Granite River Journey
to Saganaga
- Skill Level
- Easy
- Days
- 3
- Miles
- 22
- Entry Point
- #57
- Portages
- 11
- Portage Rods
- 391
- Longest Portage
- 115
Well suited to visitors of every skill level, this route follows up from Gunflint Lake though Magnetic Lake and the Granite River along the Canadian border. It follows stretches of twisting streams, portages around beautiful waterfalls and rapids, and leads you up to legendary Lake Saganaga. However, low water late in the summer and fall can drastically change the characteristic of this route.
Detailed Route Info
You will start on Gunflint Lake, and then paddle through a narrows into Magnetic Lake then on the Granite River to Clove Lake, where you might want to consider camping the first night. If you want more solitude, or these sites are not open, consider taking the portage out the east end of Clove Lake to Larch Lake, where you’ll find three more designated campsites.
You’ll continue to paddle and portage down the Granite River to Maraboeuf Lake. Before you reach Saganaga Lake, you’ll portage around Saganaga Falls — a great place to rest, eat and fish. Arrange for a shuttle so that after you spend time exploring Saganaga, you’ll be able to get back to your car.
*Route information provided courtesy of Dan Pauly, and have been modified from his book, Exploring the Boundary Waters: A Trip Planner and Guide to the BWCAW. University of Minnesota Press, 2004
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