Alton Lake/Kawishiwi Lake Area

Overlay #20 in the BWCA

There are two entry points located fairly close to each other, but leading to very different parts of the BWCA on this map section. Entry point 36 - Hog Creek leads to Perent Lake and points west. Entry Point 37 - Kawishiwi Lake provides access to lakes along the Kawishiwi River heading toward the north. A worthy route to try is to paddle the entire length of the Kawishiwi River starting here at Kawishiwi Lake and following it all the way to Fall Lake. It passes through many lakes along the way.

Key lakes in this area are Perent Lake, Kawishiwi Lake, Malberg Lake, Grace Lake and Alton Lake (on the eastern border). the Kawishiwi Lake to Malberg Lake route is heavily traveled, particularly up to Lake Polly.

A good circular route of at least four days is the following (going clockwise): Alton Lake, Beth Lake, Grace Lake, Phoebe Lake, Phoebe River, Lake Polly, Koma Lake, Malberg Lake, Boze Lake, Louse River, Trail Lake, Dent Lake,Wine Lake, Lujenida Lake, Kelso Lake and back to Alton Lake. This route is most easily begun at BWCA Entry Point 38 - Sawbill Lake.

A small part of this portion of the BWCA was burned by the 2011 Pagami Creek Fire. This area represents the eastern most extent of this fire. The area between Square Lake and Lake Polly was impacted.

Malberg Lake is reported to have good walleye fishing. Many of the other lakes in the area also contain good walleye and northern pike populations.

Much of the area just to the west of Kawishiwi Lake, Lake Polly, Koma Lake and Malberg Lake is the Fungus Lake Primitive Management Area (PMA). The majority of this PMA was burnt by the Pagami Creek Fire in 2011 so travel in this area is now particularly difficult.

The following major lakes (and many other minor lakes) are shown on the McKenzie(TM) #20 (Alton Lake) Map:

Alton Lake
Barto Lake
Beth Lake
Boze Lake
Dent Lake
Grace Lake
Hog Creek
Kawaschong Lake
Kawishiwi Lake
Kawishiwi River
Koma Lake
Malberg Lake
Mesaba Lake
Phoebe Lake
Polly Lake
Square Lake
Trail Lake
Wine Lake