I am planning a BW trip going in July into entry point 30, Lake One. It'll be me and my two daughters, 5 and 7 years old. I have a fair amount of BW experience myself, but it will be the kids' first canoe trip. I am hoping to travel to a good campsite on day 1, then base camp from there for 3 nights, and leave on day 4.

My question is: do we head into Lakes One thru Four and seek out a decent campsite, or do we head toward the Kawishiwi River instead? I've never been into this area of the BW before, so any advice on which is the better route would be great. I hear the south side of Lakes 2,3,4 is burned - not sure how badly or exactly what area is affected. Heading down the Kawishiwi River, I think we could make it as far as Gabbro in a day, but not sure I want to push them that hard on their first trip. If anyone has any campsite advice, daddy taking girls to BW advice, locations of good swimming beach advice, or anything else, I'd love to hear it! Thanks -

i'd find the first available campsite on lake one. i would not expect a 5 and 7 year old to paddle much more than a couple of miles, and that would be pushing it. make sure the trip is for them and make it fun.

I agree. I took my 11 and 17 year old daughters up for their first time last year. We only paddled 2 hours to a base camp and that was enough for them. The last day we paddled 4 hours to come out and they definitely had enough. During our stay I kept trips to 1 hour paddles with breaks either fishing or just taking a good break and that seemed to work very well for them. We also alternated one easy day after a long day. My girls loved it and we are going back next week so I am sure yours will love it as well.

quote jwartman59: " i'd find the first available campsite on lake one. i would not expect a 5 and 7 year old to paddle much more than a couple of miles, and that would be pushing it. make sure the trip is for them and make it fun."

The kids will love it but be sure to follow jwartman59's advice and make the trip about the kids. This will encourage future visits and they will remember the special time with dad in the woods forever.

P.S. Please remember to wear your life jackets at all times!

I grew up on the north edge of Quetico. We tripped in Quetico for many years before we had kids and have been tripping with our girls in Algonquin while they were young. We're taking our 17 and 20 year old daughters into Quetico for a 9 day trip this summer. Since I've raised girls who are city girls but LOVE tripping, I thought I'd share general advice about little girls and canoe trips. Our first canoe trip with the girls was when they were 3 and 6. Make it all about them! When we met people on the portages they commented on how happy our girls were. We stopped to look at every turtle, lily pad, etc...they were interested in! We took 2 days to paddle what my husband and I could paddle in 6 hours. We used long, thin strips of leather to tie their paddles to the canoe so if they accidentally let go (which did happen) we didn't have to back track to get the paddle. They always wore life jackets and we did too, to be good role models. Pack more water proof sunscreen and bug dope, and 'after bite' than you would ever use. And lots of bandaids for all the little cuts and blisters. I packed two small packs for each of them so that on each portage they made two trips since we were going to need to make two trips for each portage (I didn't want them alone on the other end of portage). Their packs always had the 'good stuff' (their water bottles, snacks (lots of little bags of GORP and fresh orange each day), lunch for the day, their bandaids, sunscreen, etc..). The things they thought were important. We stopped early every day and made the trip as much about camping and cooking over a fire as we did about paddling. We never expected their paddling to accomplish much, but they felt they were contributing in a big way and we were constantly giving them positive feedback so they felt really proud of what they did. So like everyone above is saying, take it SLOW and make it fun and they'll be tripping with you all through their teens and on.

Thank you all for the awesome advice! We will make it a point to take our time, enjoy the outdoors, and be safe. Can't thank you all enough for the great advice!

You are getting excellent advice. I took our girls when they were 4 and 7, into Lake One and on into Lake 2...three nights, basecamp, in the rain, they had a ball. Fish, swim, splash, hike portages, help cook, lay on a rock and see things in the clouds. Get both girls their own headlamp. Have something to do on rainy days, maybe even something BWCA related, like a pinecone contest, making stick people, etc. There is a sand beach on the west side of Lake 3, sorta south of the row of 4 campsites. Good for tracks and sandcastles and wading.

