Hello folks..

With only three trips under my belt, I think I need another. My last 10-day solo trip was over 30 years ago and I paddled to a new campsite everyday. This time, I would like to take it easy and spend multiple days at one camp site to unwind. I'd love to find a dead-end lake at the end of a challenging portage that most people avoid.

I asked AI and was told Gogebic Lake, Crystal Lake, Boulder Lake or Davis Lake, but I need to run this question by the group.

Also, I'd like a lake that has smooth bedrock campsite shores and and some terrain.

Thanks!

It was burnt about 15 years ago, but the northern most site on Bog Lake seems to fit your requirements. Bog Lake daytrip

Are you fishing? What species would you like to be near?

I hate to say it but I like the AI suggestions.

I'd add Frederick Lake. The lone campsite is not one huge exposed rock but there is a rock along the water big enough to set up a chair and enjoy one's coffee.

Maybe Toe Lake, off of SAK. You're in the big cliffs part of the BWCA so I'm sure there's enough bedrock for ya. It's a popular lake but I don't think many people come into Toe. The lone campsite survived the fire earlier this year.

I just finished a solo trip to the far east camp site at crystal lake it was not difficult to get there, about 5 hours from East Bearskin Resort. However it was very quiet and extremely isolated being a dead end lake. There is a portage that connects to the very east campsite that connects to a couple lakes to the north (none of the lakes to the north have campsites) The camp site was very much on hill. I wouldn't want to tent camp there again. Hammock camping would be awesome.

Thanks kind folks.. I'll look into those suggestions.

Yes I would like to fish, but I'm not choosy and will be happy with any fish.

Reminds me when I was a teen on a Boy Scout trip.. I thought I had a snag which pulled my friend and me about 30' to a spot the fish refused to leave. How big is a fish that can pull two boys like that ?

The line broke as soon as I looked down and saw him.

There are a couple of Boulder Lakes. The one I am thinking is West of Crab lake. I was checked it out a couple of years ago and it was a decent site. Campsite 274. Dead end lake and based on the overgrown portage not one that gets visited very often. Would not be too hard to get to this site in one day, especially if you got a tow across Burntside. EP4 permits tend to be a little easier to come by than others.

The other Boulder Lake is not technically a dead end, but based on what an outfitter told me it the portage on the North side is quite an adventure and very rarely gets used. Campsite 980. I've never been there but if you find it on the map there are several campsite reviews with pictures. Reaching this one in a day from the closest EP (37 Kiwishiwi Lake) would be very challenging.

Sounds like a Northern Pike of at least 25 lbs or more to be able to pull you around like that. If the lake has enough depth to provide the right temperature for a large pike with large enough bait fish like cisco and sufficient oxygen. Head water lakes with insufficient depth, water temperature, oxygen levels and sizable bait fish may stunt their growth potential creating a little green pike hammer handle army. I've seen stunted Lake Trout too in Inspiration Lake, Armstrong Station where they all seem to be in the 4-5 lbs range. With little to no fishing pressure many of these Lake Trout have a large head and unusually smaller body they are probably suffering from starvation to some extent. You can catch a laker just about every cast with 5 more following it to the funeral trying to get in the net with the hooked fish... Being a head water lake without large forage bait fish present can create some odd fish...

I pulled a bunch of ideas together. Not all of these have smooth bedrock, but most do. Those that don't have a lot of solitude and are tough to get to, but could be interesting destinations for you. Also one or two comical options (haha.) Some that came to my mind - East to West:

Long/Stump:Not overly rocky, but it is a bugger to get to and would be quiet
Gogebic (your list)
Partridge - has hiking access, lot a lot of big rock slope sites but huge topo, one canoe only site and two with hiking trail access. Could be an interesting side hobby during the day to go for a hike on the BRT?
Otto - interesting area
Powell/West Fern/Virgin - not a dead end, but some rocky sites and the burn keeps it from being so high of traffic
Dent? - Also not dead end, but a quiet route and a nice rock slope site
Paulson - burned and tough to get to, but cool area, lots of neat topo
Basketong? Haha - maybe not a primo destination these days - and maybe not a rock slope perse - but definitely quiet and dead end.
Alworth - Not a hard portage, but not a lot of traffic leaving Ima - also has some unmarked sites and a chance for quiet
South Wilder - Also wouldn't say primo destination post Pagami Creek, but otherwise...
Quadga: Not terribly difficult, but it is a dead end and does have rocky sites
Neewin: also not much of a rock slope site I don't believe? But it does have solitude
And probably some options over by Trout too.

