I'm new to this forum. Just saying "hi". We will be doing first true BWCA trip with kids this summer (August). Hubby is pretty experienced. I was in for a week with him once. We did two nights on Burntside with kids a couple summers ago. This summer we hope to do do 5-7 days. Would like to see some pictrographs. Kids will be 9 & 11. We are in the stage of picking an entry point. I think Mudro up to Lower Basswood Falls would be too challenging. If we go into Hegman to go see the pictographs is there enough to go see with reasonable portages to spend 5-7 days? We plan on doing something like two nights per campsite. Any thoughts appreciated.

I haven't been in the Hegman area so can't offer any advice but just wanted to say Hi and welcome to the forum. I have 3 kids: 11, 13 and 15.

Thanks for the welcome! I am starting to re-think Mudro and may go in there as long as we take our time. Then again, we might go into Lake One and do Hegman pictographs as a separate day trip when we are in a cabin with my in-laws.

Welcome! Ours are 8,7 and 4. I also haven't been in that area

Welcome to the site. Our kids are 7 and 5. Our oldest daughter has done 2 camping trips into the BWCA and we have done a lot of day trips into the BWCA w/ both of them while staying on the edge of the boundary waters.

I personally wouldn't want to stay 5-7 days entering at Hegman. I think of it more as a weekend destination if camping there. It's a very easy day trip to see the pictos. We brought our kids there when they were 2 and 4. It only took 3 hours to get from the van to the pictos and back to the van. That includes stopping to fish and eat lunch.

If it was me I'd rather day trip to the pictos at Hegman one day and then enter the BWCA at another entry point the next day and do a 4-6 day trip.

We did a 4-nighter via Entry Point #16 last summer with our two five-year-olds. We went up through the Moose River, Nina-Moose Lake, camping on Agnes Lake for one night and then went on to Lac La Croix via Boulder Bay. From there, we base-camped on Lac La Croix for two nights while doing a day trip across the lake to see the pictographs and then also a day trip through Bottle Portage to Rebecca Falls. Awesome trip! My kids did great! Would've loved to have more time to go up to Curtain Falls as well.

quote canoemomkim: "Thanks for the welcome! I am starting to re-think Mudro and may go in there as long as we take our time. Then again, we might go into Lake One and do Hegman pictographs as a separate day trip when we are in a cabin with my in-laws.
"

A belated welcome,

It seems you are interested in seeing pictographs? So, just throwing this idea out there.....

If you do enter at Lake One & are able to set up camp on Insula.... (which I think is a very realistic goal) The pictographs on Fishdance lake could then be easily reached on a daytrip.

quote TuscaroraBorealis: "

quote canoemomkim: "Thanks for the welcome! I am starting to re-think Mudro and may go in there as long as we take our time. Then again, we might go into Lake One and do Hegman pictographs as a separate day trip when we are in a cabin with my in-laws.
"

A belated welcome,


It seems you are interested in seeing pictographs? So, just throwing this idea out there.....


If you do enter at Lake One & are able to set up camp on Insula.... (which I think is a very realistic goal) The pictographs on Fishdance lake could then be easily reached on a daytrip."

I went Lake One to insula last year with an 8yr old, not a hard paddle. Just get an early start.

We went in entry 14 up the LIS and stayed for 2 nights. Base camped on Pauness. Our daughter was 11 months. It was really great. Would recommend that for sure. Enjoy.

Also new to the group...three kids (7, 4, 2) and wondering if anyone had ideas on where to stay on edge of BWCA for about 3-4 days and then make day trips?

quote aleitner: "Also new to the group...three kids (7, 4, 2) and wondering if anyone had ideas on where to stay on edge of BWCA for about 3-4 days and then make day trips?"

On the Gunflint side I would highly recommend renting a cabin from Tuscarora and day tripping from there. We did that with our kids before taking them in for a full real trip and really enjoyed it. You can enter at Cross Bay, Missing Link or Brant for daytrips right from Tuscarora. You can also canoe on Round Lake itself.

It is one of our favorite locations, we have stayed in their cabins in the late fall quite a bit since then. Cross Bay is one of our favorite entry points, we are taking another family for their first trip out of there in August this summer.

Tuscarora

quote PaddlinMadeline: "


We went in entry 14 up the LIS and stayed for 2 nights. Base camped on Pauness. Our daughter was 11 months. It was really great. Would recommend that for sure. Enjoy."

I agree about doing LIS EP 14. Lots of day trip options with moderate portages. I also think Mudro would be a great option. Once you get past the Mudro/Fourtown portage, the portages up through Gun are fairly easy. Lots of day trip options too.

I wouldn't do Hegman for 5-7 days. No real great options for day trips. Much better idea to do as a day trip, like you mentioned.

Our kids are 13, 11 and 8 and I have been amazed at what they can do. Last year I did a fairly rugged trip with the 11 and 8 y/o with 9 portages and 9 lakes in one day. I wouldn't recommend it, but they did great with it and had good attitudes.