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wilsonfish

12/13/2009 08:20PM

Within the BWCA, what are some favorite or must visit places? I'm planning a trip of undefined length and would like some ideas!

Thanks!

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fishguts

12/13/2009 09:36PM

An area I want to get to is Curtain Falls, Crooked Lake and Basswood River & Falls.

fishguts

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kanoes

12/13/2009 09:40PM

wheel barrow and lower basswood falls. and the pictos north of LBF.

i think bigfoot is blurry. (mitch hedberg)

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Koda

12/13/2009 10:44PM

In three trips, my favorite places are Lake Insula (Williamson Island area), Disappointment Lake (campsite on southern island), and the route from Oyster Lake to Lac La Croix (esp. Gebe Creek). My "must visit" places are too numerous to mention but include the Isabella River (will do in May 2010), the whole of Lac La Croix (planned for Sept 2010), and Red Rock Lake (2011?).

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Spartan2

12/14/2009 05:44AM

I, too have lots of favorites. Cherokee, Vista and Frost are some of my favorite lakes. I would put Pine Lake and Johnson Falls on a "must see" itinerary, and perhaps the Rose Falls at Stairway Portage, too. The Ge-be-On-e-Quet Creek is a lovely spot, I thought the little waterfall at the end of the portage there was beautiful.

Table Rock for its historic significance. Certainly you must see some pictographs somewhere. I also love the area of Sag around American Point and Loon Island. The entire border route. (We have done all but about two miles of the border route in the BWCA.)

The Pine River/Granite River trip is a nice one. And so it goes. . .I look back on 24 or so trips and think "Oh, this is a must, this is a must, this is a must!" There isn't a bit of it I would have wanted to miss. (Well, maybe a bit, but that has more to do with conditions than places.)

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Mort

12/14/2009 12:39PM

In addition to places already mentioned, I'd add some of my favorites:
The pics on LLC, Warrior Hill (close by), campsites on Lady Boot Bay of LLC, and my favorite 5 star campsite on Gillis Lake.

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cowdoc

12/14/2009 02:21PM

Any of the falls ( I'll throw in Mueller)

Another historical site would be Isle of the Pines (Root Beer Lady).
Devils Cascade and the view from "Top of the World"

"What could happen?"

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Mort

12/14/2009 09:14PM

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, ...Thunder Point scenic vista on Knife Lake, ...and the "bacon" stone at Isle of Pines.

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cowdoc

12/15/2009 10:31AM

ah yes, the "bacon rock"...

"What could happen?"

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Arkansas Man

Moderator

12/15/2009 01:34PM

Curtain Falls, Cattyman Falls, Top of the World, Warrior Hill, just to name a few areas...

Bruce

Good Paddling, Great Fishing, and God Bless All...

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snakecharmer

12/15/2009 07:03PM

I haven't yet been there, but Johnson Falls is on the "gotta see" list.

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after"
~ Henry David Thoreau

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Savage Voyageur

12/15/2009 07:26PM

Johnson Falls, The palisade on Clearwater Lake, Rose lake are all great, I hope that I can stay at Williamson Island on Insula next June, I hope that someday I can see the Bacon rock and Isle of the Pines.

"So many lakes, so little time."

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Kevlar

12/16/2009 02:47PM

I'll echo many of the ones already named, just for emphasis. Lac La Croix, especially Painted Rock and Warrior Hill. Devil's Cascade, Johnson Falls, Rebecca Falls, Curtain Falls, all of the Basswood River (don't take the mile portage..paddle to the top or bottom of the rapids or falls and then portage around just it. You see much more). Thunder Point on Knife Lake, Dorothy's Isle of Pines and Benny Ambrose's site on Ottertrack. The cliffs on Makwa and the colorful rock faces on Seagull. Pictographs on Crooked just below Lower Basswood Falls, Table Rock, the long look down Mountain Lake. And after you have seen many of these, you will also remember some little out of the way creek or winding lakeshore that is more special to you than any of these.

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Kevlar

12/16/2009 02:58PM

Cowdoc, where is Top of the World?

