We are considering a route that takes us up the Dahlgren River to LLC for some fishing, but I have a few questions before I go crazy on the planning.

Do water levels effect whether this river is navigable in mid-August?

Is this area busy?

We are also looking for recommendations for camp on Stuart. I've read a lot of the different sites review sections, but I find some people don't like to give too much info on there to keep it short. We are looking for a site that is more on the secluded side that will accommodate three hammocks. I was considering the site closest to the Dahlgren portage, but would love some feedback if there's a better site. We enjoy a nice view at the grate and shore fishing, so these would be factors I would consider.

Also, is it easier to navigate from the LLC side, or the stuart side? Thinking about making the loop through iron, too.

Just did it all last September. Dahlgren flows from Stuart to Boulder Bay. Water levels were fine for September so should be good in August. Did the loop from LLC to Iron and back to Stuart thru Rush, Fox. That last portage into Stu was kinda tough. Site on Stu near Dahlgren portage is very nice. Somebody was on the island but looked ok from the water. Other nice site is by Fox portage to south. The site we had could handle hammocks

To be clear, we stayed on 1824 for 2 nights, Tiger Bay one night, did the loop back to Stuart and stayed on 1823 for last night cuz other sites were taken. There was only a solo guy on Stuart our 1st 2 nights...only saw him once. Had our pick of sites near Tiger Bay, but then had 2 or 3 groups on Stuart for last night. 1824 is great site, 1823 was not great but ok.

Thanks for the feedback!

I've stayed on 1824 (one closest to Dahlgren portage) and 1825 (island site closest to the falls and Stuart River portage). I think 1824 is the best site on the lake, but 1825 is fine, too. 1823 has a great view, but I agree with cowdoc that it's not as good as the other two. It's pretty open and I'm not sure about ability to find 3 trees for hanging hammocks.

As far as the Dahlgren, I've gone up the river twice (from LLC to Stuart) and had no issues with current or obstructions like beaver dams either time. I wasn't there in low water situations like you might run into in mid-August, but my recollection is that it should still be navigable. And I think it's been mentioned in other discussions, the portage between Stuart and the Dahlgren is really scenic --- lots of old-growth pines (red pines, I think).

And as far as activity levels, on one of my trips (mid-June) I was the only person on the lake for a whole weekend and on the other (Memorial Day), there were three other groups that winnowed down to just one other group before we even got to Memorial Day. I think the one portage per day quota for EP 19 probably keeps Stuart on the quiet end of things.

The one permit a day was what drew me in.

Thanks for the info on the campsites! We have a few days in that area so I'm sure we will check most of them out. Less than 50 days to my trip, so excited!