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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: Route advice for August trip with 6-year-old
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| jrad5 |
@Mocha, appreciate your thoughts on the Pikes. We've definitely got it on our list. @THEGrandRapids, appreciate you sharing the Clearwater idea, and especially that Cross Bay trip with your little ones. Sounds ideal and I’m curious how you found Cross Bay itself for basecamping with kids. Were the campsites decent? Good swimming spots and enough to explore on day trips? Also wondering if anyone has thoughts on adding a few nights over on Snipe after Cross Bay. Would that make sense as a second basecamp with a 6-year-old? Thanks again! |
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| JLand |
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| jrad5 |
exemplaria: "#4 would be super easy and chill, but probably a bit boring for 8 days. Easy to make that into a loop via Ensign, although that does require the brutal Ensign-Boot lake portage. It'll be crowded mid-August, but so will lots of areas. " Thanks for the Ensign suggestion, I'll take a closer look at it and the portage! |
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| jrad5 |
Z4K: "Homer is a great little area. When I was there a few years back we spent 2 nights on Pipe and then 2 nights on Juno. Super easy travel days, small water, tons of blueberries (I was there at the beginning of August) Plenty of northerns to catch in Pipe and we even found a couple walleyes in Juno. I'm not sure the area would keep you entertained for 10 days, however, and it's not known for great fishing. @Z4K — Thanks! The Lady Chain wasn’t on my radar, I’ll check it out. Appreciate the heads-up on Homer too. It does look like a fun area for a shorter trip, but probably not quite enough for a full 10 days. And yes, agree on the permits point. We’re using similar approach: shortlisting a few EPs, then watching for availability in the couple weeks leading up to our preferred dates. |
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| Z4K |
If you're trying to avoid big water, I would avoid Snowbank. Have you looked at the lady chain? Enter/exit kawishiwi/sawbill. I'm sure others here can speak to the best campsites for shorefishing in August. Still smaller lakes but enough room to explore for 10 days and walleye in most of the lakes. I would basecamp on Polly and Phoebe. Is this for 2026? Very few permits are currently available in August of 2025. If you're OK with waiting, I can guarantee you that permits will become available within 1 week of your entry. That's just how the system currently works. |
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| Michwall2 |
How about Baker Lake entry(#39)? - First base camp on Jack Lake. Visit the abandoned mine. Good chance to see moose. Second base camp on South/North Temperance. Good Fishing. Nice scenery. Make day trips to Brule if the wind allows. (If you are trying to avoid large lakes, I am not a fan of the Brule Lake idea.). You can be out from South/North Temperance Lake in one day of paddling/portaging to Baker Lake. I am trying to figure a way to make a Cross Bay Lake entry work for you. The problem is the potential lack of campsites. I think there are 2 ways to play it. 1. Go to Karl/Long Island Lake. There is enough exploring here that you would not have to move. E.g. Day trip to Frost Lake. Golden sand beaches. Fishing for northern or lake trout. Day trip to Muskeg Lake. Huge beaver dam and some very different scenery. Day trip to Cherokee Lake. Great scenery and lake trout fishing. 2. Go to Snipe Lake. Day trip to Cross Bay, Rib, etc. Then to go Tuscarora through Copper, Hubbub and Howl Swamp. Very interesting route. The only thing is that it leaves a very long portage out through Missing Link. (But the food barrel will be empty!) The other entry I would consider, if you are thinking of going up the Gunflint, is Lizz Lake (#47). Couple nights on Horseshoe fishing and looking for moose. Couple nights on Winchell. Climb the paths to the top of the cliffs for an excellent view. Find the waterfall on the south shore and climb to the top. Hope you have a great trip. |
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| exemplaria |
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| Mocha |
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| jrad5 |
I’m planning an 8–10 day trip in mid-August with my 6-year-old son. He’s already been on half a dozen BWCA trips (all off the Gunflint), so we’re looking to try something new this time. We’re prioritizing fishing (we love casting from rocky points and islands), swimming, and exploring. We’re not at all opposed to portaging, having done 290+ rod carries and some pretty steep ones together. For this trip, though, I want to keep it to 1 or 2 basecamps total, and I’d really like to avoid crossing big, open-water lakes. Here are the route options I’m considering so far: 1. Homer (40) > Vern > Juno > Brule (basecamping on Vern and then southeastern Brule) 2. Hog Creek (36) > Perent out and back, basecamp on eastern Perent 3. John (69) > East Pike out and back, basecamp on East Pike with day trips to West Pike 4. Snowbank (27) > Parent > Disappointment out and back Has anyone done any of these and willing to share thoughts on suitability? Or is there another route you’d recommend that might fit the bill even better? Thanks in advance for any advice! |
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| THEGrandRapids |
I was also on Clearwater- west pike- pine- caribou around memorial day, but this time with a group of guys. I will definitely pencil in a trip to John/ East pike with kids, but have not done the trip yet. When we only had 2 kids and they were 4 and 2, we went in to Cross Bay, stayed on that lake for 3 nights, walleye fishing was better than I've ever had. Went further south to Long Island for 2 nights, then all the way back out. Day trip down to Gordon and walked to Cherokee lake, but did not paddle it. Highly recommended trip. |
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| jrad5 |
Also appreciate your Cross Bay thoughts and having the basecamp and day trip options laid out like that. I hadn't considered the Copper > Hubbub > Howl Swamp route to Tuscarora. Will take a closer look. Lizz to Horseshoe/Winchell also sounds like a solid option, especially with the potential to access through Meeds if needed. Thanks again, super helpful. |