I'm researching areas a few others and I can go to on short notice. Somewhere where all the permits are not snatched up quite so quickly. I noticed Hog Creek EP fits this bill.

Looking for comments from experienced paddlers who have gone in on Hog Creek and stayed on Parent Lake. What are the advantages and disadvantages to this area. Any comments are appreciated and thank you for your comments in advance!

Darin

Advantages: easy to get to. Other than hauling stuff down to the creek from the parking lot, there is only one short easy portage. Although, there may be a few beaver dams to pull through. In my experience last August they were mostly non-issues. Fishing can be good - numbers not size. There are a lot of islands & bays for exploration & getting out of the wind. Several nice campsites & some sandy beaches.

Negatives: Unless you're willing to commit to some serious portaging (Perent River or unmaintained routes) there really isn't anywhere to go. So consequently, while there are several, you may end up searching a bit for a campsite. Some sites are what I would consider uncomfortably close to each other. Others likely will have a different perspective, but for me, the wandering nature of the creek in/out seems to test my patience and bit - more so than other similar sized waterways in the bwca.

Perent Lake will have cell phone coverage on the eastern shore and a few other places. At&t and Verizon.

Rubs, it can get windy with large waves.

My experience from my trip in the 90s . Saw many Moose, Easy paddle, Like others have said going beyond Parent will be many short portages . There's plenty of campsites on Parent so you should have no problem staying there. Good basecamp trip for wetting your feet into the BW

I was there 2 years ago in September. The water in Hog Creek was low and that, combined with the thick mats of grass floating on top of the water, made paddling a nightmare. With higher water levels I don't think it would be a bad paddle, although all the twists and turns make it feel longer than it is.

As far as the lake goes, when I was there it was quite busy, and there was one group playing rock music on a boom box late into the night. Obnoxious would be an understatement. Like TB said, some of the sites are pretty close together, which makes disruption from other people more likely. The fishing was only mediocre for me, but I'm not a great fisherman so take that with a grain of salt lol. It is a pretty lake, and the site I stayed at was fantastic. Easily among the best sites I've seen.

I don't think it's an EP I'd return to, except for maybe very early or late in the season when people are scarce. But the odds are you'll have a better experience there than I did.

I agree with most or all of the above comments. I had a great base campsite on the NE portion of the lake. VERY windy on my trip for several days. The wind partially tore my well hung CCS tarp, so I had to take it down.

CCS repaired it for me for a reasonable price.

Tom

I used Hog Creek as the entry for a trip that went out to the numbered lakes and then ended at Kawishiwi Lake so I could hike back to the car. Hog Creek winds around a lot, but I really enjoy small waterways. One warning, Perent Lake is the only lake I've ever gotten turned around on. My husband did also on his own trip. Maybe its because of winding around so much on the creek...LOL.

Most people never go past Perent Lake, which I think is a shame. Yes, it takes a lot of portaging to continue on, but it was worth it in my book.

I don't fish so no comment on that.

We took this trip 8 years ago at the very end of May. We did not have any beaver dam pullovers, clear paddling all the way. The first hour and a half was fun paddling on a small wilderness river which eventually became a bit tedious and boring. But not long after that we emptied out into Perent Lake.

We hit the lake on a windy day and the waves were somewhat challenging, as is the reputation for this lake. Because it is large and shallow it doesn't take much to whip it up into a frenzy. We made our way to a very nice island campsite about halfway up the lake and there seemed to be a few of those available, we did not see anyone else. Overall, nice campsites and a very pretty lake with lots of points, bays and islands. Out trip was pretty laid back but we caught some fish from shore including a nice 25" walleye.

Didn't think I would ever want to go back but lately I have been kind of getting the itch to head back that way and explore the area a little more and hope for a little less wind. We spent a lot of time in camp due to very choppy conditions.







Typical windy conditions on Perent







Stopped for a break on the paddle out on Hog Creek, typical view







Beautiful island studded lake, when the wind allows you to enjoy it



Worth the trip

There's really no where to go if you're not feeling Perent. It can get busy and gets a fair amount of attention from locals on day trips...as others have noted you might not find the quietest groups here.

