TUSCARORA LAKE CAMPSITES: Campsite 1: (#517) - Campsite on north shore of the lake just west of Missing Link Lake portage Campsite 2: (#543) - Just north of Ahgoday Lake Campsite 3: (#542) - Northeast point of lake at entrance to north bay Campsite 4: (#520) - South shoreline behind the small island
Tuscarora Lake is a large open lake and is a popular destination. It is one of the deepest lakes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The shortest portage into the lake is from Owl Lake to the west, but that is coming from the interior of the BWCA. From the parking lot on Round Lake, the most direct route is via the Missing Link Lake portage. That is an arduous 442 rod affair. Another long, swampy portage comes in from the east from Hubbub Lake and over the remnants of Howl Lake.
If your looking for a nice day trip from Tuscarora Lake, head up Thelma Creek to Thelma Lake. Thelma Lake has good fishing for northern pike. You will probably have the lake to yourselves. There is a portage from the creek to the lake, but it is often overgrown and muddy. Still passable though. Good moose habitat around Thelma Lake.
There are many campsites on Tuscarora Lake. The campsite on the north shore, just west of the bay leading to the Missing Link Lake portage, offers nice southern views and is a wonderful campsite in general. The campsite on the eastern side of the lake near Ahgoday Lake is fairly secluded.
Tuscarora Lake contains a good supply of lake trout, although most are small to average in size. Northern pike numbers are low in the lake, but they tend to run on the large side.
The last fires to affect the area around Tuscarora Lake were in 1875, 1864 and 1801. In 1875 some of Tuscarora Lake's south shore was burned. The 1875 fire was the second largest known fire to affect the BWCA in recorded history (Heinselman, 1999). The fire affected over 178,000 acres (the 2011 Pagami Creek Fire was just over 100,000 acres for comparison). 1864 saw the scorching of some of the lakes north shoreline. The western part of Tuscarora Lake has forests still dating back to the beginning of the 1800's.
Tuscarora Lake drains out of the bay extending off the south side of the lake through a creek. This creek flows to the west and pours into Jerry Lake losing 65 feet of elevation over a couple of miles.
Motors were allowed on Tuscarora Lake as recently as the 1970's.
References:
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 2 – Eastern Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 60, 123, 124, 136, 142, 143, 146, 150, 157, 166, 205.
Heinselman, Miron, The Boundary Waters Wilderness Ecosystem (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999), 56, 200.
Pauly, Daniel, Exploring the Boundary Waters (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 314, 315.
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PADDLING FROM THE OWL LAKE PORTAGE TO THE CAMPSITE ON THE LAKES PROMINENT NORTH POINT
You have reached Tuscarora Lake. This is the view from the Owl Lake portage. From here you are looking west across almost two miles of open water to that far horizon on the east end of Tuscarora Lake. The nearest island, just left of center, is a bit over half-a-mile from where you stand. Notice the clear water of this lake.
You put your canoe into Tuscarora Lake at its far west end, at the Owl Lake portage. Paddle below the cliffs along the south shoreline. Upon reaching the large island near the middle of the south shore of the lake, turn generally north and head across open water until reaching the campsite on the long point of land jutting out into the lake from the northern shoreline.
Prominent cliffs along the southwestern shoreline of Tuscarora Lake in the BWCA.
Panoramic view looking south. You can see at lot of Tuscarora Lake from here. Your position is from the campsite on the point west of the entrance to the bay in the northeast part of the lake. That bay is where the Missing Link Lake portage is located. Explore the Campsite -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM THE HOWL LAKE PORTAGE TO MOUTH OF THELMA CREEK
A wide view toward the southwest and down the east shoreline of Tuscarora Lake. This view is from the Howl Lake portage. There is a nice beach to be found here.
Paddling down the east shoreline from the Howl Lake portage, until you come to the first campsite along your route.
East shore of Tuscarora Lake looking south from the Howl Lake portage.
The east shore of Tuscarora Lake in the southeast part of the lake. In the distance, dead center, is the small bay where the creeks from Ahgoday Lake and Thelma Lake flow in.
From the campsite, continue south to Tuscarora Lake's southeast bay.
Looking north from a position right in front of the mouth of Ahgoday Creek. Ahgoday Creek, which flows in right behind you does not seem to provide easy access to Ahgoday Lake. To your left and just out of view is the mouth of Thelma Creek. Thelma Creek is easily navigable up to a short portage that leads into Thelma Lake.
