Hello,
Finally my age is catching up with my body. I was thinking of getting a tow into Lac La Croix and base camping. Has anyone done this and will they tow boat drop you off at an open campsite? I know they go to Bottle Portage, but only permits available for our dates are Lac La Croix.

Thanks in advance.

They, meaning Andersen's or Zup's will drop you off at an rocky point just behind a campsite or on an island just north of that same campsite at Snow Bay. They aren't supposed to drop at an actual campsite, but both are easy paddles to any of the camps in the immediate vicinity, weather permitting. Hope that helps!

That helps a great deal thank you.

Now my next question is anyone have a suggestion for a great campsite on Lac LaCroix?

HighnDry: "They, meaning Andersen's or Zup's will drop you off at an rocky point just behind a campsite or on an island just north of that same campsite at Snow Bay. They aren't supposed to drop at an actual campsite, but both are easy paddles to any of the camps in the immediate vicinity, weather permitting. Hope that helps!"

I guess I do not know the rules on this specifically, but us BW rangers allowed it to happen right in front of us in the past. We were cleaning campsites and the outfitters were unloading people on the same campsite we were cleaning. If someone is camping there that is not good, but they knew we were not staying since we talked to them.

Please understand we are good being dropped off at Bottle Portage or somewhere else and paddling to a campsite. We do not want
to break the rules nor knock someone that has worked their tail off to get a campsite.

Most of the sites to the west of Bottle Portage, in Tiger Bay and Boulder Bay Area, are excellent. Same for the sites up by Fish Stake Narrows. You can see photos and ratings if you look in the map section of this site.

Lac La Croix map

Sent you an email, Georgiaboy.

Lac la Criox tows can only travel/drop off in Canadian waters.

mr.barley: "Lac la Criox tows can only travel/drop off in Canadian waters."

We were dropped off in American waters by Anderson outfitters the last time I utilized a tow to Lac La Croix.

TuscaroraBorealis: "

mr.barley: "Lac la Criox tows can only travel/drop off in Canadian waters."

We were dropped off in American waters by Anderson outfitters the last time I utilized a tow to Lac La Croix."

They may do that, but they are not supposed to. My experience with Anderson’s is that they stick to the rules. At least Mark does when he is making the drop or picking up. The US side of Lac La Croix is the BCWA. LLC doesn’t not have motor boat exception like Moose, Basswood, etc ….which are only 25 hp anyway.

We are thinking Bottle Portage will be our destination. Maybe we can get a permit and go into Iron Lake. If not we will stay in Lac Lacroix. We have been in that area many times over the years.

Georgiaboy: "We are thinking Bottle Portage will be our destination. Maybe we can get a permit and go into Iron Lake. If not we will stay in Lac Lacroix. We have been in that area many times over the years."

You can day trip wherever you want, including Iron. That said, are you sure there isn’t a Little Vermillion Lake permit available for your entry date?

plander: "

TuscaroraBorealis: "

mr.barley: "Lac la Criox tows can only travel/drop off in Canadian waters."

We were dropped off in American waters by Anderson outfitters the last time I utilized a tow to Lac La Croix."

They may do that, but they are not supposed to. My experience with Anderson’s is that they stick to the rules. At least Mark does when he is making the drop or picking up. The US side of Lac La Croix is the BCWA. LLC doesn’t not have motor boat exception like Moose, Basswood, etc ….which are only 25 hp anyway. "

I stand corrected. I looked back at trip, and they dropped us off on a very tiny island right on the line so I suppose it was technically Canada but we were paddling in bwca waters virtually instantaneously.

I was able to get a little Vermillion permit. Thanks to all who helped.

