BWCA Off-The-Gunflint options with kids Boundary Waters Group Forum: Canoeing with kids
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sleepnbag
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12/31/2011 10:32AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Like Nojobro,
We are looking for suggestions for a small Children trip. We are open to anywhere but thought we might like to try the Gunflint side as we have never been over there yet.
We would likely base camp, Fishing not a priority, considering a Tow as well. (The boys would think that was a hoot)
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks!
 
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12/31/2011 11:41AM  
Lizz #47 is perfect with little kids. Small lakes and short easy portages. Once you find basecamp whether Caribou, Horseshoe, Vista, or even Gaskin you have tons of daytripping options in all directions. My wife and I did a prekid trip to Gaskin and loved the area. Our favorite so far. The small lakes north of Gaskin like Allen, Pillsbury, and even Henson were empty when we daytripped there. We will go back with the kids someday and camp on Horseshoe or Vista after we hit some areas we haven't seen yet. That's where Nojobro did her kid trip last year camping on Horseshoe.

The next ones I haven't been to but they are on my list to do.

Cross Bay #50 is on my list to do with kids as it also has small lakes. Cross Bay and Snipe lakes appear to be nice small lakes. I've also heard good things about Long Island and there would be good daytripping from there. I've heard the portages are a little more difficult than Lizz area but nothing to keep you away.

Larch Creek #80 with basecamp on Larch or Clove. I've heard that's not a good August trip because low water can cause trouble.

East Bearskin #64 to basecamp on Alder/Canoe/Pierz etc. Supposed to be a pretty area and a daytrip to Johnson Falls would be cool. Lin at Rockwood said that is their 2nd suggestion for families with kids behind Lizz.
 
12/31/2011 03:43PM  
We took our daughter on her first trip in Lizz. We should have stopped at horseshoe or caribou but pushed on to Gaskin. When we got to Gaskin all the sites were full except the last one near the portage to Hensen. Granted it was a holiday weekend but in my opinion it was too far. There were several portages to get back that far and a few pretty rocky ones. Her and I both fell. After the first night she became sick and I was really kicking myself for taking her in that far. My advice is go in Lizz, its nice, we saw Moose on the portage from Lizz to the next lake. Stay on one of the first couple of lakes. Day trip around to others. I'm sure your boys will love it. Also we stayed at Rockwood Outfitters in a bunkhouse. Mike and Lin were great! Their bunkhouses include bathrooms right in the bunk. They were more than accommodating when we arrived back at the bunk 3 days early with a puking kid. Good Luck!
 
Woodtick
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12/31/2011 04:27PM  
My wife and I are taking our two kids (6yr & 4yr) in next summer for their first over-nighter. We're choosing Daniels Lake for basecamping since it's very easy to get to and not crowded. Most people overlook this entry.
 
TuscaroraBorealis
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01/03/2012 02:20AM  
Blue heaven on the Granite river

You would be doing alot of paddling in a riverine setting and very little on large open lakes. Thus minimizing potential wind problems.(I realize the cliff diving would be too much for kids) But there are still lots of great swimming options. The northern most site on Clove offers a great beach setting if you can get it. The one closest to the portage from the Pine river is also decent for swimming. The island site on Larch is also very nice. And both of those lakes would be very easy to get to in one day. All short easy portages in this area through to the Devils' elbow.

Of course much of this area was affected by the Ham lake fire. But IMHO Clove and Larch aren't too bad. There is clear evidence of the fire, but the campsites were mostly spared. If you push past Clove the stark barren landscape might be a bit much & most of the campsites all the way to the Devils' elbow were hit hard by the fire.

I've been through here the past couple years in late July/August and had no serious issue with water levels. I think the beavers do a pretty good job of maintaining the water levels in Larch creek. But you'd still do well to keep in touch with an outfitter or someone of the like about current conditions before your trip. In my experience the big thing about coming in through Larch is that if you have a kevlar (versus aluminum) canoe it may take some unwanted abuse dragging over the beaver dams, rocks etc.

Did I mention blueberries?!? :)
 
01/03/2012 10:51AM  
Larch Creek thru Larch Lake into Clove Lake. Half day paddle or less with little ones. Sandy beach site on clove is great for kids and playing. A couple beaver dams on Larch and one short portage into Clove.
 