I will be taking my 7 year old son for his first trip into the B-Dub in 2 weeks. I will be doing much the same as everybody has mentioned on here except we will be travelling a loop that includes 5-6 hours of travel the first day, base camping for 3 days, and two short 2-3 hour travel days out. I'm not concerned about the long first day with him. The whole concept of tripping is going to be new to him so it will keep his attention, and, he has far more stamina than I do. But, as stated by previous posters, this trip is all about him and exposing him to the experience of this wonderful place we have available to us.

I have included him in everything from planning the route, to assembling the gear, and deciding the menu.

He's nearly as excited about the whole trip as I am!

P.S. - I even let him choose when we were going to go .... he picked the day after school got out! Go figure!

quote JJ47: "I will be taking my 7 year old son for his first trip into the B-Dub in 2 weeks. I will be doing much the same as everybody has mentioned on here except we will be travelling a loop that includes 5-6 hours of travel the first day, base camping for 3 days, and two short 2-3 hour travel days out. I'm not concerned about the long first day with him. The whole concept of tripping is going to be new to him so it will keep his attention, and, he has far more stamina than I do. But, as stated by previous posters, this trip is all about him and exposing him to the experience of this wonderful place we have available to us.


I have included him in everything from planning the route, to assembling the gear, and deciding the menu.


He's nearly as excited about the whole trip as I am!

P.S. - I even let him choose when we were going to go .... he picked the day after school got out! Go figure!"

Ha! My 11 year old son and I are heading up to Gunflint immediately after he's dismissed from his last day of school. Gotta love the exuberance of youth!

quote MOJO: "

quote JJ47: "I will be taking my 7 year old son for his first trip into the B-Dub in 2 weeks. I will be doing much the same as everybody has mentioned on here except we will be travelling a loop that includes 5-6 hours of travel the first day, base camping for 3 days, and two short 2-3 hour travel days out. I'm not concerned about the long first day with him. The whole concept of tripping is going to be new to him so it will keep his attention, and, he has far more stamina than I do. But, as stated by previous posters, this trip is all about him and exposing him to the experience of this wonderful place we have available to us.



I have included him in everything from planning the route, to assembling the gear, and deciding the menu.



He's nearly as excited about the whole trip as I am!


P.S. - I even let him choose when we were going to go .... he picked the day after school got out! Go figure!"

Ha! My 11 year old son and I are heading up to Gunflint immediately after he's dismissed from his last day of school. Gotta love the exuberance of youth!"

That's for sure!
Have a great trip!

Good advice, although I would probably head into the K. River. That's just me, I find the business of the numbered lakes less enjoyable, and rivers endlessly entertaining. Where ever you go, it will be wonderful!

If you haven't done so already? Check out the canoeing with kids forum.

Everyone has given you great advice. Here is a trip report written by my 7 year old daughter of her trip with me last year. Daddy/Daughter Trip She was involved in all planning including where we went. During the trip she decided where we stopped to camp, when we went fishing, when we went swimming, etc.

Take lots of pictures.

Have them try to catch some crawdads

quote dogwoodgirl: "Good advice, although I would probably head into the K. River. That's just me, I find the business of the numbered lakes less enjoyable, and rivers endlessly entertaining. Where ever you go, it will be wonderful!"

eyepaddle, which Lake One permit do you have reserved? If you have #30F, you cannot camp on the Kawishiwi River at all. But if you have the "regular" #30 (with no F), then you can paddle/camp the river or go Lake 1,2 etcerera, you have your choice.

Depends on the weather and how much YOU want to paddle. I see no problem with going a few lakes in, so the girls can get an idea of what portaging is about. Have they camped before?

Pack light, bring snacks, and make the trip really fun--even if it rains. If I was putting in at Lake One with young kids, I probably wouldn't head down the Kawishiwi if only for the slightly increased risk of taking out and putting in above rapids without another adult present--but that's just me.

The second canoe trip I did with my boys was when they were 4 and 6 years old. We did it with our neighbors and their 3 and 7 year old girl and boy, and looped all the way through Gabimichigami and Little Saganaga, and came out via the Tuscarora-Missing Link Portage (355 rods). No problem.

A single adult with two young kids needs to be more conservative though, but ANY trip with your kids will be a joy, if you plan well.

