Short Loop through Pine Lake

This route skirts the eastern shore of Trout Lake, then travels a winding creek up into Pine, one of the most popular excursions out of Trout for canoeists.

Detailed Route Info

Paddle and portage 7.5 miles across Lake Vermillion into the interior of Trout Lake, where you can either camp or continue up the eastern shore until you reach the mouth of Pine Creek.

After relatively easy portage of 40 to 60 rods, you’ll be traveling upstream on Pine Creek toward Pine Lake. The creek winds back and forth along a shallow channel and is known for moose and waterfowl. Though the creek contains no major rapids, shallows halfway to Pine Lake may require that you pull your canoe through a rocky stretch. Although Pine is not a huge lake, it provides good privacy among its many bays and islands, even during peak summer travel.

The portage from Pine Lake over to Trout Lake is long (270 rods!), but not particularly difficult. If you would rather not take such a long portage you can paddle back down Pine Creek and retrace your steps on the shorter portage into Trout Lake, which will add about 3 miles to your total paddling distance.