I was wondering if anyone out there has been on this trail in recent years. It's not being maintain and they will not issue any permits for the trail. I was up there a few weeks ago while on a different trail. I located the trail head and walked in for quarter mile or so just to see how it was. The beginning was fine, but I have no idea how the rest of it is. Any one out there have any information on this seldom used trail? It was great because the walk was only eight miles and Stuart Lake had great walleye fishing right off shore.

This trail gets more vague as you go. I've traced it a ways past Mule Lake and lost it for a while... re-located it again after I found that it jogged to the west a bit. It was just a day trip so I quit there. I do believe that I could have made it to Stuart but it'd be easier with someone else along. This was the trail that they used to reach the ranger cabins on La Croix, but they quit using it about thirty years ago. I've tried finding the other end, at Stuart falls, but it just doesn't want to show itself there. I did locate it on the other side of the portage and followed it to the top of the rock hill, then it loses itself again while going over the rock. A trail clearing group from the Twin Cities (along with myself) tried talking them into letting us re-open it and they wouldn't budge. Someday I may start opening it just enough for one to find his way. I hate seeing these old trails just grow shut. Stuart would be a great place to hike into. Once there, you're open to Nibon or Fox, as well. I searched as well for the trail where it crossed the portage to Fox, but had no luck there. This year, I found parts of where it met the portage at La Croix but I had no time to continue my search.

Would you mind giving me a call on this matter? In the fall, most of the grass will be gone. I have done this trail about ten times between 1980 and 1990. I have also day hiked it once very far past Mule in recent years.

8-5 m-f 218-336-1810
218-393-5384 cell

Peter

Would you be open to a scouting trip 10/16-10/18?

We made it

If this was facebook i would "Like" the comment above.

What brings you to this particular thread about this VERY unknown trail?

The Stuart Lake trail / portage? It's still used today by some to get to Stuart (if this is what your talking about).

Where can those "othes" be contacted at?

Someone is using this trail. A friend of mine walked it and noticed cut branches with sawdust on the ground. May very bad spots from last fall have been totally cleared. Markers have been put up in many places also, ribbons on trees ect.

Maybe Portage Keeper did some clearing.

It was not him, I talked to him Saturday morning.

Last May, 2 other hikers and I traced the trail all the way back to the river. on Labor Day in 09 I tried the same thing, but was slowed down by many dead falls and open water about 1 mile from the river. I turned around there as my time limit was approaching. This last spring I found that 3 very bad spots from the prior fall had been cleared. After we made it around the open water spot we found ribbon markings on trees which guided us back to the trail. Someone had also picked up a water bottle and chain guard that was on the trail. The FS had tore up the first 1/4 mile or so as to stop 4 wheelers from getting back there. You use to be able to drive up to the gravel pit, but no longer can do that. In fact as you get about 3 miles or so back there, you can still see traces of wheel tracks on the ground. So I would assume locals have been keeping this trail open for use as great off shore Walleye fishing is at the falls.

Just found this thread. A buddy and I are interested in this trail. Does anybody have a map of it? We would like a general idea if we were to hike it and try to open up any bad areas.

The best mapping that I have found for this trail is on the old Nat Geo Topo software. I believe there is something in the big Fisher map book as well. Most map makers who print it now only print the section going in as far as Stuart but the older Nat Geo shows it going as far as Boulder Bay and ever so often you'll see where it's printed to tie into the Boulder River/Lac Croix portage that goes by the ranger cabin. The trail is mostly non existent along the shore of Stuart Lake and I have heard that beaver activity blotched out sections north of the Fox portage. I located some of it several years back, along with where it leaves the Stuart/Fox portage.

If you zoom in on this link, you can see a dotted line which I am assuming is the old trail. Does this dotted line seem to represent the trail as you remember?

Yes, this is the same track that I'd mentioned. I see that it also has the benefit of coordinates... a big plus!

I love this mapping site because it shows lake depths on some rivers too. I wonder if a guy could transfer the data from this map somehow onto a GPS, hmmmmmm........

Anyone out there interested in making the hike back there towards the end of the month. I've done this trail a dozens times and most recently a year ago. I will have no issues making it back to the river. Anyone game?

quote hiker in Duluth: "Anyone out there interested in making the hike back there towards the end of the month. I've done this trail a dozens times and most recently a year ago. I will have no issues making it back to the river. Anyone game?"

Very tempting....... I might get back to you on this.

Trapper7 if your still interested in making the hike back to the lake, the weekend after opener is a great time. The trail is not covered up yet with new growth and fishing may still be good off shore. I live in Duluth and know the trail well.

Ok I'm trying again to find a brave soul who whats to make the trip back to Stuart Lake via the trail. If anyone's up to the challenge put up a reply. Its s a lot easier then one would think.

how long is the hike

I'm in Cloquet; I would be interested depending on when.

Wow, I wished I lived closer, this sounds like a great adventure!

