Although it’s just the tip of the iceberg as to what the epic BWCAW has to offer, you can at least say “been there, done that!” BWCA day trips from Clearwater Outfitters are a great way to experience the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness while still enjoying the comforts of a soft bed in our cabins or lodge each night. Whether you are staying with us or coming in for the day, Clearwater Canoe Outfitters can help you enjoy a day on the water.
SCHEDULE & BOOK YOUR DAY TRIP ONLINE!
We have compiled a few of our favorite self-guided day trips and listed them below in order of length and difficulty, with the easier trips at the top. We outfit you with everything you need. Give us a call or drop-in and we’ll get you set-up. You can also book and schedule your day trip activity online – links at top and bottom of this page. Check in with our outfitting staff when you arrive and they will assist and direct you to your gear and destination.
Clearwater Palisades
Standing at the edge of Clearwater Lake in front of our historic lodge looking east, two 400 foot towering basalt cliffs dominate the scene. A short 20 minute paddle will find you at the base of the first cliff, and at the trailhead that leads to the top. The trail does ascend steeply right away but then levels out for a more gradual climb and takes most people about 20 to 30 minutes to reach the top. The views into Canada and back towards the lodge are worth every step. The top of the palisades is one of the first places to find blueberries in the summer. This day trip averages 2 hours to complete and can utilize canoe or kayak.
Mountain Lake Overlook
This trip also starts from our waterfront and heads 4 miles east down beautiful Clearwater Lake before turning north and landing the canoe at the portage to Mountain Lake. After leaving the canoe and hiking half way across the portage you will turn left on the Border Route Trail and hike another 3/4 of a mile. The trail climbs and drops a couple of times before climbing steeply up to the vista. The massive view down Mountain Lake and Canada is second to none. This trip averages 4 to 5 hours to complete and can utilize canoe or kayak.
Rose Falls & Stairway Portage
This trip begins at the West Bearskin Lake public access which is 1/4 mile up the road from our location. We will stage your canoes at that launch location once you check in with us at the outfitting shop, and you can leave them there when you return. From the east end of West Bearskin paddle the 2 mile length of the lake and look for the portage into Duncan Lake. The 75 rod (.25 miles) portage is well traveled, easy to find and relatively flat. On the other side, your route will turn you north for another mile paddle to the Stairway Portage. You can leave your canoe at the landing and walk to the falls from there. A short steep climb up the Border Route Trail to the east above the falls leads to incredible views of untouched wilderness and Canada beyond. This trip averages 5 to 6 hours to complete and is for kevlar canoes only.
Johnson Falls
The trip to Johnson Falls is for those who want to spend the day paddling and portaging to a remote set of waterfalls. This is a 10 mile roundtrip with a total of 6 portages (3 each way) and a 1/4 mile hike to the falls. Starting from our dock at Clearwater Lodge you will paddle a mile and take a 2/3 mile portage to Caribou Lake. After the 3 mile paddle down Caribou you will make a short portage to Little Caribou Lake and then another 1/4 mile portage to Pine Lake. On the far west end of Pine Lake you will find the trail that leads up to the falls. This is a full day trip, but the two tiered falls which are perfect for swimming and relaxing are definitely worth the work. This trip averages 8+ hours to complete and is for kevlar canoes only.
Flour to Clearwater Fishing Loop
This trip is a great way to spend a day experiencing BWCA Wilderness canoe fishing and still make it back to the lodge for dinner – hopefully for a fish fry! We shuttle your party, canoes and gear to the launch on Flour Lake which is 1 mile up the road from our location. After launching, work your way east eventually arriving at the portage into Moon Lake (1/4 mile). A short portage from Moon (130-yards) will bring you to Deer Lake and then on to a 165-yard portage into Caribou Lake. Prevalent species you can expect in all lakes on this loop are Smallmouth Bass, Walleye and Northern Pike. After you are done fishing, take the portage from Caribou to Clearwater Lake (1/3 mile) and paddle back to the lodge finishing right at our waterfront. Total combined portages for this trip equal approximately ¾ of a mile. We rent fishing poles and sell tackle in our outfitting shop if you didn’t bring your own gear. If you didn’t stop to fish, this route would take approximately 3 hours to complete and is for Kevlar Canoes only.
These self-guided day trips are easy to schedule. Either call us to schedule or easily schedule online by clicking the Book Now link. Aluminum Canoes are great for beginners and those not planning to portage (Palisades and Mountain Lake Trips). Kevlar are required for the Rose Falls, Johnson Falls and Flour to Clearwater Fishing Loop trips due to the portages but require special care and handling. Our kayaks are 12′ sit-in solo Current Designs Kestral models and are a great way to experience paddling closer to the water. Check in at our outfitting shop when you arrive and our outfitting team will assist and direct you to your gear and destination.