ALLEN LAKE CAMPSITES:
Campsite 1 (#637): This campsite appeared to be closed as of August 20, 2023
Campsite 2 (#638): On the point just north of the Jump Lake portage
Allen Lake is long and narrow and is surrounded by a lowland forest consisting of a lot of cedar and spruce with a few white pines sticking out above. Both ends of the lake are shallow, with the skinny western end being shallow enough to fill in with water vegetation by mid-summer. The west end of the lake is more like a slow moving river. The center of the lake is deeper. The campsite along the north shoreline appears to have been swallowed by the forest; could not find it in the summer of 2023. The sole remaining campsite on the point just north of the Jump Lake portage looks to be a good site. Allen Lake is off the beaten path so you should see few other paddlers.
Water flows into this lake from an intermittent creek coming from Pillsbery Lake. Another more steadily flowing stream flows in from Jump Lake. All this water heads out to the east through a creek leading to Horseshoe Lake.
Logging was carried out in the forests surrounding Allen Lake between 1954 and 1972. This was part of the Finn Lake Sale to Consolidated Paper Company out of Wisconsin.
References:
Heinselman, Miron, The Boundary Waters Wilderness Ecosystem (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999), 118.
Pauly, Daniel, Exploring the Boundary Waters (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 293.
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PADDLING FROM THE PILLSBERY LAKE PORTAGE TO THE JUMP LAKE PORTAGE
Paddling east through Allen Lake. The western part of this lake feels like a lazy river, but the lake widens after a bit and grows deeper. As you round the point to turn south toward the Jump Lake portage, the lakes only campsite (occupied) is on the right. Portage to Jump Lake -or- Explore Another Route **********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM THE JUMP LAKE PORTAGE TO THE HORSESHOE LAKE PORTAGE
Follow the east and south shore of the lake while making your way east to the Horseshoe Lake portage. Portage to Horseshoe Lake -or- Explore Another Route **********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
