Lake Three
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Nearest Entry Point: Lake One #30 Lake Three Fishing: MN DNR Fish Survey; Northern Pike, Bluegill, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye
Maps: Fisher F-4, F-10, F-31 Special; McKenzie #18 Lake Depth: MN DNR Lake Map; 37 feet
Fire History: 2011 and 1824
Lake Size: 881 acres
Campsites: 17 (8 visited; 1 closed) Wildlife Seen on Visit: Bald Eagles, Otter, Beaver, Loons
Last Visited: May 26, 2024;
Previous Visit(s): May 21, 2023, September 4, 2021, August 7, 2021, July 19, 2014
Lake Elevation: 1486 feet
Water Clarity: MN DNR ROUTES/PORTAGES FROM LAKE THREE:
To Lake Two: Paddle In
To Lake Four: Paddle In
To Holiday Lake: Bushwhack for about 40 rods
To Horseshoe Lake: Walk the 20 rod portage
To Powwow Trail: Find the trail where it intersects the Horseshoe Lake portage
To Spinnan Lake: Bushwhack for about 35 rods

Lake Three

Kawishiwi Ranger District

LAKE THREE CAMPSITES:
Lake Three Campsite 1 (1512) - On east point of west most island in south end of lake
Lake Three Campsite 2 (1511) - North most site along the west shoreline of lake
Lake Three Campsite 3 (1510) - Second site south of Lake Two channel on west shoreline
Lake Three Campsite 4 (1509) - Near small point on west shore - CAMPSITE IS CLOSED (Verified 08/07/2021)
Lake Three Campsite 5 (1508) - South most site along the west shore
Lake Three Campsite 6 (1513) - On island in south end of lake just east of Spinnan Lake
Lake Three Campsite 7 (1516) - South end of largest island very near Horseshoe Lake portage
Lake Three Campsite 8 (1515) - On west side of lakes largest island near mid-lake
Lake Three Campsite 9 (1493) - East side of lake just south of Lake Four channel and at north end of long channel between island and east shore
Lake Three Campsite 10 (1491) - Just west of Lake Four channel on north side of lake
Lake Three Campsite 11 (1490) - North most site on lake; second site west of Lake Four channel
Lake Three Campsite 12 (1489) - Second site east of Lake Two channel on north shore
Lake Three Campsite 13 (1488) - Site just east of Lake Two channel
Lake Three Campsite 14 (2224) - Just south of Horseshoe Lake portage (accessible to Powwow Trail hikers)
Lake Three Campsite 15 (2220) - On small island in north end of lake just east of Lake Two channel
Lake Three Campsite 16 (1514) - South shore of lake just east of Spinnan Lake
Lake Three Campsite 17 (2221) - On small island 1/2 mile northwest of Horseshoe Lake portage

The Kawishiwi River flows through Lake Three. The current moves from the Lake Four channel and out of the channel to Lake Two. Lake Three is just a wide point along this river which passes through many lakes in the BWCA.

Except for a few small remaining patches of forest, the entire Lake Three shoreline was burned by the 2011 Pagami Creek Fire. Because of the extensive fire damage along much of this route (assuming you entered at Lake One), a few of the many campsites in the area are still in rough condition or remain closed (as of 2021). The Horseshoe Lake route south of Lake Three and Lake Four has been mostly burned. You need to reach the north half of Lake Insula to find forest that was unaffected by this historically large fire.

There is a lovely sand bar on the right side, just as you enter Lake Three along the channel from Lake Two. The first two campsites along the west shore of Lake Three just south of the Lake Two channel are good places to camp. BWCA Campsite 1508 on the west side of the lake is a very minimalist site. Also the three campsites to the east of the Lake Two channel are respectable (the eastern most of those three sites is on the small island).

The southwest corner of Lake Three offers access to the Weasel Lake Primitive Management Area. Holiday Lake and Spinnan Lake can be reached by bushwhacking along a small creek. Spinnan Lake is relatively easy to reach (notice emphasis on relatively). Holiday Lake is a bit harder, but doable for a determined group.

