We are planning (in a few days) to go in EP 37 and were just going to paddle up to Kawasachong for a few nights. Any info on the paddle/portage/beaver dam situation? Wondering if campsites are open and how they are? Thanks!

You will very likely be able to bypass both official portages between Square and Kawaschong but will have a small pullover, then a short in and out to get past the two beaver dams closer to Kawaschong. All in all, its a tradeoff in a paddlers favor.

When we passed through in August, it was very clear which campsites have no/little tree cover left, and which were spared. All are open in the sense that they are available for use, but by the looks of them, a couple for sure would not be choices I would be happy with.

There's a recent trip report that explains it pretty well.

Camped on Kawasachong once and pass through there almost every year. As you come in, there is a site on the left and is the burn out area. The site on the RIGHT didn't get burned....has tall pines and grass. Had a rabbit in our site every day.

I would strongly suggest doing the portage to Townline, then to Polly. Many more choices there.

If you don't mind being in the burn area site 1017 is good. It was spared from the fire and has good tent sites but all you see is the burn area. I often stay there my last night but find it occupied about half the time I go through here.

The two sites on the southeast shoreline are easy to see. They were both occupied when I passed through (Memorial Day weekend 2021) so I didn't check them out, but they looked okay.

I looked for the one on the west shore with no luck finding it (I didn't look that hard).

The paddle in is easy, as described above. The river section is really a nice paddle. I enjoyed it a lot.

This lake holds a good population of eater size walleyes too. Trolling shad raps for a couple hours at about 15' fed our group of 8 one night. We stayed at the eastern site in the middle of the lake, and it was ok.