Bring some paperback books they like and can read. We did that and then took turns reading a page or so (whatever was good for the person) and then the next person read, and so on.

Quite a nice way to share with your kids as you sit around the campsite. We started our girls with that when they were 5 & 8 and when I took them on trips even in their 20's, we read books out loud. One of my favorite memories.

JJ 47 that is really great your having planning your trip together. I am going in with my 7 year old boy up on French lake Quetico June 5 for his first trip. We have plenty of time to explore 12 days if we want. I am also going to let him pick out the food, snacks, a few pieces of new gear (head lamp, poncho, etc.) We are going to be going on a long road trip to get there so I planned for plenty of time in the woods. I want him to jump into puddles/bogs, play with frogs, see moose, maybe even a goose, act like a loon, dig sqeeters out with a spoon, glide over water, and act like an otter, stare into stars, and get away from the land of cars, take a nap on granite, and be one with the planet, empty our souls, and warm up by the coals, live with a sense of awe, and enjoy the thaw, connect with all creatures, for they are the ultimate teachers, breathe in each stroke, and laugh at silly kid jokes, have fun in sun and even the rain, for each of us will not be the same, after leaving such innocent beauty, sharing it is part of our duty, we will sing songs with the winds, and appreciate the evenings light going dim.

Just having fun with words and memories JJ47. Our boys will be changed forever and will have a deeper perspective after leaving the north country.
Be safe and have fun. Where and when are you guys going in. Let me know how it goes and get wild.

Sincerely Moosehopper

quote Moosehopper: "JJ 47 that is really great your having planning your trip together. I am going in with my 7 year old boy up on French lake Quetico June 5 for his first trip. We have plenty of time to explore 12 days if we want. I am also going to let him pick out the food, snacks, a few pieces of new gear (head lamp, poncho, etc.) We are going to be going on a long road trip to get there so I planned for plenty of time in the woods. I want him to jump into puddles/bogs, play with frogs, see moose, maybe even a goose, act like a loon, dig sqeeters out with a spoon, glide over water, and act like an otter, stare into stars, and get away from the land of cars, take a nap on granite, and be one with the planet, empty our souls, and warm up by the coals, live with a sense of awe, and enjoy the thaw, connect with all creatures, for they are the ultimate teachers, breathe in each stroke, and laugh at silly kid jokes, have fun in sun and even the rain, for each of us will not be the same, after leaving such innocent beauty, sharing it is part of our duty, we will sing songs with the winds, and appreciate the evenings light going dim.


Just having fun with words and memories JJ47. Our boys will be changed forever and will have a deeper perspective after leaving the north country.
Be safe and have fun. Where and when are you guys going in. Let me know how it goes and get wild.


Sincerely Moosehopper"

I love the words Moosehopper! And I hope my boy, and myself, are changed forever. He absolutely loves camping and I hope this will add another layer onto his already adventurous spirit.

We are going in on Moose lake. Grabbing a tow up to the splash lake portage, then east through Ensign, Southeast through Ashigan, Gibson, Cattyman Jordan and into Ima. Back out to Cattyman then Southwest through Adventure, Jitterbug, Ahsub, Disappointment, Parent and exiting on Snowbank.

I plan on posting a trip report after we return, so look for it.

Have a fun and safe trip, also. Enjoy every minute!

Jim

Cattyman Falls is a great place to take a "memories" photo!

If you can find someone else to take the photo (or have a timer/remote and a place to set the camera), then you can both be in the photo.

This is one of the favorite places to take that BWCA photo. I've taken shots there every time I've been through there.

quote VoyageurNorth: "Cattyman Falls is a great place to take a "memories" photo!


If you can find someone else to take the photo (or have a timer/remote and a place to set the camera), then you can both be in the photo.


This is one of the favorite places to take that BWCA photo. I've taken shots there every time I've been through there."

Cattyman falls

Jim,

I appreciate the reply back and I know you will both have an amazing bonding experience with yourselves and nature. I feel that nature is good medicine and our truest selves, and I look forward to some deep healing and connecting with my boy and myself.

