Greetings,

I'm looking for campsite and fishing advice for this area for a trip starting Aug 3. I'll be going in for five nights (Cross Bay entrance) with two kids (15,10) and maybe a grandpa. The kids (and grandpa) have spent plenty of time canoe camping, but this area is new for us. We're doing a there and back trip to Cherokee with a possible side trip to Frost. I understand that Cherokee isn't much of a fishing lake but that all three have Lakers and Pike. Any advice on fishing these lakes? We caught 4 lakers one afternoon on a short trip last week but found them concentrated in one part of the lake we were on. I'll tell you where if I get similar info for Long Island and Frost. :^) Any campsite info would be greatly appreciated. Is Frost worth the side trip? Thanks.

Did that trip a few years back and loved it. There is an island capsite on Long Island lake. This so far has been my favorite capmsite in the BW. It had a great seating area, nice in and out point and since its a pretty decent size island had a nice trail that went to the other far end of it. If you plan on traveling that far i would recommend going back in and out via cherokee sawbill route. We took the route to the west and there was a ton of portages (some of which were difficult due to steepness). We pretty much did that all in one day which was a big pain so maybe if it was spread out over a couple days it wouldnt be so bad. Cherokee to me is more scenic anyways. Good luck and have fun. Almost forgot Frost lake is a nice side trip. We were told of a hiking trail on west end but couldnt seem to find it.

lassenstap, I'm going to be in this neck of the woods in late August. I'm wondering what you mean by this:

i would recommend going back in and out via cherokee sawbill route.

We're planning to go in from one of the end-of-the-Gunflint EPs (50 or 51). Bad idea?

Sorry didn't notice which entry point you were planning to use. We went out of the entry point at Sawbill (forget which entry point that is). If you are taking a different entry point then it may not matter on trip route as much as it did for us.

I would say that in early August you are going to have to grab what campsites are available. Those are pretty popular lakes.

Thanks, lassenstap. I think I know what you mean now. Yes, we're planning to come from the north.

Saga, there's a very nice, grassy, protected and park-like campsite on the far southwest corner of Long Island Lake. Since it's tucked back in the woods a bit, it's not obvious to see/find from the water. That may be why we found it open when all other sites on the lake were taken.

Yes, don't miss a taking a side trip to Frost Lake, one of the most beautiful, sandy, and moose-filled lakes in that part of the B'dub. The portage in is really not that bad. Fishing around the island and by the stream was decent.

Have fun!

Site 891 is a great site on Cherokee. Fishing will be tough there now unless you go deep.

Also- if you side trip to Frost through Gordon, be sure to try Gordon for lakers, at the end of the lake where the portage to Frost is. It gets little to no press, but I've seen some very nice trout caught there, the biggest in the 15-20lb class.

On Cherokee the island campsite at Lat: 47.9634 / Long: -90.8016 is a real gem.

Shorelunch, what does "site 891" mean? You're talking about some sort of system I don't know about.

Buffy....go to the maps section, get to Cherokee lake, put your cursor on the red dot campsites and it will display the campsite number. #891 is on the sw tip of the mid-lake island. (stayed there in June...nice site).
saga...entered Cross Bay in June, stayed on Long Island, made a loop and stayed on Cherokee and our way out. Tough fishing on both. Water was cold and just starting to warm. I'm not a Laker fisher, but I tried a lot of things. Only scratched out a few northerns. From what I hear, Frost is worth it. I plan on going to Frost in Sept.

Thanks, cowdoc!

Sorry Buffy. Good thing Cowdoc had my back.

Cowdoc, this is a long shot...but do you happen to have any pics from your time at campsite #891? I hear great things about it but cannot find any pictures of it online.
thanks,
Aldy

This is one of our favorite areas!

And has some great campsites. As previously noted, it can be very busy in early August but we have landed great sites the first week of August on both lakes so it's not impossible. I would agree that taking the first site you find is a good idea that time of year.

Long Island sites: (I can't find some of my photos here at work but I'll try to post more from home later tonight)

#570 - this is one of my favorite sites of all time. We stayed here in 2010 & again in 2017. You can spread out and there several different areas you can hang out in.














#567 - the island site. As noted it's a great site that you can wander around. Also lots of different spaces to spread out. We had our tents near the fire/kitchen area which was hard to see from the water but we still had a decent view of the lake. We set up a "hammock city" closer to the end of the island where people paddling by could see that the site was occupied.

#569 - we stayed here one year when both the island and my favorite peninsula site were full. Nice site but the hike to the bathroom is like a portage. It's on a point so you get both sunset and sunrise.

Cherokee sites:
#897 - might be my fave on this lake but we've never landed the island site. It's tucked away in a grove of cedars so it feels private but still plenty of areas to see the lake.















#899 - the sitting rock site. Love this one as well though it can get a big buggy. But the two rocks jutting out in to the lake are fabulous.





















We don't really fish so I can't help with that part of your journey.

have a great trip!

All I got.

Last's years trip on Cherokee!

My husband and I just did a loop through there. I love the shady island site on Cherokee, it has hammock sites right over the water, and a nice kitchen area, and afternoon shade. It's the island site closest to the portage in from Sitka. On Long Island there is a site tucked back by the short portage that goes into another branch of Long Island, it has two great table rocks down by the water, and a nice fire site, but slightly sloped tent pads. There is also a great Island site, and if the wind is right the site deep in the cove across from the portage in from Cherokee is nice too. On Frost I like the site closest to the portage in, but there are also sand beach sites. When we were there the sandy sites were just too buggy.

Frost well worth the trip. Nice sites there too. We paddled from Tuscarora to Frost last week and only saw 1 other group of 2 canoes and 4 people the whole time. And it is moose country. And if you are lucky....

I have traveled through this area 2016 and 2018. The route from Cross River Access to Long Island and Cherokee has a lot to offer. Beautiful forest, great bogs, lots of wildlife, river settings and waterfalls. The six portages to Karl/Long Island are short and easy. Some of the landings are boulder gardens with bad footing, however. Cooperation among crew to unload and load canoes at these bad landings will help. The three portages to Cherokee are even easier.

Both Long Island and Cherokee have lots of nice campsites, but also lots of people. You may mark your desired sites on your map, but don't count on getting them. Even the worst campsites on these lakes are pretty nice, so not to worry it too much. Lots to explore on these lakes, too. I did several lay-over days on both and took off in the morning with lunch and didn't get back to camp until mid-afternoon.