I consider myself fairly experienced in the BWCA. This past spring I was up in the BWCA for my 18th straight year. Started a group when we were 20, kept it going since then, group has evolved but still a few original members.

It seems there are a few types of trips people go on, we generally travel and do a lot of exploring. Generally over a 5 day trip we travel 50+ miles, single portage, pack light. We do fish but not the focus.

This year I am taking my family of five into Isabella. One portage and we're on our lake.

Looking for some ideas that will make the trip memorable. I'm planning on being a donkey up there carrying the main pack + boat. But I do want to think about some ideas that will be fun for kids that maybe I haven't considered.

Let me know!

My long-time trip partner ran a lot of trips taking students, and here are some suggestions:

1 - include the family in the trip planning, menu planning, shopping, and food prep. Explain how cooking works in the woods. They will feel more invested and have less complaints about dehydrated food.
2 - Encourage other solo activities besides fishing...whatever they are into. Birding, wildflowers, photography, etc. If you have a kiddo that loves maps and orienteering, get them their own map and compass and keep them engaged in the navigation process.
3 - Download a scavenger hunt and schedule time for it.
4 - Work up a rotating schedule for campsite chores and make sure everyone is aware of it and agrees to it. Helps prevent "but I gathered firewood yesterday!" arguments.
5 - Encourage journaling. You can find some good prompts online but discussions around "what does this experience mean to you" or "what was your favorite part" are great learning and sharing experiences.

Have a great time - and take loads of photos.

Check out the rivers in and out of Isabella. If you hit the first couple portages on the Perent river it can be fun. Same with Isabella River outflow. I haven't been there since before the firs so my info might be outdated...

how old? everyone should have their own size specific paddles. my three year old daughter finally got her first official paddle this year. fishing?
I've gone extensively with my kids- 8 year old has been on 10 trips, 5 year old on 6, the 3 year old 4, and 8 month old on his first trip last June. Kids are a joy to have in the backcountry, literally my favorite way to spend time with them. My record is 4.6 miles of portaging to get into the entry lake, before our paddles even got wet! I think it was like a quadruple portage.

Here are a couple of trip reports that should help expand jamotrade's suggestion.


Island & Isabella River tour - chasing the ice out

Perent River portaging

We've done a fall trip to that area the past 3 years and are going back this fall. I love the area around the outflow of the lake. Pretty stream, nice little bridge crossing it, dry stream bed area north of the bridge is fun for kids to explore, too. You can take a little day trip hiking the Powwow Trail (easy walking on that part near Isabella Lake).