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mschi772	04/28/2021 02:43PM   Perhaps this would be better for the Trip Planning section, but I'm not sure and will leave that up to mods. Anyway, with more and more stories of people running into slim pickings for their desired getaways, I got to thinking about how there is still a ton of Superior National Forest land around the wilderness and that some or much of it must be relatively indistinguishable from the BWCAW. I know how people can be about sharing their "secret spots" on the internet, but I think it would be very helpful to highlight some quality areas and destinations outside of the BWCAW in the SNF that people might choose to visit if they don't want to or can't get a permit for the wilderness. I don't have much experience in the SNF, but I've read a few discussions about the vegetable chain south of Alder & Crocodile and know there are areas often treated as BWCAW when they are actually outside of it like South Fowl, Gunflint, North Lake, Ham Lake... Hopefully someone who knows more than I has some good suggestions to share.
jwmiller39	04/29/2021 08:55AM   Crescent Lake campground is a pretty solid alternative. Close enough for day trips into the surrounding BWCA lakes. You still get that car camping feel at some of the sites but it isn't as bad as a busier/bigger campground.
mschi772	05/06/2021 09:51AM   Thanks for all the input everyone! Keep it coming. I have two BWCAW permits this year already, so I didn't really make this post for myself specifically but as a place for everyone to share ideas for others who might be struggling to get a permit that fits their schedule or someone just looking for something new. The BWCAW really steals the show when there is so much SNF land out there to be enjoyed as well, so I figured there must be some gems out there deserving of a little spotlight. Speckled: "Also keep in mind some of the places are local favorites or even just some guys favorite and some people seem to have some sense of entitlement over the spot. Even being local myself, I've had a few tense run-ins over the years." Superior isn't the only national forest with these attitudes. Generally if someone is in an area, I go somewhere else because I don't want to be in their personal space, and I don't want them in mine--in that way I generally don't find myself in many of those kinds of confrontations, but they happen. I'll do quickie trips into Cheq-Nic Nat Forest here in WI, and I've certainly run into locals who are steeped in entitlement and don't actually understand the public nature of the land. I'm always equipped with a map that clearly shows the boundaries between the public and private lands as well as information regarding how the national forest land may be enjoyed by anyone.
LindenTree	04/29/2021 12:48PM   The rustic campgounds on the Tofte Ranger District and Isabella area are real nice. Section 29 Lake and Silver Island lake will give you a BW feel, Silver Island Lake also has real nice boat in campsites that would make you think you are in the BW except for the motors. I'm planning on using the boat in sites on Birch Lake this year and may skip the BWCA all together. Here is a link to campgrounds in the Superior NF, note the rustic campgrounds are free.
boonie	05/01/2021 05:57AM   East Bearskin Lake on Gunflint has a nice campground and so does Fenske Lake on the Echo Trail.
jhb8426	05/01/2021 01:14AM   Sawbill Lake is good with the campground outside of the BWCA. Access for day trips to a number of BWCA lakes. Crescent lake as mentioned above is also good. Never stayed at the campground but have stopped to scout a couple of times. Seems like a good place to stay. There are some sites right on the lake.
Blatz	05/01/2021 07:20AM   jwmiller39: "Crescent Lake campground is a pretty solid alternative. Close enough for day trips into the surrounding BWCA lakes. You still get that car camping feel at some of the sites but it isn't as bad as a busier/bigger campground." I stayed there on a Bikepacking trip a few years ago. It was May and I had the place to myself. Very nice campground and lake
mschi772	05/01/2021 07:37AM   Any tips for areas/lakes in the SNF where people could dispersed camp for a similar experience to being in the BWCAW instead of staying in a campground?
Speckled	05/06/2021 08:02AM   I've done a fair amount of camping through the years outside of the BW. Busy weekends (Opener, Memorial, Labor day) all the forest service maintained spots are taken and most of the user maintained spots as well. Non-busy weekends, you can typically find some peace and quite. Just as in the BW, I'd have a plan for if your intended site is taken. Also keep in mind some of the places are local favorites or even just some guys favorite and some people seem to have some sense of entitlement over the spot. Even being local myself, I've had a few tense run-ins over the years.
