I'm planning a trip for a group of ladies again and just wondered if there are any waterfalls in the BWCA, or other things of interest that I might be able to plan in our route.
Entry point has not been chosen yet, so nothing is set in stone. But probably drive up to Ely.

Yes there are. Stand by, I'm sure you'll get lots of info on this one. I have seen a couple but can't think of the lake names they were at.
Welcome to the board.

Thannks to Tuscarora below - Cattyman was the last falls I was at a couple years ago. The other one was a long time ago and don't recall which it was.

Welcome to the board, CedarPaddle. :)

The answers will come flocking in shortly, but one waterfall that is absolutely worth the price of admission to see is Curtain Falls on the border with Quetico. It's located at the far western end of Crooked Lake.

How much water has to fall how far before the falling water is considered a waterfall?

Devil's Cascade on the Little Indian Sioux, EP 14.

Mueller falls

Cattyman falls

Eddy falls





Elm portage

Alpine ~ Jasper portage

Mora ~ Lil' Sag portage





Lower Basswood falls

Rattle lake

Sioux falls







Stairway portage

Mug falls

Winchell lake










Johnson Falls

Johson Falls, upper tier

Vernon lake

Plus, I left out some of the main ones. Curtain Falls, Devils Cascade, Basswood falls.....

Johnson Falls on the far east end. Near Pine Lake.

Upper Basswood, Wheelbarrow, and Lower Basswood. All 3 are where the Basswood River flows from Basswood Lake into Crooked.

Rebecca falls

Nice job, TB. Well done.

curtain falls are a special treat, they remind you of being on a big northern canadian river. i rarely encounter other groups here. the fishing in the rapids is first class.

Curtain Falls

Curtain Falls

Curtain Falls





Curtain Falls

I can't remember which falls these are, on the Basswood many years ago.

Johnson Falls





Rose Falls

arg!! hello TBorealis, (nice photos by the way) how do you get your text to line up with your photos? i don't have a clue.

After each photo I type in the text then hit enter so there is a blank line before entering the next photo. After 3 photos you'll need to hit enter 7 times (7 blank lines) so the next 3 will line up. Rinse & repeat. :)

thanks, i wouldn't have guessed that in a million years. now to give it a try.

Those are some great pictures. Where are the Curtain Falls located?

curtain falls is on the border route between iron lake and crooked lake. it is possible to make it to iron lake in one day, the campsite on the northeast corner of the lake, #1841, gives quick access to the falls. be very careful as you approach the minnesota side portage from iron lake, there is a tricky bit of current that has swamped many a canoe.

There are also a lot of nice waterfalls outside the BW along the North Shore on the way to Gunflint if you go that way and have time.

quote Mustangt125: "Those are some great pictures. Where are the Curtain Falls located?"

Along the Canadian border between Iron & Crooked lakes.

Curtain Falls

Thanks guys this really helps
I'll have to get back to this tonight after work and take notes :)

Great photos guys. I hope you don't mind if I steal them for my screen saver show.

There is a "falls" marked on this site's map, on the creek between Horse and Fourtown, closer to Horse. Anyone have a photo or comment on it? There is a 31 ft difference between lake levels...

You didn't say Quetico - though Rebecca is in the Q - but hard to beat Louisa Falls and a dip in the Devil's Bathtub.

Just the BW. Isn't quetico a lot more expensive? I mean I would like to go someday?

quote CedarPaddle: "Isn't quetico a lot more expensive?"

Yes it is. More expensive. No fish. Hassle of crossing the border. It's a good place to stay away from. ;-)

(tongue firmly in cheek)

quote Jackfish: "

quote CedarPaddle: "Isn't quetico a lot more expensive?"

Yes it is. More expensive. No fish. Hassle of crossing the border. It's a good place to stay away from. ;-)

(tongue firmly in cheek)"

Fish, you forgot all the terrorists camped up there figuring out a way to sneak into the US.

I think TB and the others summed that one up pretty well! nice photos!

