How long should it take to get from entry point 19 to Stuart Lake. Our group single portages and are all fairly good athletes (3 of the members competed and placed at nationals in collegiate track). I'm thinking 3-4 hours, or are we looking at more? Also, does the Stuart river flow into Stuart Lake or out of it, I could not tell from the map. We are leaving June 29. Thanks.

I went to Stuart Lake last October with Bogwalker and a couple other guys. I believe the river flows into Stuart Lake, that is you'll be traveling with the current.

We started the Stuart River Portage at 9:00 a.m. and made it to Stuart Lake at 5:00 p.m. However, we were all in solo canoes and double portaging. We are also all in our 50s and were taking our time, so young, athletic guys like you single portaging will make much, much better time.

All the portages were easy although some were long. Also some put-ins/take outs were a bit tough presumably from the high water that we had.

The bridge near the end of the first portage, the one going over Swamp Creek, was washed out. That was OK at that time because the water was high enough to paddle the creek, shortening this portage by 60 rods. So we had a 400-rod portage rather than a 460-rod.

We camped on the NW site, which was very nice. It had lots of tent spaces, places for canoes, nice landing, and a good supply of firewood. It was an excellent site.

I stayed at that site last summer, very nice.

as far as i know, the forest service has dismantled the bridge with no plans for rebuilding it. last time i was through there (august '06), the remains of the bridge were stacked on the south side of Swamp Creek just off the portage trail.

we singled portaged (and we're all in our 20s and trip regularly) and i'd say it's about a six hour trip. even if you normally single portage, expect the 400+ rod portage to take a bit (we took one short break). the river travel, with all the twists and turns, is over 5 miles of paddling. given that you'll paddle slower than usual with all of the back and forth, i'd say at least three hours for the paddling alone. add 2+ miles of portages and that will be an hour or more of walking, not including landing and launching and stops, etc.

i'd say figure 6 hours to get to Stuart. but maybe less. i would start early -- there aren't many sites on Stuart, but it does seem to be a somewhat popular hub lake (between Agnes and Iron). in august 2006, we got there early afternoon and took one of three remaining sites. in july 2004, we got there late afternoon and took the last site available (the one on the north-central point -- a passable site, but not great). the northern-most site (on the west shore of the NE bay) looked nice, but we claimed the island site, which was very nice.

also -- if you happen to fish, the eating-size walleye seem to go in groups on Stuart (and elsewhere). casting deep-diving rapalas from the non-shore side of the canoe, about 40 ft off shore, we easily caught many 12" or so fish. we also caught a 2 lb and 4 lb northern in the same evening.

the river flows north into the lake -- if the water is high enough, it makes for quite the falls at the entrance. if not, then the rocks are impressive, even with the low flow of water. here is a shot from early august '06 (with low flow):