Hello, I'll be XC skiing at Giants Ridge and was thinking of doing an overnighter in the BW before I head home. I have BC this and snow shoes. I'd be fine using either one. Just want to park and walk in a bit and camp.

I don't know about best, but Little Gabbro (entry pt 33) works well for that sort of trip. You could just park, walk the portage, and camp on Little Gabbro. Be aware of the moving water between L. Gabbro and Gabbro if you go that far.

If for some reason you can't get to ep 33 (too much snow and not plowed, not sure how likely that combination is right now, and depends on your vehicle's capabilities), you could do ep 32 (S. Kawishiwi) and camp on the banks of the river for a quick one nighter.

Probably lots of good options in the area (South Farm (from Farm), or Wood Lake come to mind), but I have done just what you're describing on Little Gabbro.

Road conditions to the access points and ice conditions on the lakes depend on when you are going of course.

I did a trip into Angleworm last winter.

I have no winter experience there but, I've heard the Slim lake EP can be nice too.

Angleworm whitewater

South Hegman ftw

When you hit South Hegman hook around to the SE and you will have a nice quiet spot and the ability to ski up to the petroglyphs on North Hegman (usually a well worn trail)

Hegman is easy. I’d also consider Agassa Lake-though not officially BW. Be aware that slush on the lakes may be a problem right now.

Slim, wood, hegman, or wind lake would all be easy one nighters.

You can’t drive to the Little Gabbro ep after December 1 because the Speuce road becomes a snowmobile trail. The road ends at the South Kawishiwi ep.

I can confirm that the road to Little Gabbro ends at South Kawish and becomes a snowmobile trail.

You can certainly walk/ski into the Kawish and have lots of camping options

WanderingWoodsmanMN: "I can confirm that the road to Little Gabbro ends at South Kawish and becomes a snowmobile trail.


You can certainly walk/ski into the Kawish and have lots of camping options"

That is exactly what I did. Watch the narrows if going from little Gabbro to Gabbro. Most use a winter trail thru the swamp just east of the access at Little gabbro.

WanderingWoodsmanMN: "I can confirm that the road to Little Gabbro ends at South Kawish and becomes a snowmobile trail.


You can certainly walk/ski into the Kawish and have lots of camping options"

It's a nice day trip in there skiing also.

Finnboy: "You can’t drive to the Little Gabbro ep after December 1 because the Speuce road becomes a snowmobile trail. The road ends at the South Kawishiwi ep.
"

That's good to know! I have naively driven my car all the way to the Little Gabbro entry point in the winter a couple of times in the past. I have also driven to the Mudro entry point (the Chainsaw Sisters Saloon was there at the time), as well as on the Lima Grade. In the latter cases I figured out that they were snowmobile trails (or at least primarily used for that) after getting in there a ways. I didn't see any signs saying no cars.

I grew up in Minnesota but I'm not that knowledgeable in snowmobile culture. I'm curious how big of an offense/dangerous it is (like on a scale from 1 to 10) to drive a car on a road that is meant for cars in the summer but becomes an official or de-facto snowmobile trail in the winter?

If it's only a 1, I would consider doing it again for short distances like that if the surface is driveable and there aren't any snowmobiles in sight. Not if it's officially against the rules though. It's not hard to imagine something bad happening.

brulu: "

Finnboy: "You can’t drive to the Little Gabbro ep after December 1 because the Speuce road becomes a snowmobile trail. The road ends at the South Kawishiwi ep.
"

That's good to know! I have naively driven my car all the way to the Little Gabbro entry point in the winter a couple of times in the past. I have also driven to the Mudro entry point (the Chainsaw Sisters Saloon was there at the time), as well as on the Lima Grade. In the latter cases I figured out that they were snowmobile trails (or at least primarily used for that) after getting in there a ways. I didn't see any signs saying no cars.


I grew up in Minnesota but I'm not that knowledgeable in snowmobile culture. I'm curious how big of an offense/dangerous it is (like on a scale from 1 to 10) to drive a car on a road that is meant for cars in the summer but becomes an official or de-facto snowmobile trail in the winter?


If it's only a 1, I would consider doing it again for short distances like that if the surface is driveable and there aren't any snowmobiles in sight. Not if it's officially against the rules though. It's not hard to imagine something bad happening."

Easy skiing from Kawishiwi parking lot to Little Gabbro access and usually used by dog sleds also.

Pinetree: "Easy skiing from Kawishiwi parking lot to Little Gabbro access and usually used by dog sleds also."

Very true. I didn't realize it was used by dogsleds, but I guess that makes sense since there's a "winter route" in the area.

Angleworm is beautiful in the winter. You could do the loop if you’re up to it. I’ve never skied it but imagine it could be done, I’d recommend snowshoes. You can access angleworm by the portage or come from Hegman. Hegman has pictographs, worth a visit. Lakes may be slushy

brulu: “I grew up in Minnesota but I'm not that knowledgeable in snowmobile culture. I'm curious how big of an offense/dangerous it is (like on a scale from 1 to 10) to drive a car on a road that is meant for cars in the summer but becomes an official or de-facto snowmobile trail in the winter?”

I didn’t find it all that dangerous the only time I’ve done it. But that was because four guys came along shortly and helped me get my future wife’s Opel back on the actual road.

If they had not come along, she might have eventually beaten me with the tire iron to relieve her frustration at watching me turn onto what she (but not I) instantly recognized as a snowmobile trail …