I have going to the BWCA one or two trips a year for the past 30+ years, but have never been east of a line from Baker to Little Sag to Knife. I would like to try the east side this year. Any ideas, thoughts or recommendations?

At this point, you will certainly be limited by what permits are still available. (I didn't look to verify for the following recommendation. )

Daddy daughter Duncan day trips

Not sure what kind of trip you're looking for, but there's some nice loops in the Poplar to Winchell and back area. Bower Trout is cool too. I don't love Brule, although many people do.

What parameters do you have? Time? Distance? Base camp?

Couple of ideas -

Entry 49 - Skipper Lake - There are usually permits available here. Most people don't want to deal with the 320 rd. portage to start. But it is not hard, just long. Others think it is dead end at Banadad Lake, but I love the route from Banadad to Long Island. Take 2 days to go out to Long Island Lake. From here you have a couple options. 1. Go end to end out at either Cross Bay Lake Entry (#50) or Missing Link (#51). You can go even further over to Tuscarora through Copper, Hubbub, and Howl and then out through Missing Link Lake. 2. Loop back to Poplar Lake through Muskeg, Kiskakinna, Ogema, Henson, Gaskin, Horseshoe, Caribou and Lizz Lake (Entry #47). You can easily add Winchell Lake to this route and climb the cliffs and find the waterfall on the south shore of the lake.

Entry #55 Saganaga Lake. I recommend a tow here. Have them take you to
American Point. Continue west on the border through lovely Ottertrack to Knife Lake. Visit Thunder Point (you may have already done this?). Otherwise, visit the string of lovely small lakes Esther, Hanson, Amoeber, etc. between Ottertrack and South Arm of Knife. Once here you can work your way back to your starting point at the Seagull Lake entry just across the parking lot from where you started. Visit Eddy Falls (between SAK and Eddy Lake). Visit Mueller Falls (just a little off your route south of Ogishkemuncie Lake. You can also make this route end to end by turning south at Ogishkemuncie and heading to Gabimichigami Lake (Little Saganaga?) and then east to Gillis Lake and out Brandt Lake (Entry #52).

Up for more work? This one is on my bucket list.
Entry #54 - Seagull Lake - Head south out of Seagull Lake to Paulson (JAP) Lake. Not all sources agree on the length of this portage (410 or 515?). But you will certainly leave the crowds behind. Continue south here toward the Brandt Lake entry through a little used portion of the BW. I would check with an outfitter on the route finding as I think I have read some routes are not possible in low water.

Hope you find the route you are looking for!

Entry point #68, Pine Lake.

If you go in at #68 and go west on Pine Lake there are a lot of options for various size loops you could do. This is as far east in the BWCA you can get, located northeast of the Gunflint Trail. This area of the BWCA has a very different feel than the western, Ely District portions. There are much higher elevations than you see on the western portions (see photo of Pine Lake below), with tall white pines. Johnson Falls, located on the far western end of Pine Lake makes a great day trip. On an warm day you can swim in the pool below the falls. Further west a couple portages, on Caribou Lake, campsite #691 is one of my all time favorite BWCA campsites. The downside to the big lakes and higher elevation is wind and some tough portages, so plan accordingly.

The lakes north of Pine give you loop options. You could easily go in at #68 and out at #69 or #70, if you don't want to back track. Or in and out at any of these three EPs as they share a parking lot.

Pretty much anything in the Tuscarora or Gillis area is a great trip. The portages in are a little tougher on day one, but that means you get less traffic because of it. The lakes are beautiful and there is no bad stopping point. Little Sag is a destination lake that you can't go wrong with. About 5 years ago I did a 5-day loop, in through Brant, and out through Missing Link. I wrote a trip report on that one.

Our plan was a night on Gillis, 2 nights on Little Sag, and the last night on Tuscarora. Weather caused us to stop early on the last night, but it was a great trip. The fishing was great even though it was our first time targeting trout.

All three lakes were destination lakes in my opinion, including Crooked that we ended up staying on when the storm blew in. A shorter loop, or at least a more relaxing one would be taking the shortcut between Gillis and Crooked and either skipping the northern route to Little Sag, which is not easy, or skipping Little Sag altogether and spending the time on Gillis, Crooked, and Tuscarora.

TuscaroraBorealis: "At this point, you will certainly be limited by what permits are still available. (I didn't look to verify for the following recommendation. )

Daddy daughter Duncan day trips "

Retired so can be flexible

dogwoodgirl: "Not sure what kind of trip you're looking for, but there's some nice loops in the Poplar to Winchell and back area. Bower Trout is cool too. I don't love Brule, although many people do.


What parameters do you have? Time? Distance? Base camp?"

Will not be a base camp other than that I am flexible but 10 - 14 days is a normal trip fr me.

Thank you everyone.

I had a fun trip starting at Bower Trout EP and then coming out at Ram Lake. A short walk back to the car. Lots of loop options within that area.

Great suggestions, familiar with all except Seagull.

If I had 10 days to spend east of Little Sag I think I'd start on Big Sag and take the border all the way to Little John/McFarland at a relaxed pace. 3 or 4 days exploring and fishing the Magnetic River, one layover day to hike near Rose, another layover to hike near Watap, a day to try and catch a Brookie in Pemmican Lake. Or, the same route in reverse!