BWCA Entry Point, Route, and Trip Report Blog
May 23 2024
Entry Point 54 - Seagull Lake
Seagull Lake entry point allows overnight paddle or motor (10 HP (except where paddle only) max). This entry point is supported by Gunflint Ranger Station near the city of Grand Marais, MN. The distance from ranger station to entry point is 50 miles. No motors (use or possession) west of Three Mile Island. Large lake with several campsites. landing at Seagull Lake. This area was affected by blowdown in 1999.
Number of Permits per Day: 8
Elevation: 1205 feet
Latitude: 48.1469
Longitude: -90.8693
Seagull Lake - 54
Number of Permits per Day: 8
Elevation: 1205 feet
Latitude: 48.1469
Longitude: -90.8693
Seagull Lake - 54
Paradise and Tribulation...A awesome unforgettable trip!
by CanoeViking
Trip Report
Entry Date:
May 22, 2016
Entry Point:
Saganaga Lake
Exit Point:
Saganaga Lake (55)
Number of Days:
3
Group Size:
2
Trip Introduction:
My wife and I try to take a backpacking trip twice a year, but we knew we would only likely get one trip this year due to a little one on the way. So I decided to take her to the BWCA for her first time. May 22 was the chosen date in hopes that the bugs would not be out yet and hoping that it would not be to cold.
The trip goal to put in on Saganaga Lake and head to Hanson and Ester Lakes.
Report
Day 9 Wednesday August 30, 2006 73 high/39 low
Pageant Lake, Loon Lake, Little Indian Sioux River, Lower Pauness Lake
When we left Pageant the next day, we headed down the S-H Trail to the Loon - Heritage Lake portage. I think it was around 2 miles to the portage trail, then another 180 rods or so on the portage trail to Loon Lake. That part of the Sioux Hustler Trail was the most gorgeous part yet, and solidified our desire to come back some time soon and hike it.
Reaching Loon Lake was a big milestone for us. It was the first sandy beach we'd seen since we'd entered the BWCA. And there was someone at the beach who'd stopped for lunch, and we realized that he was the first other person we'd seen since Day 4. And it was the first lake connected by a maintained portage that we'd seen in 3 days. We could actually PADDLE to our destination rather than bushwhack now!
The guy having lunch had a solo cedar stripper he'd built, and said he'd also built a kayak as well. He mentioned a 17 day trip he'd taken, which made us pretty envious, because we wouldn't have minded having another week to spend out there, and our time was starting to run out. In a way, Loon was also a sad milestone for us, because it meant we'd reached the end of the trip's challenges. It was that bittersweet moment where you cross that line where you're kind of happy knowing that you'll be going home soon and seeing the people you miss, but also sad realizing that you're now leaving, rather than travelling.
The guy in the stripper departed and we ate our lunch on the sandy beach and then loaded up and headed for the Little Indian Sioux River. Of course the wind was in our face again, now coming from the southeast but eventually we reached Devil's Cascade. We saw a large group of people there, and started consistently seeing people after that. The cascade was VERY low. I bet it would have been pretty cool at a higher volume of water, but it was more of a Devil's trickle when we saw it.
We started keeping an eye out for open sites after that and found one on Lower Pauness. It wasn't much, especially compared to the last few sites we'd seen, but it served the purpose, and right across the river from us, we could see the aspens starting to turn gold. I'd hoped to see a bit of color on this trip, and it seemed like just on the last day, we'd noticed the aspens and a few maples starting to turn. Dinner of chicken stew was kind of quiet as we both soaked in our last evening, and enjoyed watching the sun lower itself and deepen the color on the trees.
Pageant Lake, Loon Lake, Little Indian Sioux River, Lower Pauness Lake
When we left Pageant the next day, we headed down the S-H Trail to the Loon - Heritage Lake portage. I think it was around 2 miles to the portage trail, then another 180 rods or so on the portage trail to Loon Lake. That part of the Sioux Hustler Trail was the most gorgeous part yet, and solidified our desire to come back some time soon and hike it.
Reaching Loon Lake was a big milestone for us. It was the first sandy beach we'd seen since we'd entered the BWCA. And there was someone at the beach who'd stopped for lunch, and we realized that he was the first other person we'd seen since Day 4. And it was the first lake connected by a maintained portage that we'd seen in 3 days. We could actually PADDLE to our destination rather than bushwhack now!
The guy having lunch had a solo cedar stripper he'd built, and said he'd also built a kayak as well. He mentioned a 17 day trip he'd taken, which made us pretty envious, because we wouldn't have minded having another week to spend out there, and our time was starting to run out. In a way, Loon was also a sad milestone for us, because it meant we'd reached the end of the trip's challenges. It was that bittersweet moment where you cross that line where you're kind of happy knowing that you'll be going home soon and seeing the people you miss, but also sad realizing that you're now leaving, rather than travelling.
The guy in the stripper departed and we ate our lunch on the sandy beach and then loaded up and headed for the Little Indian Sioux River. Of course the wind was in our face again, now coming from the southeast but eventually we reached Devil's Cascade. We saw a large group of people there, and started consistently seeing people after that. The cascade was VERY low. I bet it would have been pretty cool at a higher volume of water, but it was more of a Devil's trickle when we saw it.
We started keeping an eye out for open sites after that and found one on Lower Pauness. It wasn't much, especially compared to the last few sites we'd seen, but it served the purpose, and right across the river from us, we could see the aspens starting to turn gold. I'd hoped to see a bit of color on this trip, and it seemed like just on the last day, we'd noticed the aspens and a few maples starting to turn. Dinner of chicken stew was kind of quiet as we both soaked in our last evening, and enjoyed watching the sun lower itself and deepen the color on the trees.
discuss this trip report (7 comments) - last post on December 24, 2017