01/03/2012 11:22AM  
Agree Lizz Lake entry is fabulous for a trip with kids. We stayed two nights on Caribou and one on Horseshoe. The one on Caribou was great with the kids because there was a large sloping rock to the water line...obviously you still have to watch your kids but if they would have gone in the water, it would have been a slow slide rather than a fall (and really it was so flat and sloping they probably would not have slid in anyway). It's the site across from (directly north of) the portage to Horseshoe.

Horseshoe has some very pretty sites. We stayed at one way over near the river, past the portage to Vista. It is not on one of the major maps. Very magical feeling site, but not the easiest with kids (big hill to the latrine, small fire area that sits up from the water on a big rock) but all was well. There is place where the kids can sit and be near the water, too. But it depends on your comfort level of your little one around a bigger rock with a drop off. But it's very secluded and there was just something magical about the site.

Both of those had tent pads plenty big enough for our 4-person tent (and the one on Horseshoe had a HUGE tent pad area).

I remmeber looking into the Granite River route last year (though keep in mind here I did not click on TB's link)...and I disqualified it. There was something about an area next to rapids with a very narrow path and a big drop to the water. There were a couple other portaging issues, too, if I recall correctly. There may be an old thread from last year buried about it somewhere if you take the time to search.

All the portages we went on were easy. I can't remember exactly the lengths but I think the longest was like 75 rods or even less.

The only thing with Lizz is the Poplar crossing. We put in at Rockwood, and directly crossed the lake to the portage to Lizz, in both directions. It was a bit big water for a bit on the way back. However, if it's really bad, you can paddle all the way around and not do the direct cross. But that may be something you'd have to do (and going around will be WAY farther). However, while Poplar can get a bit hairy...it's not the rule that it is, I don't think.
 
01/09/2012 11:35AM  
Granite River Route - Horsetail Rapids was Spartan2's worst nightmare - think that's what nola's talking about.

Did it last summer beginning of August and it was fine. I can see where it might be nasty depending on water levels. As it is, it was rocky for us and there was a down tree toward the end you had to decide how to get under it. The path follows a SIDE CREEK to the main rapids. Maybe in high water the two branches are all joined? The side creek was walkable if we had wanted to do that (did it toward the end to get under the down tree). It was kind of a PITA portage, but not a dangerous one at the time I went.

Toward the very end of the portage.
This last one kind of shows the PITA part... looking back on the portage, if the water is higher, you'd be forced up on to that sloping rock on the left (your right as you portage north). The water was actually already "high" for the time of year we went in early August. Even without being forced to walk on that slanted rock, the rock path was also a pain. Eventually I set the canoe in the 6-10" water and walked it down to the fallen tree at the end (scraping off some gel coat in the process). Not the most fun portage, but not the most awful for me either. Those rapids (the main ones would be to the right in the last picture through the trees on the main channel of the river) have been "mined" for archeological material and found voyageur days stuff from people that tried to run them. Overall a very cool route.
 
sleepnbag
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01/31/2012 08:59PM  
Thanks for the info everyone!
I think we're leaning towards Liz.
SB
 
luft
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01/31/2012 11:08PM  
Chiming in with another vote for the Lizz entry. We did it last year as our first family trip and we managed it well with one mom and 3 boys- 9,11, and 13yrs old. Beautiful area. Loved our trip.

We were headed to Horseshoe but ended stopping short on Caribou due to wind, waves, and freezing temps in late October. If it had been summer we could have easily made it to Horseshoe. We base camped on Caribou and day tripped.

Next year we have our eye on the East Bearskin route so I also put a second vote in for that idea.
 
sleepnbag
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02/04/2012 10:57AM  
Permit for EP47 (Liz) Reserved.
Bunkhouse at Rockwood reserved.
Now it's just a matter of twiddling my thumbs.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
 
luft
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02/04/2012 12:31PM  
Sounds like a wonderful trip! You are going to love Mike and Lin at Rockwood... such good people. Stop at the Trail Center for breakfast or lunch on the way in or out.

The thumb twiddling is what kills me. Seems like trip time will never get here :-)
 
02/05/2012 11:49AM  
Sweet. Very exciting.

One of our favorite things about using the bunkhouse at Rockwood is getting to talk to Mike and Lin before and after the trip. Great people!

Entering at Lizz w/ little ones will be awesome. One of the nicest things about that entry is you will have lots of options once you get there and what the "mood" of the little ones is.

Our first meal after exiting is always lunch at Trail Center. mmmmmmm good.
 
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