Missed your post last summer. Want to go back there around mid May, right around opener. About a 7 mile trail and pretty much flat the whole way. Leave a message here or look me up on FB. Peter Cieluch

Peter, I think we're going to check it out over Memorial Day weekend this year. I'm going to bring a handsaw. Are my wife and I going to hate ourselves if we try and make it to Stuart Lake?

Peter,

Opener I'll hopefully be on Basswood (able to get a day use motor permit permitting) BUT I am very interested in taking this trail back to Stuart.

Harv:

You still interested in going back there this weeekend?

Kind of last minute but with the weather along the shore I would rather hike around Ely. Still looking for someone who would e=want to make the trip back to Stuart. It's 7 miles that basically flat one way. Drop a reply or email me if anyone want a guided trip back there.

I’d be willing to go up there it sounds like a fun adventure I live in Virginia Minnesota shoot me a reply I’m off on the weekends could even lightweight backpack in there if it isn’t too brushy

Peter,

My wife and I are planning on doing it this Friday. I replied previously. We have basically all day after 10am. I was able to trace the old trail on the topo map on this thread and transferred it as a gpx track to my gps. I figure we might be bushwhacking some, but at least we'll be going where the old trail was, mostly. As long as the topo map is correct on where the trail was.
-Steve

On my toppomaps plus app I was able to find US forest service historic maps loaded that and the trail is on there ,very interesting trail layout.I work until 2 PM on Friday so that’s out but I may go up and look at the trail on Saturday or Monday

I don’t believe the trail head is a Entry Point.
Don’t you have to enter the BWCA at a designated Entry Point ?

You can enter the boundary waters anywhere as long as you have a permit. If it’s for a day you only need to fill out a day permit slip. If you were to plan on staying at a designated camp site then you’d need
An over night permit. For example: I could enter at Range Lake which is no longer a designated entry point, but I would need to have an over permit for Mudro to keep me legal.

egknuti: "You can enter the boundary waters anywhere as long as you have a permit. If it’s for a day you only need to fill out a day permit slip. If you were to plan on staying at a designated camp site then you’d need
An over night permit. For example: I could enter at Range Lake which is no longer a designated entry point, but I would need to have an over permit for Mudro to keep me legal.
"

I think you should check into that a skosh..

So, my wife and I hiked the trail on Friday. We didn't make it to Stuart Lake.
Here is our gps for the "out." https://www.strava.com/activities/3515919047 I didn't record the trip back.

The good:
-The trail is very flat
-The trail is very straight
-The construction is incredible; it looks like the trail was made with a bulldozer or an excavator, not like the other BWCA hiking trails that are basically "clear narrow corridor and let people hike it in"
-The rock work is also impressive, with large stones paralleling the trail
-We could tell it used to be able to be used for snowmobiles
-Trail was relatively easy to find/follow about half a mile past Mule
-Trail is relatively dry

The bad:
-The trail is incredibly overgrown and not being maintained at all, by anyone, after about the first half mile.
-the sawn logs are becoming part of the forest floor. Rotting and moss covered.
-the rocks are covered in moss/bushes and difficult to spot now.
-We saw only two ribbons, both on the ground, pretty early on in the hike
-The trail was impassable in many places due to pine saplings, birch saplings, deadfall, and marshes. Many places we could see where the trail used to go, probably, but we had to bushwhack way around.
-About a half mile to .75 of a mile before the beaver pond (pictured on strava), the trail disappeared. Beavers have been active in the area. We could not find where the trail led to the beaver pond and there was no way to go around other than pushing through impenetrable brush. So we turned around.

Disappointed to have not made it, but we were out of food, close to out of water, and it was really tough going, even for us. I would not want to take a full backpack back there. Or fishing gear.

It's too bad nobody is maintaining the trail anymore, and it's too bad the forest service bermed up the entrance. Looks like it used to be a cool trail. With a small crew and some tools over a weekend the trail could easily be cleaned up to make it a very enjoyable easy day hike to Mule. After Mule it got progressively worse, and then disappeared. We didn't have enough time to try and find the trail on the other side of the beaver pond, but we assumed that side would be just as bad, if not worse. So in order to get to Stuart you'd have to cut new trail for about 1.75-2 miles.

If anyone wants to try and hike it, I can send you the .gpx for the entire trail I traced from the old topo map. It was pretty accurate, except for around the beaver pond. We just could not find any semblance of the trail there. You can also pull our .gpx from my strava.

Way to go. I’ve debated going up there a few times myself, but just never found the time to make it happen. Thanks for sharing all of the info. It would make for a cool hiking trail if they ever decided to open it back up, although they’d probably want to add a campsite or two on Stuart if they did that. Great work even though you didn’t make it to Stuart!

Tony

They could also add a short spur to Mule and put a campsite on Mule. It would be a really fun one night backpack for people who want an easy hike other than Angleworm. Angleworm is crowded.

