy to do long portages. So I will go west on the river since portages are short.
Is this a busy area where I may not find a campsite? Are water levels a problem?
Any must see sights. This will be my first solo BW trip since the rest backed out.
Thanks for any suggestions
Bill

Good questions, Bill, and I am wondering the same. We head in through Farm Lake on the same day. I don't have any intel but I am hoping the best for you to find a great spot!

If you see a dad and two daughters in a red, SR Quetico 18.5 wave and say hi!

I went on a trip with my two daughters in 06, plus one of their friends. Moose to Kek through Knife. Great time. Two years ago with their husbands plus my two sons and one wife. I did not have to carry anything on the pottages. Had a heart attack three weeks later and still am not at full strength.

Brings back many good memories. This was our first trip in the BWCA 51 years ago.
Water levels should not be a problem at all. It’s a pretty area and the fishing is not too bad. There is an area not far from the Lake One landing they used to call Confusion Lake. The river flows around to the right but you portage ahead through a small pond then past the next portage you rejoin the flow. But as you go through this pond there is another flow that comes down from the main body of the lake. I’ve seen people get very mixed up in this spot.

Very good route for an easy solo trip. Hope you enjoy it.

Hi Bill,

I was in that area earlier this year in mid-may. At that time water levels were really high, but still manageable. You should be fine in that aspect now.

When I was there, even though it was mid-may all the permits in the area were taken. It still didn't seem crowded. By early afternoon all the sites in the northeast corner of the triangle were taken, so start early and stop early.

The campsite reviews on the maps on here seemed about right. For a solo, any of the sites are do-able. We spent two nights at the one just east of the long portage. It was a very nice site that I'd go back to in a heart beat. You can bushwack back to the portage from there and it's a neat hike when you're not lugging all your gear. There is a cool overlook you can cut over to about halfway across with a nice view of the pond area below. It was ragging rapids in may.

Had no luck fishing, but didn't put a lot of effort into it either.

Also had pretty decent verizon cell coverage throughout the area. Given the health issues you mentioned that may be a good thing for you.

Hope you have a great trip!
Joe

Have you ruled out Lake Two and beyond? It’s 2 portages verses 4. The total of the 2 longest on the trip west are only 4 rods more than the 2 Lake Two portages. And then there are the 2 others to the west.

The portages from One to Two are about as easy as any 30-40 rod portages. The southern portion of Lake 3 has 3 really nice and 1 good site among the 6 campsites. An early start is key. I was there before 11:00 each time.

I’ve been there twice this year and stayed at the 2 best sites. There were a number of days with multiple empty sites. One night all the other sites were empty. Both times I saw relatively few canoes, and we had excellent walleye fishing on our July 10 trip.

Hope you have a great, successful trip!

Fritty