Gogebic lake is an incredible lake. But there is nothing smooth about any of it shores.

CanoeViking: "Gogebic lake is an incredible lake. But there is nothing smooth about any of it shores. "

Haha! That's true. Lots of jagged rock - very little smooth rock.

TreeBear: "

CanoeViking: "Gogebic lake is an incredible lake. But there is nothing smooth about any of it shores. "

Haha! That's true. Lots of jagged rock - very little smooth rock."

It would be a great place for solitude if that campsite is free.
There were a group of outward bound people on the hiking trail campsite when we were there, you can't see it from the lake.

Millzberry: "The camp site was very much on hill. I wouldn't want to tent camp there again. Hammock camping would be awesome."

I ran into a work party at the portage into Crystal two years ago. They said that they had just worked on leveling the tent pads at both sites, which I thought was great because both sites on the lake are known for the slope. We stayed at the far one and my dad, in a tent, didn't complain about the slope. But he doesn't complain about much. There was still some but I guess it wasn't as bad as it used to be? I slept in a hammock so I wasn't paying close attention to the slope.

I love Crystal. Lakers and (a small population of large) Walleyes right there in Crystal. Trophy Brookies in Bench. Get the slam with a Splake from Pierz. You will see more people than a typical dead-end lake because of those brookies and also the silver mine off of Spaulding which Paddle and Portage just featured earlier this month.

I think the AI was thinking about the Boulder just north of Adams. Incredible amount of smallmouth bass in that lake. The island campsite is exactly what you're looking for, big flat bedrock along the water. I imagine you'd see at least one group every day though, I saw 3 when I was there for less than 24 hours in 2024.

Millzberry: "I just finished a solo trip to the far east camp site at crystal lake it was not difficult to get there, about 5 hours from East Bearskin Resort. However it was very quiet and extremely isolated being a dead end lake. There is a portage that connects to the very east campsite that connects to a couple lakes to the north (none of the lakes to the north have campsites) The camp site was very much on hill. I wouldn't want to tent camp there again. Hammock camping would be awesome."

I soloed here 15-20 years ago. I'd agree, though I loved the solitude. Went into Spaulding Lake and saw the mine and mining artifacts. Spaulding Lake is the dead end of the dead end!

Mike

MikeinMpls: "

Millzberry: "I just finished a solo trip to the far east camp site at crystal lake it was not difficult to get there, about 5 hours from East Bearskin Resort. However it was very quiet and extremely isolated being a dead end lake. There is a portage that connects to the very east campsite that connects to a couple lakes to the north (none of the lakes to the north have campsites) The camp site was very much on hill. I wouldn't want to tent camp there again. Hammock camping would be awesome."

I soloed here 15-20 years ago. I'd agree, though I loved the solitude. Went into Spaulding Lake and saw the mine and mining artifacts. Spaulding Lake is the dead end of the dead end!


Mike"

FYI: While it is certainly not a walk in the park, there is a portage out of Spaulding into Bench Lake.

TuscaroraBorealis: "

MikeinMpls: "

Millzberry: "I just finished a solo trip to the far east camp site at crystal lake it was not difficult to get there, about 5 hours from East Bearskin Resort. However it was very quiet and extremely isolated being a dead end lake. There is a portage that connects to the very east campsite that connects to a couple lakes to the north (none of the lakes to the north have campsites) The camp site was very much on hill. I wouldn't want to tent camp there again. Hammock camping would be awesome."

I soloed here 15-20 years ago. I'd agree, though I loved the solitude. Went into Spaulding Lake and saw the mine and mining artifacts. Spaulding Lake is the dead end of the dead end!



Mike"

FYI: While it is certainly not a walk in the park, there is a portage out of Spaulding into Bench Lake."

Yep, but I couldn't find it even back then.

Mike

I took the portage over to Bench last fall.
She's very much in tact.