Going out there 10/1 Saturday morning. I've been back there a number of times and know where to find the trail once at the beaver lake/pond. Last time was in 2019. I'm going with a friend and if 1 or 2 want to tag along we will be camping at the gravel pit right at the spot of the old trail head. Getting there around 5:00 or so that Friday night. Any takers?

pcieluch: "Going out there 10/1 Saturday morning. I've been back there a number of times and know where to find the trail once at the beaver lake/pond. Last time was in 2019. I'm going with a friend and if 1 or 2 want to tag along we will be camping at the gravel pit right at the spot of the old trail head. Getting there around 5:00 or so that Friday night. Any takers?"

Hello
Please reference the regulations, taken from the USFS website.
You need to enter at a access point. I believe the main reason for this is so the USFS can have a idea where to start a Search and Rescue.
Anyone that has had to be resuced can certainly agree with the regulations.
But like it or not, you will be entering the BWCA illegally.
With the recent Blue Paint issue on the Angleworm trail I believe there is focus on enforcement in that area as well.

TRAVEL PERMITS You must enter the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) at the entry point and on the date shown on your permit. You may not enter/re-enter at a different point or date using this permit. Permit and stubs become invalid when the trip leader exits the wilderness.

Great Melinko: "

pcieluch: "Going out there 10/1 Saturday morning. I've been back there a number of times and know where to find the trail once at the beaver lake/pond. Last time was in 2019. I'm going with a friend and if 1 or 2 want to tag along we will be camping at the gravel pit right at the spot of the old trail head. Getting there around 5:00 or so that Friday night. Any takers?"

Hello
Please reference the regulations, taken from the USFS website.
You need to enter at a access point. I believe the main reason for this is so the USFS can have a idea where to start a Search and Rescue.
Anyone that has had to be resuced can certainly agree with the regulations.
But like it or not, you will be entering the BWCA illegally.
With the recent Blue Paint issue on the Angleworm trail I believe there is focus on enforcement in that area as well.


TRAVEL PERMITS You must enter the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) at the entry point and on the date shown on your permit. You may not enter/re-enter at a different point or date using this permit. Permit and stubs become invalid when the trip leader exits the wilderness."

Technically yes, but there have always been some grey areas. Even the forest service has acknowledged the legality of entering for the day at unofficial places like Range Lake, any number of the old road grades (such as Phantom Lake or the stuff below Sock Lake...so many others), as well as official entries for the off season such as the Banadad, Burntside Ski, Farm Lake Ski, and others. The blurry part for when you can utilize non-entry points for overnights comes in the off season which starts October 1. I'm not picking an argument, just bringing up the discussion that what constitutes a legal entry point becomes less defined when folks get to write their own permits. The USFS probably would say no if you asked since they did officially close this one, but they usually turn a blind eye unless it becomes a problem. Once folks start cutting trees to keep a trail open or cause a major/minor incident (search and rescue, start a wildfire, overfish a top ranger's favorite fishing lake....) then there's problems.

Well DB it looks like my possible day hike will have to wait till sometime in the future. Got s last minute deal to go to London to watch the Vike's. Not a bad trade off. Thanks for your advise on the matter.

pcieluch: "Well DB it looks like my possible day hike will have to wait till sometime in the future. Got s last minute deal to go to London to watch the Vike's. Not a bad trade off. Thanks for your advise on the matter."

Congrats on scoring on the Vikes game. Don't listen to other folks who try to enforce rules that have zero negative impact on anyone. Life is all about adventure, and if you're not hurting anyone and want to risk a ticket, I say get out there and explore the unknown!

jwettelrin89: "

pcieluch: "Well DB it looks like my possible day hike will have to wait till sometime in the future. Got s last minute deal to go to London to watch the Vike's. Not a bad trade off. Thanks for your advise on the matter."

Congrats on scoring on the Vikes game. Don't listen to other folks who try to enforce rules that have zero negative impact on anyone. Life is all about adventure, and if you're not hurting anyone and want to risk a ticket, I say get out there and explore the unknown! "

I could say that ignoring the motor ban , cans or no permits dosent hurt anyone...but I won't.

Great Melinko: "

jwettelrin89: "

pcieluch: "Well DB it looks like my possible day hike will have to wait till sometime in the future. Got s last minute deal to go to London to watch the Vike's. Not a bad trade off. Thanks for your advise on the matter."

Congrats on scoring on the Vikes game. Don't listen to other folks who try to enforce rules that have zero negative impact on anyone. Life is all about adventure, and if you're not hurting anyone and want to risk a ticket, I say get out there and explore the unknown! "

I could say that ignoring the motor ban , cans or no permits dosent hurt anyone...but I won't.
"

I'm glad you won't say that, because motors do impact others experiences, so does not respecting permit limits. Cans? Who really cares as long as you pack it out?

Going camping in some remote part of the woods on public property? They're not hurting anyone.

Cheers.

Was hoping to hear about the weekend success of going on this trial. I'm intrigued with this thread; haven't had a chance to go up and look for it yet.

Harv:

Look at my email under my profile and send me a note.