Kroft Lake is a small and relatively shallow lake. Most travelers along this lightly traveled route just pass through this lake. The lake is a fishless desert. There are no campsites on this lake. Kroft Lake is somewhat murky. Water clarity is certainly much less than Ram Lake, but a bit clearer than Rum Lake.
Aquatic vegetation appears across much of the lakes surface, but is especially prevalent in the northwest part of the lake. There are some extravagant moss gardens hanging from the modest cliffs as you approach the Ram Lake portage on your right. There are many large cedar trees in the area.
The portage between Rum Lake and Kroft Lake is the easiest one along this route. The portages get tougher as you head west, culminating in the brutal Little Trout Lake to Misquah Lake portage.
Kroft Lake drains to the east via a small creek that flows into Dislocation Lake. Dislocation Lake holds some naturally reproducing brook trout. It is accessible from the same road on which the Ram Lake access is found.
The origin of the lakes name is perhaps a mispelling of E.J. Croft's name, a pianist by profession and a resident of Maple Hill circa 1940's and 1950's. Maple Hill is a small town just north of Grand Marais, Minnesota along the Gunflint Trail.
References:
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 2 – Eastern Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 96, 100, 102.
Pauly, Daniel, Exploring the Boundary Waters (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 286.
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PADDLING FROM THE RAM LAKE PORTAGE TO THE RUM LAKE PORTAGE
View of Kroft Lake from the Ram Lake portage landing. Note the stained color of the water.
Paddling from the Ram Lake portage to the Rum Lake portage. The route follows the north shore of the lake. This shoreline is low elevation and the northwest corner of the lake is adjacent to a bog.
Looking west from near the middle of the north shoreline of Kroft Lake.
Northwest corner of the lake. Portage to Rum Lake -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM THE RUM LAKE PORTAGE TO THE RAM LAKE PORTAGE
Southern shore of Kroft Lake. You are looking toward the east.
Paddling along the densely forested south shore of Kroft Lake from the Rum Lake portage to the Ram Lake portage. The lakes water has low visibility, so beware of underwater boulders as you paddle the route.
Moss and lichen cover the low rising cliffs (on your right) as you approach the Ram Lake portage (just left of center) on the east end of Kroft Lake. You'll see these cliffs just as you pull up to the portage landing. Portage to Ram Lake -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
