Just booked my permit for my 1st solo canoe trip. I've done multiple canoe trips and multiple solo backpacking trips. This will be the first time solo in a boat. I'll be in the BWCA Aug 5-8, starting from Isabella and would love to hear recommendations.

Thanks!

Are you planning on base-camping on Isabella or tripping somewhere? Obviously, no real loops possible from there. A nice one-way trip would be down the Isabella River. From Lake Isabella, you'd be in Pagami burn until after Quadga Lake. You could do something as short as taking out at Little Isabella EP (but you'd need a long bike ride to get back to your car). Otherwise if you're being dropped at Isabella, you could travel back to South Kawishiwi EP, Little Gabbro EP, Farm Lake EP, or Lake One EP. All would be pretty easily traveling.

If you're staying put on Isabella, I did a day trip into the Perent River from Isabella. There is a little swath in there to the southeast of Isabella that wasn't burned if you want some nice scenery.

I don't know the condition of the campsites post-fire on Isabella but I've stayed at both the island sites on the bigger island: the western one is nicer. I believe the eastern site may be closed.

At this point, I'm pretty wide open. If I can get in early enough in the day, I'd like to get at least one portage behind me. On nights 2 and 3, I'd like to be further in and then come out to Isabella for night 4. Not sure whether I'll go wet or east. I haven't done much research yet. Quadgo or Rice to the west or Perent to the east are both options. Would love to have a nice site, decent fishing, and the opportunity for exploring. Solitude is a plus!

We used to basecamp on Isabella when the kids were young back in the 80's some great sandbeaches there. I have been down the river to Quanda a couple of times and had some really good fishing on the river and again a couple of nice campsites on the river. I think they all burned. Been most of the way to Parent lake, scenic river travel.....However I was there about 3 years ago [after the fire] and was somewhat depressed, most of the campsites were burned [and closed] and the ones that didn't burn were in isolated pockets of shore so around camp you looked at nice trees and bushes and when you looked across the lake you saw black stobs and really short green bushes. I would guess about 1/2 of the campsites were burned but the ones left are pretty nice but used really hard. The fishing was still pretty good for an entry lake. [3 years ago] I did get windbound for nearly 2 full days there, the first time I've ever been windbound in the BWCA. As far as solitude goes that is anyone's guess but with it being in a burn area that will probably lessen the number of folks around. FRED

As fog mentioned, good fishing available on Isabella from when we were there in 2008.

Josh:

As long as you're fine doing a trip mostly in burn, then forge ahead. However, you might want to consider a different entry point if the burn will bother you because you'll basically be surrounded by it. If you're willing to do a bunch of short portages, you'd find some nice sites on Perent Lake. I believe you'd have to get passed Quadga to get to Isabella River sites that aren't in the Pagami burn area.

I haven't been to it, but I think the last site before Bald Eagle is supposed to be somewhat nice.

I'm actually quite interested in spending a couple days in the burn. The week after this trip, I'll have five days with a few guys from work in a non-burn area. So this will offer a nice contrast. And as long as there's some solitude and fishing, I'll be content.

Bring your blueberry bucket.

Awesome! I hit peak blueberry season once in Killarney Provincial Park. Hills like this were absolutely covered.

What's the best way to discover which campsites are open?

Are you picking up your permit at a Forest Service office? Then ask any ranger there. It seems they haven’t updated since July 2013.

Josh:

Then you're going to the right spot! Somewhere you should be able to find a map of campsite closures/openings. Perhaps on the Superior National Forest website. If memory serves me right, there was a nice river site just west of Isabella Lake near where the Island and Isabella intersect. On Quadga, the southeast site was nice pre-burn.

I've always wanted to do a trip from Hog Creek all the way down the Perent and Isabella Rivers.

There are many good fishing spots along the Isabella River, unfortunately many of the sites were affected by the fire. Many of the sites have been rehabbed and are open again, but they offer no shade. Check with the forest service to see which sites were not affected by the fire. Nevertheless, you should have plenty of solitude on the river.