Looking for some help. Using the Fall Lake State Park as a base camp, my wife and I are looking for nice day trips for canoeing. In September, we paddled North Hegman Lake to see the pictographs. Awesome paddle. Having to get back to our base camp every day, we're looking for suggestions on trips that you might consider a "must see". Thank you in advance for your help.

(As a secondary, any that might include a little fishing along the way would also be appreciated.)

First, it's not Fall Lake State Park, it's Fall Lake Campground of the Superior National Forest. I've been there over a dozen times over the past dozen years. I too have paddled into North Hegman and really liked it. The other places I have paddled several times are from Fall Lake up to Pipestone Bay, and the Number Lakes from Entry Point 30. Both of these are nice day trips. The Pipestone Bay trip requires two (very easy) portages but then you have access to a lot of water to explore. The Entry Point 30 route gets you into Lake One with no portages and two short portages get you into Lakes Two and Three. I've not fished on the Number Lakes, but I have on Pipestone Bay. The stretch just below Pipestone Falls is productive and there are a lot of other place that are also good. I've paddled on Moose Lake (Entry Point 25), but only when going on up to Knife Lake for an ovenight trip. I think I would not choose to day paddle there because of all of the power boat activity. There are power boats on the Fall Lake to Pipestone Bay route, but not near as much as on Moose.

You are correct, not sure why I called it a State Park. I appreciate the InSite and will take you up on the routes you suggested. We have gone to Fall Lake for several years, this year we spent about 7 weeks there, we may run into each other and not know it.

Thanks again and have a Happy New Year.

Wood Lake has plenty of space and fishing opportunities to make a good day trip. The entry portage is fairly long. Also, an easy trip is Tofte Lake (troll for rainbows). Tofte has a couple nice campsites to take a break or shore lunch.

ps. Welcome to the board

Thank You for the welcome and we will check out Wood Lake.

Kawishiwi Triangle

I agree with these suggestions. EP 30 makes for good day trips in either direction: to the Numbers or down the Kawishiwi River. On Lake One, heading over to the rapids (marked as a dangerous route to or from Lake 2, is a nice detour that you wouldn’t take of heading out on an overnight because it is a dangerous route to or from Lake 2. I don’t fish but have seen many people fish that area.

Don't know how energetic you want to be, or if you would consider the Gunflint, but putting in at Clearwater and camping on one of the beautiful sites on that lake would give you the possibility of Johnson Falls, as well as the hike/climb up the Clearwater Palisades another time.

For a day that you need a shorter option, you can also go through Fall Lake to the 4 mile portage and take that up to Mud Lake, then portage into Ella Hall, or just follow the 4 mile portage up nearer to Ella Hall. It’s a pretty lake with some interesting history and good pike fishing. 4 mile portage is flat but can get muddy (or even slightly flooded) in areas where Muskeg creek comes close to it, but that’s nothing out of the ordinary in the BW.

I've heard a few times about the Kawishiwi triangle, I hate for this to sound like a rookie question but I guess it is, what makes up the Kamishiwi triangle? Is it the river and lake one & two?

GreggH: "I've heard a few times about the Kawishiwi triangle, I hate for this to sound like a rookie question but I guess it is, what makes up the Kamishiwi triangle? Is it the river and lake one & two?"

Hey Gregg,

Others may have another definition or route in mind to define the Kawishiwi Triangle. Here's what I think roughly constitutes the route: My two oldest daughters and I took a week to paddle this route and enjoyed the trip - decent fishing, lots of blueberries, and some great wildlife sightings.

I'm sure some people could do the route in a single day with no problem but we enjoyed our leisurely approach to tripping this time.

YetiJedi...Thank You for your help, I really appreciate you taking the time. We'll take a look and make sure we plan it in our journey.

Thanks again and have a Great New Year.