The Unmaintained Portage between Perent Lake and Kawishiwi Lake

Do not attempt this portage without having a map, a compass and a GPS device with you, as well as the knowledge of how to use them. The portage trail is extremely difficult to follow in places, especially in the summer when vegetation cover is heavy. When this portage was maintained, it allowed for a large loop trip beginning in Kawishiwi Lake that took paddling groups north up to Polly Lake, then west into Alice Lake, through Lake Insula, west through the numbered lakes, down the Kawishiwi River on the west side of the loop and then back through the south central part of the BWCA along the Isabella River and finally the Perent River to Perent Lake. From Perent Lake you finished with this long two mile portage. The video below shows only the first 0.71-miles of the two-mile long portage (about 35%).

Portaging Direction: From Perent Lake to Kawishiwi Lake

The landing for this obscure portage is easy to spot. Look for this flat table rock with the odd boulder. In the northeast arm of Perent Lake along the north shoreline.

This portage has not been maintained for many years by the U.S. Forest Service. It does appear on the 1960 USGS Topo map series. The landing on Perent Lake is very easy to find (see image above). Some of the portage trail is still in good shape, but there are also parts of the trail that are practically invisible. This was recorded in late August when there were a lot of leaves on the trees and the undergrowth vegetation was thick. The portage is probably easier to follow if done in the spring or late fall when the leaves are off the trees. Only made it about 35% of the way across the two mile portage. The portage is relatively flat and there were no particularly muddy or rocky sections encountered in this part of the portage. Lost the trail and couldn't continue. Was also running out of time and needed to turn around anyway. Will try again hopefully in 2025 season.

Typical view along the trail. The portage trail is just left of center.

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

Portaging Direction: From Kawishiwi Lake to Perent Lake

NO DATA FOR THIS PORTAGE YET GOING IN THIS DIRECTION.

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

Return to the BWCA Portage List