Portage between Vesper Lake and Town Lake and surrounding area
Length in Rods: 90 rods
Date portage was last visited: May 27, 2016
Portage Rating: Rugged
The Portage between Vesper Lake and Town Lake
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Portaging Direction: From Town Lake to Vesper Lake
The landing here on Town Lake isn't too bad. A few rocks and some muck to deal with, but footing is good and you can wedge canoe between some rocks well enough to make getting out of it easy. This portage is one of the roughest in the BWCA. From the shore of Town Lake, the condition of the portage goes downhill quickly.
This rugged portage starts at an easy enough canoe landing on Town Lake. The portage is mildly uphill from the Town Lake end and slightly downhill as it approaches Vesper Lake. It is not the elevation changes that make this portage tough. There is terrible footing along much of the portage made difficult by large boulders, mud and standing water. There are signs of moose in this area, which you may see along the portage.
One of the few flat sections along this portage. Even where the portage isn't a jumble of rocks and mud, it is still overgrown. This is in late May. By late June the undergrowth will be much thicker and you'll have heat and more bugs to deal with too.
The landing on Vesper Lake requires hopping from boulder to boulder to find a place to place your canoe in the water. You will have to carefully pick your way out of this channel to deeper water in order to avoid hanging your canoe up on underwater rocks and logs. Reaching beautiful Vesper Lake makes it worth the effort.
Now that you've made it over the portage, visit:VESPER LAKE
Portaging Direction: From Vesper Lake to Town Lake
A good view of the boulder hopping maze you will have to figure out to get your canoe in or out of Vesper Lake.
Another view of the small bay near the start of the portage to Town Lake.
The miserable 90 rod portage behind you, you are greeted with a nice view of Town Lake looking to the west. The portage to Cherokee Lake is on the very far end of the lake.
Now that you've made it over the portage, visit:TOWN LAKE
