I am going to try to get in a third trip if the weather allows it the first weekend of November. I have never done a solo trip in the BWCA before so my plan is to just base camp at a lake that isn't very deep to get comfortable with it. Also, I know weather will be a factor and do not want to put myself in a dangerous situation by myself for my first solo in a canoe. I have solo'd the Superior Hiking Trail. Any recommendations on good entry points. Ideally I would like a river entrance that leads me to a lake not to deep (3-4 hours max). I was thinking LIS or Stuart, but I did both of those already this year.

Also, any tips for a first timer soloing in the BWCA would be much appreciated.

Thanks for your help and please cross your fingers that it will stay warm enough for the lakes rivers to stay open until 11/10 or so.

Baker Lake entry. Small/shallow lakes with maybe a hint of current this time of year. Gone in there twice for a solo just before ice up in late oct.

Do remember that minus current-- the shallower bodies of water tend to ice up faster then the deeper ones.

Thanks someone else had mentioned baker. I am going to get my canoe next weekend. Super excited to bring it out and do my first solo. Bell Magic Kev.

Hog Creek to Perent Lake. That's not too deep into the BW

Thinking of maybe going with the theme of staying with larger bodies of water (to prevent being iced in), but still having river paddling available. How about entering Sawbill Lake and heading to Kelso Lake. You have 2 ways out of Kelso Lake. (East to Sawbill and south to Alton.) You have the Kelso River you can paddle north to Lujenida Lake. (Stop and visit the dolman.) if you are up for more adventurous river/bog type paddling, day trip across the 460 to Zenith lake and paddle through to Frederich Lake to the west. If the weather looks particularly like you might get ice, you could even stay on Sawbill and day trip out to Kelso to paddle the river during warmer daytime hours.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Baker Lake entry. There is great beauty and scenery there. I would definitely talk to the folks at Sawbill Outfitters to find out the local conditions before heading out on the smaller/shallower waters that time of year. For whatever reason, I have observed that the Sawbill area has different ice up/ice out dates than Ely and Gunflint.

Just a reminder that, depending on how far up the Temperance River you go, if you need to use them there are bigger lakes to the north - South Temperance and Brule Lakes. Brule is an entry point. You might want to make sure you have maps for that route if it becomes necessary.

You could also consider EP #37, Kawishiwi Lake.