Looking for ideas to take 6 kids on their first BWCAW trip. Were looking at 3 experienced adults and kids ranging from 12 to 5 years old. Looking to be out for 7 days.

Can you fill in a few more details so we can better gauge your needs for our answers?

What time of year?
Base camp or move camps everyday?
Swimming?
Fishing?
Sightseeing?
Day trips?
Level of difficulty wanted? I am assuming you want as easy as possible? Short easy portages, smaller lakes?

9 people total?... how many tents?

Time of year- July
We do routes
swimming and fishing of course
day-trips if available
7 days in
portages under 200 rods if we can
9 ppl 2 tents and 2 hammocks

I would echo the Sawbill EP #38 that was mentioned in your thread posted in the trip planning forum. This EP has many options for trips that can be as easy or hard as you like. Sawbill to Kelso River to Kelso Lake is a bout as easy as they come!

But my first vote would be for the #47 Lizz Lake entry. We have tripped out of this EP several times. You can enter at the official landing of the EP or you can get your permit at Rockwood Lodge and leave from their landing. We like doing this as we rent a place to sleep from them the night before and get up at first light and are ready to go right out our front door. They let you park your car there for the trip.

What I like about this area is that there are so many different loops and day trips to take and the lakes are truly beautiful.

Poplar to Lizz to Caribou will get you to the first campsites but I would recommend going in one more lake to Horseshoe and camping there. Great campsites on Horseshoe, frequent moose sightings, and I have heard there is decent fishing. From there you can head out in several directions as day trips or continue on a route through any number of lakes.

Previous thread on EP 47 with kids

The link above has some good info on traveling in this area (with kids)...

quote luft: "I would echo the Sawbill EP #38 that was mentioned in your thread posted in the trip planning forum. This EP has many options for trips that can be as easy or hard as you like. Sawbill to Kelso River to Kelso Lake is a bout as easy as they come!


But my first vote would be for the #47 Lizz Lake entry. We have tripped out of this EP several times. You can enter at the official landing of the EP or you can get your permit at Rockwood Lodge and leave from their landing. We like doing this as we rent a place to sleep from them the night before and get up at first light and are ready to go right out our front door. They let you park your car there for the trip.


What I like about this area is that there are so many different loops and day trips to take and the lakes are truly beautiful.


Poplar to Lizz to Caribou will get you to the first campsites but I would recommend going in one more lake to Horseshoe and camping there. Great campsites on Horseshoe, frequent moose sightings, and I have heard there is decent fishing. From there you can head out in several directions as day trips or continue on a route through any number of lakes.


Previous thread on EP 47 with kids

The link above has some good info on traveling in this area (with kids)...

"

+1..... I entered at Lizz and basecamped on Gaskin with my wife a few years ago and then last year just my 7 year old daughter and I entered there and basecamped on Caribou. We do the Rockwood thing also and it's great pushing of at first light right from their beach. Mike and Lin are awesome. It's a Great area w/ small lakes and tons of options for different directions to go. This year w/ just my 5 year old daughter and I we are probably heading in at Sawbill.

Consider a route from Brule to Bower Trout.

If you can get it? The site on Vernon (nearest the portage from Brule bay) has a great little swimming spot. And, is a great site for larger groups. Otherwise you could claim one of the sites in Brule bay.

Also, from there you could hike back to a beautiful waterfall. (also a great swimming spot.)

Fishing is usually good in Brule bay.

After exploring that area for a few days you could move to Swan lake where there is good swimming too. Then, eventually, out Bower Trout. There is a 200 rod portage on this route but, it is not a challenging trail. Or you could just base camp in Brule bay and avoid portaging (except day trips) all together. Not to mention you wouldn't have to shuttle vehicles either.

Here's a trip report from that area. Brule bay baby

It doesn't cover the entire route but, will give you a good idea what the area has to offer.