Many moons ago I visited Johnson Falls. Here is a watercolor painting I did of it when I got back. Sorry about the glare on the glass.

quote Unas10: "How much water has to fall how far before the falling water is considered a waterfall?


Devil's Cascade on the Little Indian Sioux, EP 14."

That's the $64,000 question right there. Considering that many lakes are connected by rivers or streams and there is an elevation change between most lakes, one could find a waterfall between almost any bodies of water.

Now is a neat time to see these waterfalls too - water levels up so high the water going over the falls is very very power. Its cool to watch.

WOW. Some awesome pics. Never knew that many falls existed up there. Will take in our first this year, Johnson falls.

quote Goldenbadger: "Many moons ago I visited Johnson Falls. Here is a watercolor painting I did of it when I got back. Sorry about the glare on the glass.



"

I like it. I love water colors and dabble in them a bit myself from time to time.

Check out the difference in the 2 cattyman falls pics

thanks to everyone for the awesome pics. GREAT JOB !!

quote TuscaroraBorealis: "After each photo I type in the text then hit enter so there is a blank line before entering the next photo. After 3 photos you'll need to hit enter 7 times (7 blank lines) so the next 3 will line up. Rinse & repeat. :) "

TB - you are one crazy dude. Thank you brother.

quote IBFLY: "

quote TuscaroraBorealis: "After each photo I type in the text then hit enter so there is a blank line before entering the next photo. After 3 photos you'll need to hit enter 7 times (7 blank lines) so the next 3 will line up. Rinse & repeat. :) "

TB - you are one crazy dude. Thank you brother.
"

I do what I can. ;-)

High water thread

similar thread.

not a great falls but pretty cool canyon, devils cascade on the little indian sioux.

Yet another Curtain Falls photo...



I have this photo as my wallpaper on my computer at work. It's been helping me to keep my sanity of late. (only 8 more months...)

Where are the Lousia Falls & the Devil's bath tub located?

my photo just above is devil's cascade. i didn't see any devils though.

Wow, a picture speaks a thousand words! Truly some beautiful pictorials of Quetico-Superior waterfalls here. Especially those by jwartman59 and Tuscarora Borealis.

Thanks for sharing.

Hans Solo

Curtain falls with very high water spring 08 Curtain falls clip

Minnesota waterfalls

The short answer is yes indeedy. But: My response also would say rather than over plan, take the gifts that the boundary waters gives you every minute. The BWCA as a whole is the place to see and waterfalls are just a small part. The early morning mist rising off the still water, Star viewing like nowhere else, clear lakes with over 20 feet of visibility down, loons calling, bald eagles fishing, the chance to see a moose, a beaver slapping its tail telling you that this is his territory, the deep satisfaction after a day of paddling and portaging and the contentment after dinner sitting by the fire, the camaraderie of the crew sharing the trek, fresh fish on the fire, camp coffee, headwinds, tailwinds, spectacular sunsets and sunrises and so much more make a BWCA trip, a trip of a lifetime.

There are also indian pictographs on lac lacroix and the basswood river

Not in BWCA, but Quetico, and if you enter from Saganaga, it is an easy daytrip to the Ranger, and then to the falls....

Yea, I'm talking about Silver Falls........OM.......very, very, very nice.

I cannot find a great pic, but it is worth the trip.

Camped next to the top of Lower Basswood Falls during a solo in early May last year. The water was high, and they were impressive. Will never forget the sound of rushing water as I drifted off to sleep, and having my morning cup of coffee while sitting next to them.

BAWaters: "


Camped next to the top of Lower Basswood Falls during a solo in early May last year. The water was high, and they were impressive. Will never forget the sound of rushing water as I drifted off to sleep, and having my morning cup of coffee while sitting next to them."

And also the main basswood falls you can camp just off the long portage. Kind of a fun spot...
All the times I've gone by Devil's Cascade I've only once seen any real amount of water in it.
Curtain falls is a nice one. And yes, as one who has flipped on the iron lake side, your better off portaging to or from the south side of the point to avoid that spot. There is two entries to that portage off iron lake. The shorter is better going toward iron but the longer is better coming off iron in my opinion.