LindenTree	05/01/2021 09:48AM   mschi772: "Any tips for areas/lakes in the SNF where people could dispersed camp for a similar experience to being in the BWCAW instead of staying in a campground?" I will list a few here but none of the lakes I know for dispersed camping have the ledge rock of the BWCA, other than that these are beauties. Most are in the Isabella area. Dragon Lake up the Banadad road north of McDougal Lake, 3 dispersed sites. Cloquet Lake, south of Isabella 2-3 sites. Osier Lake on the road to Cloquet Lake south of Isabella, 1 site, it is a gem. Homestead Lake off Forest Road 172 by Hogback Lake 2 sites another gem. Dam Five Lake off Lake Cty 7 from Finland, 1 site a super gem. There are probabaly another 1-2 places I am forgetting.
x2jmorris	05/06/2021 07:20AM   I can't give my areas away but if you are looking for something like that I would suggest pulling up google satellite view and looking for lakes not on the edge of a main road. If you are willing to go down some sketchy roads you can find some gems that I bet you won't see others on.
cycle003	05/01/2021 06:27PM   The Forest Service published this document of canoe routes, but I haven’t explored them. Canoeing Outside the BWCAW
Stumpy	05/01/2021 09:20PM   Picket Lake (the one about 40 miles up the Echo Trail) has three bwca style sites. one portage after a pond / swamp. The site across from the island is best...Island site good too. Pike & Walleye, but not in great numbers. Nearby there is Maude Lake & Astrid lake.... both walleye lakes. never stayed on those but guessing ok. Astrid two sites have great reviews on Paddle Planner. Also you can paddle from Astrid to Pauline Lake (1 site), then portage to Nigh Lake (1 site) All have walleye, and a picnic table.
Basspro69	05/01/2021 11:36PM   There are lakes that surround the Bwca that you are ten times less likely to encounter other people than lakes inside the boundary waters. For years I would do a Bwca trip and a boat trip near the Bwca. I recall going to Aspen Lake in June for 15 years straight before I saw another boat on the lake at the same time as us. This is a lake with a very nice boat launch and good fishing once you learn the lake. There are many more just like this and I got just as much enjoyment from a lake like this than from Bwca lakes. I’ve seen Moose in this lake countless times as well as others just like it . For me at this point in my life the only time I fish out of a canoe anymore is when I’m going after Brook Trout .
TuscaroraBorealis	05/02/2021 05:05PM   You might try Big Lake at the midpoint of the Echo Trail. Its actually an entry point lake for the BWCA but, it is one of the least popular. There are some nice first come first serve campsites around the lake. We spent a long weekend there a few years back and had a nice, quiet experience. I have a quick writeup about it in this thread.
WHendrix	05/02/2021 07:57PM   A few years ago there was a thread about the Timber-Frear area near Tofte. It's apparently several lakes connected by portages, much lie the BWCA. I've not been there and I didn't try to look that up because I'm not very good on the computer searching thing but I'm sure you could find it.
jhb8426	05/02/2021 10:35PM   Here you go... Timber-Frear Canoe Route Twin Lakes Canoe Route Island River Canoe Route Astrid Lake Trail and Hunting Shack Canoe Route
LindenTree	05/03/2021 09:09AM   I have done the Timber Frear loop. It is pretty nice and definitely BWCA like, I was there 3 nights and only saw 2 or 3 other paddlers, one of the sites on Elbow Lake was super beat down with foot traffic, most of the others were nice. I believe you can dispersed camp there as well if the sites were full. I have also done the Island River route, It is pretty decent but the Pagami Fire slicked off a bunch of the route. You can view pictographs at one place. A short section goes through the BW 1/2 mile or less, technically one should get a day permit but I don't think it is enforced. You can get a day permit at the kiosk by the old RR Bridge off the Tomahawk trail, that would be one of the take outs if you choose it.