Horseshoe Lake is accessible by a 10 rod portage from the southeast part of Lake Three. When water levels are good, there is a route from Lake Three to Hudson Lake through Horsehoe Lake, Brewis Lake, Harbor Lake, North Wilder Lake and then down the unnamed creek into the west end of Hudson Lake.

The Powwow Trail passes along the southeast corner of Lake Three. This trail intersects the portage between Lake Three and Horseshoe Lake.

Lake Three BWCA fishing is mostly for northern pike and walleye. The lake also contains some smallmouth bass.

The forest surrounding Lake Three was logged in the first two decades of the 20th century. The last notable fire before the 2011 Pagami Creek Fire that affected Lake Three was the Bald Eagle-Isabella Fire of 1824. This fire burned roughly 60,000 acres (Heinselman, 1999). Up until 2011, many trees around Lake Three dated back to this fire.

References:
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 1 – Western Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 192, 201.
Beymer, Robert, Boundary Waters Canoe Area – Volume 2 – Eastern Region (Berkeley: Wilderness Press, 2006), 46.
Heinselman, Miron, The Boundary Waters Wilderness Ecosystem (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1999), 100.
Pauly, Daniel, Exploring the Boundary Waters (Minneapolis:  University of Minnesota Press, 2005), 181.

Exploring Lake Three

Routes to locations on Lake Three are shown below:
Paddling from the Lake Two channel to BWCA Campsite 1511
Paddling from BWCA Campsite 1511 to BWCA Campsite 1510
Paddling from BWCA Campsite 1510 to BWCA Campsite 1508
Paddling from BWCA Campsite 1508 to BWCA Campsite 1512
Paddling from BWCA Campsite 1512 to the Lake Two channel
Paddling from the Lake Two channel to BWCA Campsite 1488
Paddling from BWCA Campsite 1488 to BWCA Campsite 1489
Paddling from BWCA Campsite 1489 to the Lake Two channel
Paddling about 1/2 mile from point along west shore to start of Spinnan Lake bushwhack

Click on the photos below to see the full resolution image - Use your browsers back button to close photo and return to this page.

PADDLING FROM THE LAKE TWO CHANNEL TO BWCA CAMPSITE 1511


Lake Three map1 From the Lake Two channel, take a short paddle down the west shoreline of Lake Three and arrive at the campsite.



Lake Three 2
If you need a nice place to take a break, pull up on this sand bar. The sand bar is on your right just as you enter Lake Three from Lake Two. Climb up the hill behind the sand bar to explore the burned forest and get a great view of Lake Three.


Lake Three 1
From the top of a hill, you can look north and see the channel between Lake Two and Lake Three toward the left.


Lake Three 3
From the top of the little hill, you can peer to the south over much of Lake Three. BWCA Campsite 1511 is on that point to the right side of your view. "Invisible Island" is visible in the middle of your view in the far distance. This island doesn't appear on many maps of Lake Three, which confuses navigation.


Lake Three 4
Examining the effects of the 2011 Pagami Creek Fire on the forest surrounding this part of Lake Three. This image is from July 2014, about three years after the fire. Lake Three is behind you from this vantage point and you are looking due west. Passing through this area in August 2021, almost all of these tree skeletons have now fallen down.


Lake Three 6
Glancing back at the route you just paddled. Middle of view is the Lake Two channel. Just to the left of the channel is the sandy beach. This view is from the campsite.
Visit the Campsite -or- Explore Another Route
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PADDLING FROM BWCA CAMPSITE 1511 TO BWCA CAMPSITE 1510


Lake Three map2 A very brief paddle brings you to the next campsite southbound on the west shore of this lake.



Lake Three 7
Pulled up at BWCA Campsite 1510.
Visit the Campsite -or- Explore Another Route
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PADDLING FROM BWCA CAMPSITE 1510 TO BWCA CAMPSITE 1508

Lake Three 9
This beach lies back in a bay along the route between these two campsites. This is near the former location of BWCA Campsite 1509, which is now closed.



