We have a Mudro EP 23 permit for late July. What is the estimated travel time from the EP to Lower Basswood Falls. We are average paddlers and we double portage. I know it varies with water levels. Just trying to figure out the potential range of travel time.

August 2023 travel time from campsite 1546 near Lower Basswood Falls to EP 23 Mudro took two of us in one canoe single portaging about 3 1/2 hours. It was our exit day, the water level was low and we were trying to beat the rain.

Double portaging, it took us around 5 hours to get to the falls from the Mudro entry. We were traveling in late May.

My 13 y/o daughter did a loop from Mudro to LBF through Crooked last year - mid-June. We are not the fastest paddlers. We double portage and take a few minutes on most portage walks to look at plants and wildlife. The water level on the Horse River was lower, but we did not have to make any additional portages in low areas. We made it to the campsite at the top of LBF in about 6 hours.

The water will definitely be lower in late July. We went in last year on July 30, and had to walk (a well-worn path) along the river bed for 0.15 extra miles (an additional 50 rods or so) to find floatable water. Even then, there was at least one beaver dam to cross before Mudro Lake. All told, it was 5.9 miles to our site on Horse Lake (C1115), and double portaging took us 3:48 (7:28 am-11:16 am). Our round trip distance and time on our day trip to LBF and the Crooked pictos (single portaging, of course), was 13.2 mi, done in 6:58 (7:43 am-2:41 pm), including the usual stops for pictures, lunch on site C1548, and a visit to the USFS cabin. There is a paddling web site that can give you very accurate estimates for exactly the travel times you seek.

Tomcat: "August 2023 travel time from campsite 1546 near Lower Basswood Falls to EP 23 Mudro took two of us in one canoe single portaging about 3 1/2 hours. It was our exit day, the water level was low and we were trying to beat the rain. "

Similar experience for my wife and I. I’d say we are good portagers, average paddlers.

The key here is this is on the way out…after a week in The Quetico. We had our muscle memory going and were in better portaging shape.

On the way in I’d say 5-6 hours to be conservative. Of course wind/lightning is going to change that to longer.

T

General route info from EP 23 to site 1549 below LBF is as follows:

- 8.9 miles of paddling.
- 1.6 miles of portages made up of 8 marked portages.
- If Horse River is low there may be an additional portage or two.
- Low water levels on Horse River may slow you down some.
- Water flows from Horse Lake to Basswood River.

It's a terrible area to rush through.
Too much good scenery.
Also watch out for the rocks hidden just under the water as your entering the small bay that leads into the Horse River.

If you're banking on finding a campsite near the falls on your first day it may not pan out for you.

Not much in the way of options either because Horse lake is usually packed as well.

I started going out to Jackfish Bay via the Range River. Lot's of campsites on the way to both the upper and lower falls on Basswood.

Not to say it can't be done quicker than 4 hours ish but just be prepared to paddle a little farther if there are no sites near LBF.

My son and I made trip from Mudro Parking Lot to the site adjacent to the falls (Crooked Lake side) in about 7 hours. This was the first week in June 2022 and there was high water everywhere. We weren't killing ourselves either just nice and steady the whole way. The only portage that is a pain is the first one between Mudro and Sandpit. We got there about 3pm and had our pick of sites.

We left Mudro parking lot at first light in july and made it to the falls just after lunch. We double portaged, took our time, fished on the way there (once the horse river gets thick with reeds the fishing got great!). Only issue was walking the canoe thru the low water areas of the river. Easy for the first person holding onto the canoe for balance. Not so much for the second person, cannot see bottom due to it being stirred up, and no canoe for balance makes an interesting walk!

Good Luck to ya!
WV's

7 hours in early Oct with very, very low Horse River (extra portages); single portage, little sight seeing and no fishing.