I've done Hog Creek on several occasions. What others have said has also been my experience. The creek winds quite a bit and can get narrow in spots. The one portage is very short but there are often hanging trees and beaver activity that must be worked with. Perent Lake is large and wind can be a problem. One enters the lake from the east, so if there is a strong west wind things can get dicey in a hurry.

I've not experienced bad behavior, though I know others that have. Some friends of mine actually had to call the Rangers because the group was playing a boombox and screaming curse words into the middle of the night. I kind of look at Perent Lake like Lake One: easy to get to for a quick trip, and it occasionally attracts those that just want to party.

Mike

I went there about 20 years ago. The portages are easy but as someone has already said the campsites are too close together. We had a group across the bay also playing loud music (this may attract that kind of group). Fishing was decent for walleye and pike. I was there in late spring. I would look for other options for myself knowing what could be there.

Perent has 19 sites on it...similar sized lakes that are maybe a few portages in, usually contain about half that amount.

No permits are necessary for the Hogback Lake area and the Timber-Frear Loop. There are a TON of public/private/rustic campgrounds in this area and the good ones will fill up but it is my impression that the 'backcountry' sites are underutilized.

EP 37 Kawishiwi Lake has decent permit availability and is close by. I imagine there's a risk of radios on Kawishiwi Lake but I've passed through three times in the last couple of years and camped on it for 6 nights without hearing one. I've never seen it fill up, either.

I took a group with young girls and my older sister there last year thinking 'no portages, base camp...easy and fine'

Well, Hog Creek kinda sucked. The water was low so we had to pull over a bunch of beaver dams and the wind, which haunted us the entire trip, made the creek challenging for my novices.

The one positive...all my novices learned how to steer their canoes!

But yeah, what I thought would be a low impact trip...especially for my older sister...turned into a slog.

We got to Perent and as soon we cleared the creek, I pulled my group over to a penninsula at the opening to discuss capsizing procedures. We had fought the wind all the way down the winding creek and now we faced whitecaps. As I discussed capsize protocols, I saw the eastern campsite open. We paddled there and there we stayed 4 days. We made it out on the lake a few times for 30 minutes to an hour but the wind always pushed us back.

Next to last day, we saw another group fighting the waves at the mouth of the creek and watched as they capsized.

As far as the people...we saw several nice all-girl groups but the guys... were all jerks. One guy brought his wife and kids, some buddies and 2 coolers of beer, brought so much gear he needed a trailer and then was mad that I dare park in the lot when he needed the last two spots.

I took one girl out fishing and the wind kept pushing us around. We ended up in the only spot unaffected by the wind with a canoe with 2 guys in it. They literally cussed us out for horning in on THEIR fishing spot...very aggressive F-bombing when I was just trying to fight the wind but ended up where it blew us, trying to get a novice to catch a fish.

I hated that lake and won't go back.

EDIT: The fun part of the guy with the trailer was that they left their fishing poles at the top of the hill at the EP. Bummer dude.

And the mouthy guys, we paddled within 200 yards of them. They had to paddle over to us to cuss us out.

foxfireniner: "I took a group with young girls and my older sister there last year thinking 'no portages, base camp...easy and fine'


Well, Hog Creek kinda sucked. The water was low so we had to pull over a bunch of beaver dams and the wind, which haunted us the entire trip, made the creek challenging for my novices.


The one positive...all my novices learned how to steer their canoes!


But yeah, what I thought would be a low impact trip...especially for my older sister...turned into a slog.


We got to Perent and as soon we cleared the creek, I pulled my group over to a penninsula at the opening to discuss capsizing procedures. We had fought the wind all the way down the winding creek and now we faced whitecaps. As I discussed capsize protocols, I saw the eastern campsite open. We paddled there and there we stayed 4 days. We made it out on the lake a few times for 30 minutes to an hour but the wind always pushed us back.


Next to last day, we saw another group fighting the waves at the mouth of the creek and watched as they capsized.