Lake Three map3 Just follow the west shoreline of Lake Three a bit further south and you will find the next campsite. Note that BWCA Campsite 1509 no longer exists and it was in between BWCA Campsite 1510 and 1508. It can be a little hard to see BWCA Campsite 1508 from the lake, so keep your eyes peeled.


Lake Three 8
View from the beach once you arrive at the campsite. This is a minimalist campsite. The only extravagance here is this nice beach. This image is during a period of low water levels, so don't expect to use the beach to help you find this campsite if the water levels are up.
Visit the Campsite -or- Explore Another Route
***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************


PADDLING FROM BWCA CAMPSITE 1508 TO BWCA CAMPSITE 1512


Lake Three map4 This paddle route is on a heading to the southeast, arriving at the island campsite in the southwest part of Lake Three.



Lake Three 10
View to the west after landing at this island campsite.
Visit the Campsite -or- Explore Another Route
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PADDLING FROM BWCA CAMPSITE 1512 TO THE LAKE TWO CHANNEL


Lake Three map5 Paddling mostly in a direct line across the lake from BWCA Campsite 1512 to the Lake Two channel. The island you pass near to is "Invisible Island". That is a made up name. This island doesn't appear on most commonly used BWCA maps of Lake Three.
Paddle into Lake Two -or- Explore Another Route
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PADDLING FROM THE LAKE TWO CHANNEL TO BWCA CAMPSITE 1488


Paddle out of the channel and into Lake Three. Turn toward the left (east) and soon arrive at the campsite.


Lake Three 11
Looking down the shoreline toward the west toward the Lake Two channel which begins at that rocky point (mid view).
Visit the Campsite -or- Explore Another Route
***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************


PADDLING FROM BWCA CAMPSITE 1488 TO BWCA CAMPSITE 1489

Lake Three 12
Looking south from BWCA Campsite 1488.



Lake Three map6 It's only a short paddle to the west along the shoreline before you arrive at the next campsite.



Lake Three 13
View to the west from BWCA Campsite 1489. There is another campsite on that point (which is really the south end of an island) that is visible just left of center.
Visit the Campsite -or- Explore Another Route
***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************


PADDLING FROM BWCA CAMPSITE 1489 TO THE LAKE TWO CHANNEL

Lake Three 14
View to the south. From here, you'll paddle to the right (west) to reach the Lake Two channel.



Lake Three map7 It is only about a quarter-mile of paddling before you reach the channel leading to Lake Two.


Paddle into Lake Two -or- Explore Another Route
***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************


PADDLING SOUTH FROM POINT ALONG WEST SHORE ABOUT 1/2 MILE TO START OF SPINNAN LAKE BUSHWHACK


Paddling along the west shoreline of Lake Three south, starting from a point about 4,000 feet east/northeast of the north most edge of Holiday Lake. The exact starting location of this video is: 47.88345, -91.45618
Continue along this course into the creek that flows out of both Spinnan Lake and Holiday Lake.


Lake Three 5
Looking back in the direction of Lake Three from the near the mouth of the little creek that flows out of Spinnan Lake and Holiday Lake.
Bushwhack to Spinnan Lake in the Weasel Lake PMA -or- Explore Another Route
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Route Connections for Lake Three

From Lake Three, you can paddle into Lake Two or Lake Four. You can also portage to Horseshoe Lake. In addition, you can bushwhack to Holiday Lake or Spinnan Lake (both within the Weasel Lake Primitive Management Area). Also the Powwow Trail can be accessed from the portage between Lake Three and Horseshoe Lake. It can also be accessed from BWCA Campsite 2224.

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PMA #1: Weeny PMA #4: Tick PMA #7: Pitfall PMA #10: Hairy
PMA #2: Canthook PMA #5: Spider PMA #8: Mugwump PMA #11: Weasel
PMA #3: Sundial PMA #6: Drag PMA #9: Humpback PMA #12: Fungus
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