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TuscaroraBorealis

03/21/2012 04:48PM

Mueller Falls

Cliffs on Brule lake

Height of Land portage

Lac La Croix cliffs

Basswood river

Border Route Trail near Clearwater & West Pike

Old Pines hiking trail near Disappointment lake

Rose lake, Stairway portage & nearby trails

Sioux falls

Plane wreckage, Zenith lake

Mug lake falls

Cherry lake

"Enchanted forest" Hanson ~ South Arm portage

Eddy falls

Sea Gull lake palisades

Winchell lake cliffs

Winchell lake waterfall

Cabin on Crooked lake end of portage from Gillis

Granite river

Waterfall between Brule & Vernon

Vernon lake "tub"

Big Moose lake beach

Clearwater lake palisades

Gogebic lake

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schweady

03/21/2012 06:28PM

quote Kevlar: "Cowdoc, where is Top of the World?"
East of Moose River, south of Nina Moose Lake.

"You can observe a lot by watching." -- Yogi Berra

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bbrown6057

03/22/2012 08:13AM

TB, where are the falls on Winchell?

"You have a cough? Go home tonight, eat a whole box of Ex-Lax, tomorrow you'll be afraid to cough."

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TuscaroraBorealis

03/22/2012 08:22AM

quote bbrown6057: "TB, where are the falls on Winchell?"

At about mid lake on the south shore. Almost directly across the lake from campsite #761. You cannot see them from the lake. If you paddle along the south shore in that area you'll hear them as you approach. Initially it's kind of a bushwhack to penetrate the first wave of trees and brush. But once you get past that it's fairly easy to move around. maps section.

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bbrown6057

03/22/2012 08:34AM

quote TuscaroraBorealis: "quote bbrown6057: "TB, where are the falls on Winchell?"

At about mid lake on the south shore. Almost directly across the lake from campsite #761. You cannot see them from the lake. If you paddle along the south shore in that area you'll hear them as you approach. Initially it's kind of a bushwhack to penetrate the first wave of trees and brush. But once you get past that it's fairly easy to move around. maps section. "

Ok, thanks for the info, we'll definitely try and find them.

"You have a cough? Go home tonight, eat a whole box of Ex-Lax, tomorrow you'll be afraid to cough."

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bwcadan

03/24/2012 11:24PM

I have seen many of the mentioned areas, but older now I prefer secluded base camping. Yes, it can be solitude if you work at finding the right lake and back bay. Day trips from there up to 20 miles one way can be handled with an early start. We carry food and a tent to have if unable to return because of wind or unexpected events.

the greatest come backs are reserved for those with the greatest deficits.

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kanoes

03/24/2012 11:57PM

a twist to the subject...to me, many of the "must visit" places are right under our noses, in the areas we normally just walk over. looking down now and then is a good thing. there is a beautiful world underfoot that so many overlook.

i think bigfoot is blurry. (mitch hedberg)

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kanoes

03/25/2012 01:04AM

quote bwcadan: "I have seen many of the mentioned areas, but older now I prefer secluded base camping. Yes, it can be solitude if you work at finding the right lake and back bay. Day trips from there up to 20 miles one way can be handled with an early start. We carry food and a tent to have if unable to return because of wind or unexpected events."
20 miles one way? really? so a 40 mile daytrip?

why basecamp if you can do a 40 mile daytrip carrying food and tent?

i think bigfoot is blurry. (mitch hedberg)

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butthead

03/25/2012 01:46AM

quote bwcadan: "I have seen many of the mentioned areas, but older now I prefer secluded base camping. Yes, it can be solitude if you work at finding the right lake and back bay. Day trips from there up to 20 miles one way can be handled with an early start. We carry food and a tent to have if unable to return because of wind or unexpected events."

That is incredible! How far do you travel on a regular travel day, given an "early start"?

butthead

“There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life.” ? Frank Zappa

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Jackfish

Moderator

03/25/2012 08:50AM

Great idea for a thread. There are so many...

EDIT: Geez, and now that I look closer, it was started in 2009! :)

It's only a spot on the map... until you go there.

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TuscaroraBorealis

03/25/2012 07:59PM

quote kanoes: "a twist to the subject...to me, many of the "must visit" places are right under our noses, in the areas we normally just walk over. looking down now and then is a good thing. there is a beautiful world underfoot that so many overlook."
I agree wholeheartedly!!! You really can't go wrong, regardless where you choose to go.

BTW great photos.

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TuscaroraBorealis

08/07/2012 10:11AM

The Isle of Pines

Thunder point

Border Route Hiking Trail

.....A couple of non-wilderness must sees.

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