As far as the people...we saw several nice all-girl groups but the guys... were all jerks. One guy brought his wife and kids, some buddies and 2 coolers of beer, brought so much gear he needed a trailer and then was mad that I dare park in the lot when he needed the last two spots.


I took one girl out fishing and the wind kept pushing us around. We ended up in the only spot unaffected by the wind with a canoe with 2 guys in it. They literally cussed us out for horning in on THEIR fishing spot...very aggressive F-bombing when I was just trying to fight the wind but ended up where it blew us, trying to get a novice to catch a fish.


I hated that lake and won't go back.

EDIT: The fun part of the guy with the trailer was that they left their fishing poles at the top of the hill at the EP. Bummer dude.

And the mouthy guys, we paddled within 200 yards of them. They had to paddle over to us to cuss us out.



"

I talked to the outfitter after my trip and it sounded like Perent has a reputation for attracting some...unsavory folks. He was not surprised that I had experienced disruptions.

foxfireniner: "I took a group with young girls and my older sister there last year thinking 'no portages, base camp...easy and fine'


Well, Hog Creek kinda sucked. The water was low so we had to pull over a bunch of beaver dams and the wind, which haunted us the entire trip, made the creek challenging for my novices.


The one positive...all my novices learned how to steer their canoes!


But yeah, what I thought would be a low impact trip...especially for my older sister...turned into a slog.


We got to Perent and as soon we cleared the creek, I pulled my group over to a penninsula at the opening to discuss capsizing procedures. We had fought the wind all the way down the winding creek and now we faced whitecaps. As I discussed capsize protocols, I saw the eastern campsite open. We paddled there and there we stayed 4 days. We made it out on the lake a few times for 30 minutes to an hour but the wind always pushed us back.


Next to last day, we saw another group fighting the waves at the mouth of the creek and watched as they capsized.


As far as the people...we saw several nice all-girl groups but the guys... were all jerks. One guy brought his wife and kids, some buddies and 2 coolers of beer, brought so much gear he needed a trailer and then was mad that I dare park in the lot when he needed the last two spots.


I took one girl out fishing and the wind kept pushing us around. We ended up in the only spot unaffected by the wind with a canoe with 2 guys in it. They literally cussed us out for horning in on THEIR fishing spot...very aggressive F-bombing when I was just trying to fight the wind but ended up where it blew us, trying to get a novice to catch a fish.


I hated that lake and won't go back.

EDIT: The fun part of the guy with the trailer was that they left their fishing poles at the top of the hill at the EP. Bummer dude.

And the mouthy guys, we paddled within 200 yards of them. They had to paddle over to us to cuss us out.



"

Just why do people have to be like that?

Mike

"


Just why do people have to be like that?


Mike "

I dunno. It seems like every year I take a new young person to the BWCA and all the times except this one, at this entry point, everyone was awesome. Not here. The data doesn't look good for Hog Creek.

I had a 100 lb girl in the front of an empty canoe battling the wind. And these guys....yes, we saw them not catching fish in this location and decided to battle the wind just to come over and ruin their secret not-catching-fish spot.

I talked to the outfitter after my trip and it sounded like Perent has a reputation for attracting some...unsavory folks. He was not surprised that I had experienced disruptions. "

Reading other people's comments makes me think that what I thought would be a low impact trip with zero portages is exactly what attracts the unsavory types.

Everywhere else in the BWCA you see people and you share a common bond with them. I didn't get that feel at Hog Creek.

foxfireniner:

In regard to your post just above mine ^^^

I think this post is right on and summarizes the issue well. Lake One is kind of like that, as is Kawishiwi Lake.

Mike

The beaver dams seem to be increasing but the pullovers are usually pretty easy. I went last year in the fall with low water levels and had to walk some sections but was surprised to find the creek bed was for the most part, pretty firm. The creek itself is full twists and turns many of the 180 degrees or so. We made a game out of it. My spouse and I paddle together and we work well as a team. We decided to try to paddle as fast is we could through the creek. This resulted in often bouncing of the weed covered banks , emergency back paddles and other shenanigans. We laughed our way out and no canoe damage.