Here’s my two cents. I’ve taken the tow 4 times. I too am older and while I will still portage, I try to do it less and less. Three times we went to Bottle and portaged to Iron to base camp. Usually we fish that lake for all of the time, but we have also day tripped to Crooked. Not a terribly difficult portage. Also, during Covid when Americans weren’t allowed to tow past Snow Bay on LLC, Anderson’s dropped us on a small island across from a campsite right at the entrance to the bay. Sounded like they had dropped people on the site but it was occupied when we were there. We paddled to an island site north of Trygg and did day trips from there. That was nice for an easy in/out. But you could still hear and see the tows from the Canadian side, which is why I prefer Iron. I have been on tows when they drop people at island sites right by the border, so that is an option. If you do that I would recommend getting dropped by fish stake narrows and finding a site well west of there near Lady Boot Bay or Pocket Creek. Anderson’s is great to work with and will basically put you close to where you want to go wherever that may be along the tow route.

TuscaroraBorealis: "

plander: "

TuscaroraBorealis: "

mr.barley: "Lac la Criox tows can only travel/drop off in Canadian waters."

We were dropped off in American waters by Anderson outfitters the last time I utilized a tow to Lac La Croix."

They may do that, but they are not supposed to. My experience with Anderson’s is that they stick to the rules. At least Mark does when he is making the drop or picking up. The US side of Lac La Croix is the BCWA. LLC doesn’t not have motor boat exception like Moose, Basswood, etc ….which are only 25 hp anyway. "

I stand corrected. I looked back at trip, and they dropped us off on a very tiny island right on the line so I suppose it was technically Canada but we were paddling in bwca waters virtually instantaneously."

This has confused me for years. Like when you see people getting dropped at Bottle portage to spend a week fishing Iron lake....and just wanted to get there quick. Yes, TECHNICALLY you got towed in Canada but were paddling instantly in BW waters, but, TECHNICALLY your entry then is from Canada??? But I'm sure most of those drop offs have Vermillion entry permits. Is it one of those little glitches that gets looked at with a blind eye? Seems unfair to the people paddling up from MRN to get to Iron or Eastern LLC. Technically.....tow entries for LLC on the MN side need to stop at Snow Bay and you need to paddle the north and east arm of LLC to get to the Tiger Bay area or the Bottle portage. Feel free to correct my logic on all the technicalities.....like I said.....its confusing.

cowdoc: "

TuscaroraBorealis: "

plander: "

TuscaroraBorealis: "

mr.barley: "Lac la Criox tows can only travel/drop off in Canadian waters."

We were dropped off in American waters by Anderson outfitters the last time I utilized a tow to Lac La Croix."

They may do that, but they are not supposed to. My experience with Anderson’s is that they stick to the rules. At least Mark does when he is making the drop or picking up. The US side of Lac La Croix is the BCWA. LLC doesn’t not have motor boat exception like Moose, Basswood, etc ….which are only 25 hp anyway. "

I stand corrected. I looked back at trip, and they dropped us off on a very tiny island right on the line so I suppose it was technically Canada but we were paddling in bwca waters virtually instantaneously."

This has confused me for years. Like when you see people getting dropped at Bottle portage to spend a week fishing Iron lake....and just wanted to get there quick. Yes, TECHNICALLY you got towed in Canada but were paddling instantly in BW waters, but, TECHNICALLY your entry then is from Canada??? But I'm sure most of those drop offs have Vermillion entry permits. Is it one of those little glitches that gets looked at with a blind eye? Seems unfair to the people paddling up from MRN to get to Iron or Eastern LLC. Technically.....tow entries for LLC on the MN side need to stop at Snow Bay and you need to paddle the north and east arm of LLC to get to the Tiger Bay area or the Bottle portage. Feel free to correct my logic on all the technicalities.....like I said.....it’s confusing."

My two cents…

1. Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842

2. Also read the third entry in this post. My guess is there has been and continues to be a long standing agreement with the CBSA to allow outfitters to drop folks at Bottle Portage for US only (BWCA) trips starting and ending there. You may recall that during COVID this access to halted (in Aug 2020 Anderson’s only took us as far as Snow Bay, Mark was not allowed to take us any farther nor travel on the Canada side of LLC). This is more consistent to the relatively new regs on the matter in the post referenced above.

Note, this is not a Quetico issue since LLC is not in Quetico.

Georgiaboy: "Now my next question is anyone have a suggestion for a great campsite on Lac LaCroix?"

Site #177 (on the map page on this web site) is real nice.