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!

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

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

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?).

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.)

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.

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"

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

ah yes, the "bacon rock"...

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







Bruce

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

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.

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.

Cowdoc, where is Top of the World?

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

quote Kevlar: "Cowdoc, where is Top of the World?"

East of Moose River, south of Nina Moose Lake.

TB, where are the falls on Winchell?

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.

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.

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.

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.
>

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?

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

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

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

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.

The Isle of Pines

Thunder point

Border Route Hiking Trail







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