From Ely, follow Minnesota Highway 1 east for about 18 miles to Tomahawk Road (Forest Road 173). Take a left onto this road and follow it for about 6 miles. The road is usually well graded. You eventually come to the BWCA entry point sign for the Little Isabella River and the Snake River. Take a left onto this road (Forest Road 381) which heads north. This road is narrower and usually rougher than Tomahawk Road. Follow this road until it comes to a 'T'. A sign here indicates that it is 1 mile to the Little Isabella River to the right. The sign also indicates it is 1 mile to the Snake River to the left. Either way you go, expect a bumpy ride as these roads are in fairly rough shape. By summer time, grass rows two feet high down the middle ridge of the road in both directions. Be careful driving since this grass can sometimes hide boulders and large pieces of wood.
This is a fairly small parking lot and you can park right near to the start of the long portage that goes down to the Snake River. The portage is in very good condition and a piece of cake to walk. It follows the path of an old logging road. However, it is 198 rods long.
Route options from this entry point are fairly limited. You must paddle down the Snake River to the Isabella River. This is right near the mouth of the Isabella River at Bald Eagle Lake. Bald Eagle Lake provides route options to the north and west. Going east leads to Quadga Lake and Lake Isabella beyond. A nice loop of rivers (The Three Rivers Route?) would be to paddle down the Snake River, head east up the Isabella River and then back upstream (south) on the Little Isabella River. It is just a two mile walk from the Little Isabella River entry point back to the Snake River entry point along a nearly deserted road.
Exploring the Entry Point
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When you see this sign along Tomahawk Road, follow the arrow and turn onto Forest Road 381.
Forest Road 381 runs for about two miles. This road is not as well graded as Tomahawk Road, but is still much better than the next road you will turn onto.
This T-intersection sign shows the distance of one mile to either entry point.
A look at the access road from the entry point parking lot. This is a rugged road; much more difficult to drive than it appears here. That car on the right would have been scraping bottom a bit getting here. It is doable in a passenger car, just take it easy. In late summer the grass growing down the middle of the road can get quite high. That grass can hide big rocks. Don't hit one.
The parking area for the Snake River entry point. This parking lot is a little bigger than the one for the Little Isabella River entry point.
A walk around the small parking area of BWCA Entry Point 84.
The bulletin board. The portage of 198 rods starts just to the right of this signage. If you need a day permit, they are in that box on the right side of the bulletin board.
