Has anyone stayed in a lodge or hotel the night before going to entry point 37 for Kawishiwi Lake? I am looking for the easiest way to get on the water e.g. shortest (least time consuming) drive to the entry point so that we can get on the water early.

The closest I am seeing is Sawbill or stay in town in Tofte. Any thoughts on either of those or something else?

We used to stay at the AmericInn in Tofte, but then they began having a two night minimum stay. We were sometimes successful by calling them and explaining our situation and did occasionally get a one night stay. Probably depends on the mood of the person on duty?

Sawbill campground is nice. There is also a campground right at the entry point on Kawishwi lake which I believe is first-come, first-serve.

There is a rustic campground adjacent to the canoe landing at Kawishiwi Lake but it only has 5 sites and is first come so you may find yourself shut out of that. If not, it is very convenient. Not too far away on Silver Island Lake is another rustic campground with 8 sites. A bit farther is Hogback Lake campground with 3 sites. Closer to Isabella is Divide Lake campground with 3 sites. You can find a map of the area Interactive map here. Use one of the mentioned campgrounds to zoom into the area, then zoom out to see their relationship to Kawishiwi Lake.

As stated. The rustic campground right at the EP is convenient but you run the risk of all 5 sites being taken and it’s a long drive back out to another campground if it’s full. I’ve used the Kawishiwi Lake EP twice and have camped in that campground 8 times and have arrived to it full (twice), empty, and everything in between. If you go that route, you definitely want to get there early. FYI. Sawbill only has the campground, no rooms. But, you can reserve one of the campsites and they have a decent store in case you realize you forgot something for your trip when you get up there.

In Tofte I stayed at the Americinn and Cliff Dweller for Sawbill Trail entry points before they both switched to 2 night minimums. Most of the time now I either sleep in the vehicle in the EP parking lot or leave home at 2:00 am when I use a Sawbill Trail EP.

I might try Solbakken on Lake Superior this year for my Baker entry with my 7 year old. It appears that you can do a 1 night stay in one of their motel rooms and they advertise as a place to stay the night before the bwca on the Paddle and Portage podcast. It’s hard to find a place on the north shore that will do a 1 night stay.

Been there 3x got a lakeside campsite. My 2nd choice would be Sawbill campground. It’s only 30 minutes away and I like setting up camp nite before to make sure I don’t need anything. I actually made a trip to Sawbill after setting up camp at Kawish one time cuz I needed a few things. It’s an hour round trip, convenient. Nice for an after trip shower too. Can’t help you on a hotel never did that.

I would grab a spot a Sawbill Campground for several reasons:

1. You can get your permit issued there at the Outfitter.
2. Sawbill Outfitter will have current conditions along your route. Including any bear issues to avoid.
3. Showers after the trip!

I like all the other suggestions you have received. Just one more:

Temperance River Campground - You will find this campground along the Sawbill Trail as you drive in from Tofte. Again small and rustic, but, it has the distinction of not requiring a backtrack if it is full. If you get your permit along the North Shore and don't need an outfitter, then this might work perfectly.

These are great suggestions. Appreciate the insight

The Kawishiwi Lake rustic campground is hit or miss. I've been there as the only one in the campground. However, exiting the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, the place was an absolute zoo. It was clear some people set up camp for an extended period of time.

Mike

If you don't get a rustic site at Kawishiwi, there are a few backcounty sites in the area, i.e. "makeshift". There is/was one right across the road from the parking lot big enough for two tents with a rock fire ring. It is very close to the campground so you can use its outhouse.

There is also a rustic campground at Baker Lake. Some nice sites and doesn't seem as busy as Kawishiwi. Just a little farther than Sawbill to the entry point.

I stayed at the EP campground last year. It is really convenient. The only issue we had was that it rained that night and we had to pack everything when wet. A spare tent that can be stowed in the back of the truck might be a good idea.

Temperance River Campground - enjoyed staying a night next to Lake Superior prior to a trip into Kawashiwi.

I like the mentions of Sawbill Campground - a half hour closer and an outfitter right there - and a quality one at that - check them out!

As a side note on the campround at K lake. I've stayed there many times and was lucky to get a campsite most of the time. When we weren't luck we just bushwacked camped in the parking lot off to the side. No fire ring or picknic tables