Fishing: MN DNR Fish Survey; Black Crappie, Northern Pike (Minnesota state record caught here), Bluegill, Rock Bass, Burbot, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye
ROUTES/PORTAGES FROM BASSWOOD LAKE:
To Azion Lake: Walk the 75 rod portage
To Basswood Lake - between Pipestone Bay and Jackfish Bay: Walk the 85 rod portage
To Basswood Lake - between Pipestone Bay and Back Bay: Walk the 62 rod portage
To Basswood Lake - between Back Bay and main lake (to east): Walk the 100 rod portage
To Basswood River: Walk the 360 rod portage
To Fall Lake: Walk (and paddle/wade) the 1,280 portage (known as the Four Mile Portage)
To Good Creek: Paddle In
To Good Lake: Walk the 70 rod portage
To Indiana Lake: Walk the 95 rod portage
To Madden Creek: Paddle In
To Manomin Lake: Walk the 105 rod portage
To Muskeg Creek: Paddle In (this is not a maintained route)
To Newton Lake: Walk the 85 rod portage
To Range River: Paddle In
To Spawn Creek: Paddle In
To Sucker Lake: Walk the 31 rod portage (Prairie Portage - Canadian Ranger Station)
To Sucker Lake: Walk the 110 rod portage (American Side - used to portage motorboats)
To Wind Lake: Walk the 190 rod portage
Basswood Lake (U.S. side of the lake only)
Kawishiwi Ranger District
BASSWOOD LAKE - HOIST BAY CAMPSITES:
Campsite 1 (#1127): First campsite east of the mouth of the Range River along north shoreline
Campsite 2 (#1580): First campsite east of the mouth of the Range River along south shoreline
Campsite 3 (#2094): Second campsite east of the mouth of the Range River along south shoreline
Campsite 4 (#1581): On island just east of the mouth of the Range River
Campsite 5 (#1582): Third campsite east of the mouth of the Range River along south shoreline
Campsite 6 (#1579): Second campsite east of the mouth of the Range River along north shoreline
Campsite 7 (#1578): Third campsite east of the mouth of the Range River along north shoreline
Campsite 8 (#1577): Fourth campsite east of the mouth of the Range River along north shoreline
Campsite 9 (#1574): Fifth campsite east of the mouth of the Range River along north shoreline
Campsite 10 (#1575): On the west end of large island almost due north of the portage between Pipestone Bay and Jackfish Bay
Campsite 11 (#1571): On the north side of large island almost due north of the portage between Pipestone Bay and Jackfish Bay
Campsite 12 (#1569): On the small island just northeast of the portage between Pipestone Bay and Jackfish Bay
Campsite 13 (#1569): On the small island close to the shoreline just northeast of the portage between Pipestone Bay and Jackfish Bay
Campsite 14 (#1570): On the small island to the northeast of the portage between Pipestone Bay and Jackfish Bay
Campsite 15 (#1572): Sixth campsite east of the mouth of the Range River along north shoreline
Campsite 16 (#1573): Seventh campsite east of the mouth of the Range River along north shoreline
Campsite 17 (#1558): Eigth campsite east of the mouth of the Range River along north shoreline at the northeast end of Jackfish Bay
Campsite 18 (#1562): First campsite northeast of the Lewis Narrows on the point at the northeast end of the huge island
Campsite 19 (#1561): Second campsite northeast of the Lewis Narrows on the north end of the huge island
Campsite 20 (#1563): First campsite east of the Lewis Narrows on the south shoreline
Campsite 21 (#1560): On the point just north of BWCA Campsite 1563
Campsite 22 (#1559): Just northeast of BWCA Campsite 1561
BASSWOOD LAKE - PIPESTONE BAY CAMPSITES:
Basswood Lake is the 15th largest lake that is at least partially within the borders of the State of Minnesota. This huge lake runs along the border between the United State and Canada. The lake is also the location of the largest northern pike ever caught in Minnesota at 49 pounds, 12 ounces. The lake has by far the most campsites of any lake in the BWCA (around 145 of them, not including campsites on the Canadian/Quetico Provincial Park side of the lake).
Numerous lakes and homes dotted the shorelines of Basswood Lake until as recently as the 1990's. The last residents of the lake were the Chosa family up until the early 2000's. Motorboats are still allowed on Basswood Lake. Motorboats access the lake on the American-side of Prairie Portage. Prairie Portage is the location of a Canadian Ranger Station. You would typically visit this establishment if you are heading into Quetico Provincial Park. You need a Quetico Park permit and a Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) permit to travel into Quetico.
Basswood Lake was the center of a massive logging operation that began in the late 1800's and persisted until the 1920's. Millions of board feet of lumber were removed. Most of it was shipped down the railway between Hoist Bay and Fall Lake (now the Four Mile Portage). The train had several logging cars and was pulled by a 40-ton locomotive. A giant steam hoist lifted the logs onto the railcars (thus the name of Hoist Bay) at the Basswood Lake end of the line. Fall Lake was the location of a huge sawmill. After the railway was removed, what is now known as the Four Mile Portage became a narrow road that trucks and buses used to shuttle supplies and customers to resorts and lakehomes on Basswood Lake.
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PADDLING FROM THE MOUTH OF GOOD CREEK TO THE FALL LAKE PORTAGE (FOUR-MILE PORTAGE)
Brief paddle to the Basswood end of the Four Mile Portage.
PADDLING FROM THE FALL LAKE PORTAGE (FOUR-MILE PORTAGE) TO THE MOUTH OF GOOD CREEK
This is a very short route to the mouth of Good Creek.
Route Connections for Basswood Lake
There are three portages between three major bays of Basswood Lake. These are the PipeStone Bay to Jackfish Bay portage, the Pipestone Bay to Back Bay portage and the Back Bay portage to the main part of the lake. In addition, from Basswood Lake you can portage into Azion Lake, the Basswood River, Fall Lake (this is the Four Mile Portage), Good Lake, Indiana Lake, Manomin Lake, Newton Lake, Sucker Lake (this is Prairie Portage) and Wind Lake. Finally, you can also paddle into Good Creek, Madden Creek (to get to Indiana Lake), Muskeg Creek (not a maintained route), the Range River and Spawn Creek (not a maintained route).