The mouth of Aghoday Creek (not official name). This creek flows less than a 1/4 mile from Ahgoday Lake. It may look more "passable" in the spring when all the vegetation isn't choking it. If you want to visit Aghoday Lake, a probably route into the lake is by bushwhacking/portaging from Tuscarora Lake about 1,000 feet northeast along the shoreline from the mouth of Thelma Creek. At that point, there is a small notch in the shoreline. This notch is at the south end of the small bay in the southeast corner of Tuscarora Lake. This notch is due north of the northern most tip of Ahgoday Lake. It's about a 15 rod bushwhack.
A short trip from the mouth of (Ahgoday) Creek to the mouth of (Thelma) Creek. Neither of these creeks has an offical name. A couple of loons are feeding in the area.
This large glacial erratic (boulder) is right in front of the mouth of Thelma Creek. The mouth of Ahgoday Creek is directly behind this boulder and thus not visible from your current position. You can easily paddle up Thelma Creek which leads to Thelma Lake. Paddle into Thelma Creek -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM THE HOWL LAKE PORTAGE TO THE MISSING LINK LAKE PORTAGE
View to the northwest from the Howl Lake portage. The island that is located in the northeast portion of Tuscarora Lake centers your view. There is a great stretch of sandy beach at the Howl Lake portage landing, a rarity in the BWCA.
Leave the beach where the Howl Lake portage begins/ends and paddle north up the shoreline. You pass behind an island (to your left) and then paddle over to the prominent point where you find a nice campsite.
Western view from just north of the island (on your left) that is found in the northeast part of Tuscarora Lake. The point coming out from the right (not in view) is the location of the campsite.
Rounding the northeast point of Tuscarora Lake. After going right around this point, you would be heading north into the bay where the Missing Link Lake portage is found. This point is also the location of one of the lakes better campsites.
Heading north into the modest-sized bay where the Missing Link Lake portage is.
This paddle starts at the campsite on the east side of the entrance to the north bay of Tuscarora Lake. From that campsite you paddle to the Missing Link Lake portage. There is a merganser (duck) near the portage landing to greet you.
View north from the Missing Link Lake portage. The point jutting out from the left has an above average campsite. Portage to Missing Link Lake -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM THE MISSING LINK LAKE PORTAGE TO THE HOWL LAKE PORTAGE
Staying close to the eastern shoreline. After leaving the Missing Link Lake portage, you paddle south and around the large point in the northeast part of the lake. There is a campsite on the end of this point. Shortly after passing the small island in the east end of the lake, you will see several small sandy beaches. The beach with the big boulder on it marks the starting location of the Howl Lake portage. Portage to Howl Lake -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM THE HOWL LAKE PORTAGE TO THE MOUTH OF THELMA CREEK
Beginning from just offshore of the Howl Lake portage (which is marked by a sandy beach with a big boulder on it), head south along the east shoreline of Tuscarora Lake. Pull up to shore in the vicinity of Ahgoday Lake. Scouted for a trail to that lake (appears to be a trail to Ahgoday Lake visible on satellite images). After looking for a trail to Ahgoday Lake, paddle onward until reaching the area near the mouth of Thelma Creek (unofficial name). This is the creek that flows out of Thelma Lake. This creek is navigable and there is a short portage from it to Thelma Lake. Thelma Lake is worth a visit. Paddle into Thelma Creek -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM MOUTH OF THELMA CREEK TO CAMPSITE ON SOUTH SHORE BEHIND THE SMALL ISLAND
Thelma Creek is the unofficial name of the creek that flows from Thelma Lake to Tuscarora Lake. Starting from where the creek has its mouth at Tuscarora Lake, paddle west along the south shoreline until arriving at the campsite located behind the small island. This is the western most campsite along the south shore of Tuscarora Lake. A pretty good campsite in which to spend the night. Explore the Campsite -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM CAMPSITE ON SOUTH SHORE BEHIND THE SMALL ISLAND TO THE OWL LAKE PORTAGE
A morning paddle along the south shore of Tuscarora Lake, westward, until reaching to portage for Owl Lake. You begin this passage from the campsite located behind the small island on the south shoreline.
