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.
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
From the Lake Two channel, take a short paddle down the west shoreline of Lake Three and arrive at the campsite.
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.
From the top of a hill, you can look north and see the channel between Lake Two and Lake Three toward the left.
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.
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.
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 ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM BWCA CAMPSITE 1511 TO BWCA CAMPSITE 1510
A very brief paddle brings you to the next campsite southbound on the west shore of this lake.
Pulled up at BWCA Campsite 1510. Visit the Campsite -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM BWCA CAMPSITE 1510 TO BWCA CAMPSITE 1508
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.
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.
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
This paddle route is on a heading to the southeast, arriving at the island campsite in the southwest part of Lake Three.
View to the west after landing at this island campsite. Visit the Campsite -or- Explore Another Route ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
PADDLING FROM BWCA CAMPSITE 1512 TO THE LAKE TWO CHANNEL
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 ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
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.
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
Looking south from BWCA Campsite 1488.
It's only a short paddle to the west along the shoreline before you arrive at the next campsite.
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
View to the south. From here, you'll paddle to the right (west) to reach the Lake Two channel.
It is only about a quarter-mile of paddling before you reach the channel leading to Lake Two.
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.
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 ***********************************************END OF ROUTE***********************************************
