The Portage between Brule Lake and Vernon Lake

Portaging Direction: From Brule Lake to Vernon Lake

The canoe landing is back in a small creek inlet. You may have to get out in walk through the water with your boat to get to dry ground. The landing is this overgrown area. The rest of the portage isn't any better.

The beginning of the portage seems to have been rerouted recently (as of 2020). It previously probably followed a low, water covered trail. Now the portage goes up a small rise and through the woods above the former tread (maybe 10 rods or so). Unfortunately, it soon comes back to the waterlogged trail and follows it for an additional 20 rods or so. It is muddy and slippery with rocks and roots underwater to stumble upon. After that, it climbs up another hill and makes its way along a brushy trail to Glee Lake (you may shout with "glee" when you get done with this portage). There is a nice view of Glee Lake just before you decend down the trail to the lakes edge.

By far the best part of this portage is the canoe put in/take out at Glee Lake.

Now that you've made it over the portage, visit: VERNON LAKE

Portaging Direction: From Vernon Lake to Brule Lake

This landing is the best part of this entire portage. Enjoy it while you can.

From Glee Lake, you boogie uphill to begin. There is a nice view of the lake if you stop at the top of the hill and look back. The trail becomes overgrown and winds through the newly regrown woods for a short ways. It then descends to the base of a slope and goes through a long stretch of muck, mud, and dark stained water. The beavers have probably caused this trail flooding. Rough going through this stretch. Eventually the portage ascends up the slope into the woods (probably used to continue on along the bottom of the slope at this point, but it looks like the portage was rerouted). It goes a short ways through the woods and then comes back down to a creek inlet near the end. You load your gear here and then walk/paddle your canoe through the shallow inlet out onto the open waters of Bingshick Lake (depends on water levels what you end up doing here).

The creek inlet at the Bingshick Lake end of the portage (right side of your view). You probably can't just paddle out because of underwater obstructions and it being too shallow (that would be too easy).

Now that you've made it over the portage, visit: BRULE LAKE

Return to the BWCA Portage List