The Incredible Lake Experience In Minnesota That You'll Remember For A Lifetime
By Trent Jonas|Published August 04, 2023
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Trent Jonas
Author
Trent Jonas came to Minnesota to attend college - and never left. He's a Twin Cities-based writer with a BA in English and a MFA in creative writing, a Minnesota Master Naturalist, and the proud father of two adult children. With more than a decade of freelance writing experience under his belt, Trent is often out exploring his favorite topics: Minnesota's woods, lakes, and trails. Rhubarb pie is his weakness, so discovering new diners is also a passion.
For lovers of the outdoors in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, a paddling trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) – one of the largest wilderness areas in the Lower 48 – is often a goal, perhaps as a rite of passage, an annual event, or the trip of lifetime. So, I thought I’d offer a little inspiration and share my favorite itinerary (so far!) for a Minnesota Boundary Waters adventure with you. It’s short enough that, with a little extra effort, you could do it in a few days but also long enough to allow you to linger and explore for a week or more. Although, by Boundary Waters standards, this itinerary can’t be considered “off the beaten path,” it’s not one of the most crowded routes, either. I hope, as you read, you’ll find some ideas for planning your own BWCAW adventure.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness stretches almost 150 miles, from Voyageurs National Park eastward toward Lake Superior, along Minnesota's Canadian border.
All in all, it encompasses over 1,000,000 acres of pristine North Woods wilderness and more than 1,000 clean, clear lakes with 1,200-plus miles of paddling routes.
If you'd love to plan a trip to the BWCAW and don't know where to start, or are looking for new ideas, this is an itinerary suggestion that offers a quintessential Boundary Waters experience.
On this route, you'll get your first taste of portaging in the Boundary Waters fairly early on - there are a couple along the Moose River, but overall, there aren't too many portages that you'll have to make.
If you're not in a hurry, this is a great place to camp for your first night, relax, ease into the rhythms of the Boundary Waters, and get used to the silence - broken only by calling loons and other sounds of nature. Otherwise, press on.
If you're short on time, find a spot here for your first night. It's a bigger lake than Nina Moose, so take some time to explore the shoreline. There are several campsites and points of interest on Lake Agnes.
From Lake Agnes, you'll portage onto the much larger Lac La Croix, a border lake that shares its waters with Canada.
The pictographs are on the Canadian side of a narrows in the lake, on a spot of land called Irving Island, near BWCA campsites 169 and 170. If you paddled/portaged directly from Entry Point 16 to the pictographs, you would have covered about 15 miles.
Find a spot to camp on Lac La Croix for your second or third night.
All excursions into the Boundary Waters require permits, which you can obtain through Recreation.gov. Between May and October, the permits are available on a quota system based on your planned activity, e.g., paddling, your entry point, and your route. During the rest of the year, permits are required, but the quota is relaxed. While I’ve offered an overview of a route, you’ll want to dig in with more detail, including the specific campsites you’re interested in and how long your trip will be, before you apply for a permit. There are folks at REI who can help outfit you and, at Minnesota locations, assist with planning your trip. You can also work with a local outfitter or visit any Superior National Forest ranger station for assistance.
Are you planning a Minnesota Boundary Waters adventure? Is it your first or are you a veteran? Please share any tips or advice you may have for others in the comments.
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