I am going to go on Pickerel Lake Quetico go through the Deux River, into Russell and maybe Chatterton. Lots of moving water, areas for wild life, big pines, big water and some small little lakes. I don't get a chance to see my boy that often. He and his mother live in Phoenix and I live in Miami where he and I will be driving up from. We are going trough Tenn. for some tubing just to get his feet wet ha, ha. This will be my 20th something trip to the North Country and each trip has been so special. I haven't been to the BWCA in a long time, when I went we were on Basswood and some other lakes off of this area.

I have heard good things about Moose etc. and look forward to your trip report. Good talkin with ya and will see you on the other side.

Sincerely,
Moosehopper

quote VoyageurNorth: "Cattyman Falls is a great place to take a "memories" photo!


If you can find someone else to take the photo (or have a timer/remote and a place to set the camera), then you can both be in the photo.


This is one of the favorite places to take that BWCA photo. I've taken shots there every time I've been through there."

That's what I've been told by my outifitter .... who happens to be you,Lynn. ;-)

I can barely wait to get up there!
Jim

I took my son for the first time when he was 6. He was very excited and helped prepare for the trip. He practiced with his pack (very small) around the yard and was very proud that he could do it himself. He packed a few toys and off we go.....

Practicing with your pack and fishing pole around that yard is one thing, but dong it on the portage was a bit tougher then he expected..hilly, rocky, muddy challenges, ect.

So I carried his pack the rest of the trip. No big deal.

What I made him responsible for was the SNACK BUCKET!!!!
An icecream bucket with his choice of drink mixes, puppy chow, cookies, gum, granola bars, candy ect. He carried, stowed it,and LOVED IT!

I wouldn't normally take an icecream pail into the Bdub but this was perfect. It kept him from being hungry and me digging something out of my food pack while paddling or portaging.
Let each "portage monkey" pack some of there favorite things (suggest light weight snacks like ranch oyster crackers, starburst, ect) and it will make there day, yours too!

A couple more things I just thought of...
Comfortable life jackets, I also attached a whistle with a bungeedealybob to his life jacket, just incase he wondered off or was out fishing and needed help reeling a a big fish. This was a great thing because it was miserable weather, very windy. We couldn't hear over the wind so he would just blow on his whistle to check in or if he needed something. It was a bit irritating at first but after the novelties wore off he used it for the right reasons and gave a piece of mind.

Also pack swim goggles, maybe a few because you know how they always break. As I said the weather was rotten and no swimming happened but, he would put on his goggles and sit by the fire and it would keep the smoke out of his eyes. We have some great pictures of the adults sitting around wearing them too..it was funny!

Pack a few surprises in your pack for them, bubbles, poly pockets, something small, deck of UNO cards, incase you get stuck in the tent with bad weather..

Just something's that I learned and hope it helps you.
Have FUN!

My advice is this. Don't sell your girls short. I have been taking my girls into the BWCA since before they could crawl (summer and winter!). I am amazed that the one person that could keep up with me on the portage trail was my 5 year old daughter. She was carrying a pack with sleeping pads in it plus 2 paddles. I am used to having a few minute break at the end of the portage with nobody there, and at the end of each portage there she was right next to me.

So, read your girls, are they having fun? Do they enjoy paddling? Are they willing to work a little on portages? Make sure they have a fun trip and will want to come back, but you also don't have to stop at the first campsite you see. My girls they have always perfered to go at least 3 or 4 portages in so that we have more solitude. But each family is different.

Free advice: show no fear and pretend like you know where you are going.
Bring gummie bears. Tell them they are made from actual bear meat. Oh yeah, and tell them the bears donate meat and no Teddy's were harmed in there production.
Maybe you can say the gummies are bear droppings! I used that for My son's amusement as I popped a handful into my mouth and said yum!

Last year I took my 7yo daughter, my 9yo daughter and my 11yo son, along with my wife and two dogs. We did about 45 miles on a loop. With that said, I had the girls in my canoe and so I did much of the paddling. Portages were the toughest by far. I had small packs for them to carry but.... the bug is what drove them nuts.

We are going again this year on their request, so we did something right. BUY MOSQUITO SUITS for the kids. Jackets with a face shield and pants.

Hope it goes well for you