I have ran into this phenomenon in big game hunting units. Share your experiences where you were on a typically busy lake, route or visiting during prime time but surprisingly found solitude. I stayed on Bald Eagle a couple of years ago during the July 4th holiday and found it difficult to believe the lack of traffic.

2023 Hudson Lake, the first weekend in August. The busiest time in the BWCAW…Did not see one person or canoe on Hudson. Next day every site was taken on Alice Lake LOL.

T

A few years back we stayed on Disappointment in June and found it unusually quiet. Despite a very busy portage between Disappointment and Snowbank, we found the lake entirely empty as far as we knew. The first day and a half we did not see anyone making camp here until we returned from a daytrip to Ima and found every site taken only to mostly clear out again a day later.

Last year on Alpine in late July. Saw a few people coming out the day we were coming in and a few people the day we exited, but ran across nobody and did not note any occupied campsites the days we were camped there. Skeeters were surprisingly absent, too!

Several years ago, before covid, we entered at Lizz Lake on a Sunday morning. Our destination was Vista. (So we thought.) As we paddled Horseshoe, the first time, we noticed that all the campsites we saw were full. Everything. Due to leaving an article of importance on a portage end, we returned through Horseshoe and the same thing was apparent. Every campsite was full. We returned to Vista and paddled a ways to determine we did not want to camp at the poor site on the west end of the lake. We returned (the third time) to Horseshoe and every campsite was vacated. It was like they all planned to leave at 1pm (or whatever time it was). Very odd experience.

A classic Yogi Berra-ism: "No one goes there anymore. It's too crowded." LOL

Bald Eagle. Snake River entry. Better fishing (Spring) than most interior lakes and from shore.

Jackfish: "A classic Yogi Berra-ism: "No one goes there anymore. It's too crowded." LOL"

Exactly! I may or may not have a baseball background. :-)

Last year in early August I took my 5 year old son on his first BWCA trip to the South Kawishiwi River. I was worried about finding one of the 1st 6 sites open because it was August and I didn’t want to go far being alone with a 5 year old on his first trip. Not only did we get a site, but we got my preferred site, and all 6 of those initial sites before the next portage were open. We only saw a couple groups paddle by each day. We had a very quiet time in a busy area, close to the EP, in early August.

I believe it was 2021 when the western part of the BW shut down due to fires. We had planned a trip out of the eastern side anyway, so lucky there. We did a loop out of Gunflint east and back around through East Pike and West Pike. I expected every site to be full on E&W Pike lakes, especially given that some folks scrambled to get permits for this area after theirs's got cancelled. There were open sites.

I’ve been to the Pikes 3x and don’t remember seeing another boat. This was during regular times.

scat: "I’ve been to the Pikes 3x and don’t remember seeing another boat. This was during regular times."

I can tell you that we are afraid of getting boxed up in that area. I would do it solo but group wise we felt adjustability would be limited if it were crowded. A couple of our guys like base camping and it's not very conducive that that type of trip either.

A few years back I talked with the owner of Sawbill outfitters and his comments were the to the effect that the time to come was 1-2 weeks after a holiday. The week before and the week of were popular. After that it died off for a week or so. Then it picked up again.

jhb8426: "A few years back I talked with the owner of Sawbill outfitters and his comments were the to the effect that the time to come was 1-2 weeks after a holiday. The week before and the week of were popular. After that it died off for a week or so. Then it picked up again."

That makes sense.

I think sometimes we just hit the lottery. All the permits may be taken but by chance, that particular week, you have mostly small groups in your area. A group or two of eight can really alter the perception in an around a section.

It was a very high water year (thinking 2022) and our group made it into Russell in Quetico. Four nights there near Chatterton Falls and not a single canoe was sighted the entire time. Literally had the lake to ourselves. Never happened before nor since, so it’s memorable for that rare solitude.

AdamX

After spending a 2 nights on Wine Lake a few years ago without seeing a soul, I was exiting the BWCA on July 5th through the Kelso lake, Kelso R. and Sawbill Lake. I didn't see anyone. All the campsites were empty and no one was paddling on the lake (mid-morning). The air was thick with forest fire smoke and I started to worry that the area had been closed due to fires while I had been out for the week. I was almost back to the Sawbill landing before I finally saw a canoe with a man and a woman. I asked if the forest fires had gotten worse and they looked startled. "What forest fires?!" they asked worriedly. "Nevermind." I felt bad to have scared them.

timatkn: "2023 Hudson Lake, the first weekend in August. The busiest time in the BWCAW…Did not see one person or canoe on Hudson. Next day every site was taken on Alice Lake LOL.


T"

I concur, stayed with the family here a couple years before the Pagami fire. Original goal was Insula, but had a yoke break and decided this was far enough. Excellent decision. Water was low exposing a nice beach on the east side. Great fishing where the Kawishiwi enters.
Best of all, everybody blows through for a few hours, but mostly you have the lake to yourself.
Unfortunately the campsite on the northeast shore was fried and closed during the fire.

Fun topic, i have nothing as Im always afraid to go to those everybody goes there spots.