“Well, I didn’t expect this,” I said as we pulled into the parking area near the Whitefish Lake boat launch. It was a beautiful Friday morning in August and we were looking forward to an extended weekend paddling the Timber-Frear Canoe Route. But looking at the full parking area, it seemed that plenty of other folks had the same plan. I quickly assessed the number of vehicles and campsites and determined we’d be fine. I was grateful we made a last-minute decision to launch a day early.
The Timber-Frear Canoe Route is one of several canoe routes found in the Superior National Forest that offer a near-wilderness experience. Located outside of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), these routes are free to use and do not require permits. But like the BWCAW, there is a limit of nine people per campsite, you must practice Leave No Trace, and pack out all trash and leftover food.
Timber-Frear is located about 15 miles northwest of Tofte. The entire area is wonderful. If you make the trek, I recommend extending your trip to explore additional camping, hiking, paddling, and fishing opportunities in the area. The route is about 10 miles long and can be explored as a day trip.
The route is made up of five lakes connected by portages. Portages are footpaths that allow paddlers to carry themselves and their gear from lake to lake and are measured in rods. A rod is 16.5 feet and a quick web search will provide easy conversions from rods to miles. The longest portage on this route is 140 rods or less than half of a mile. Compared to many of the portages we’ve explored in the BWCAW, I’d classify these portages as relatively easy, with few obstacles and elevation changes. During our visit, it was clear that the portages between Frear, Lost, and Elbow Lakes are used less than the others.
Canoe Camping in Northeast Minnesota
When I meet people from other states and they ask me what there is to do in Minnesota, one of the things I’m most proud of is Northeast Minnesota’s canoe country. From the Superior National Forest to the BWCAW, and Voyageurs National Park, there are more watercraft campsites than I’d be able to explore in a lifetime. My spouse and I are big fans of canoe camping because it’s a great way to get off the grid, find solitude, and enjoy little luxuries we’d never carry while backpacking. We both love paddling and great fishing is a bonus.
With so many incredible spots to canoe camp, it can be difficult to decide where we want to go. If we’re planning to do a longer trip and want to put more miles on, we plan trips in the BWCAW. But if we’re planning a long weekend to base camp, relax, fish, and do a little exploring, we head to the Superior National Forest or Voyageurs National Park.
Planning a trip to Timber-Frear
The Superior National Forest Canoe Routes have been on my Minnesota adventure wish list for years. But with jobs, short Minnesota summers, a garden, and just enough hobbies, it’s hard to find the time to do it all. So, this year we prioritized a lot of the short trips we never seem to find the time for. We chose Timber-Frear from the list of canoe routes for its location, length, and fishing potential. You can learn more about all of the Superior National Forest canoe routes here.
Timber-Frear could easily be done in one or two nights, and that was our original plan. But at the last minute, my spouse decided to take another day off, giving us three nights—Friday through Monday. It turns out that was a great choice as it was much busier that weekend than we expected.
There isn’t a lot of information on the route outside of this download from the Forest Service. A web search led me to some trip reports on bwca.com and the Minnesota DNR’s Lake Finder tool helped us determine which lakes were best for fishing. Based on the information we could gather, we hoped to camp on either Elbow Lake for the fishing opportunities or Timber Lake for the solitude with only one campsite.
A planning mistake
“That was close,” I said to my husband. My heart was still pounding after we nearly flipped our fully loaded canoe on day one.
Along with my master packing list, I have a list of things to check before we take off. One of those things is the weather forecast. While I did check and record the forecast several times, I didn’t bother to check the wind, which I usually do. These are relatively small lakes so I didn’t think it would matter. I don’t think our plans would have changed had I known how windy it was going to be. But it may have changed how we approached the route and may have prompted us to drive up the night before.
A strong tailwind picked up while we paddled Elbow Lake looking for a campsite. After paddling past the last campsite on the main lake, we turned around and started paddling into the wind to make our way back to one of the open sites we both liked. I don’t know enough about how the weather and wind work with the rugged topography of northeast Minnesota, but I do know that the wind was making some wild maneuvers on Elbow Lake that day. As we casually paddled into the headwind, a crosswind came through a low-lying area and almost dumped us and all of our gear into Elbow Lake. Thankfully, our instincts kicked in and worked in unison to keep us upright and dry. We got lucky.
We’ve been paddling together for nearly two decades and while we’re far from experts, we have a bit of experience under our belts and almost all of that is paddling together. This was the first time we nearly dumped our canoe and it was a good reminder of a few things.
First, putting on our PFDs (personal floatation devices) at the end of each portage has become a habit over the years. This situation reminded us how a difficult situation would have been a whole lot worse had we not been wearing them. Next, no matter how experienced and prepared you are, Mother Nature can have a mind of her own. The wind was mild compared to other situations we’ve been in and this was a great reminder to not let our guard down even when we feel comfortable. Finally, I should have been more prepared. I’ll always check the wind forecast moving forward—even when paddling smaller lakes.
Enjoying a windy weekend on the Timber-Frear loop
After selecting our campsite and getting set up, we discussed what we wanted to do for the remainder of the weekend. Fishing was high on the list so we set an alarm for dawn the next morning. We initially planned to spend a night or two on Elbow Lake and then move on to Frear for the last night or two. But with the unexpectedly high traffic, we decided it might make sense to do the loop as a day trip. The forecast for the next day wasn’t great so we decided to play it by ear. We enjoyed a lovely evening by the fire, savoring the dark skies and a quiet night.
Fishing the next morning was fun but the fish were rather small so we released them so they could continue to grow. We had an early lunch and checked the weather on the weather radio. The afternoon forecast predicted a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. The sky looked clear so we used our Garmin to get a more detailed forecast. Any potential weather concerns weren’t expected until after four so we set out to paddle the Timber-Frear loop as a day trip.
On the first portage, we met a lovely young couple desperate to find a campsite. They said the parking lot was full and all of the sites on Whitefish, Elbow, and Timber were occupied. After that interaction, my husband and I discussed that if we decided to do this route again and showed up to an overflowing parking lot, we’d move on to the next place. I always carry the Superior National Forest Visitor Map whenever I’m in the area and there are countless amazing places to camp and explore. You can purchase a copy of the map here or at a Superior National Forest District Office.
I hope that the couple continued to Frear Lake because when we arrived, we found that all of the campsites were available. From what we experienced, it seemed like this part of the loop is very lightly used. The wind really picked up as we hit Lost Lake and we rode whitecaps up Elbow Lake back to our campsite, cautiously marveling at Mother Nature’s power.
Once we settled in back at camp, we turned on the weather radio to see what the evening would bring. The first thing I heard was, “This is a special statement from the National Weather Service out of Duluth, Minnesota.” Strong storms were heading our way at 60 miles per hour. It didn’t take long and the skies were dark. We secured everything we had out and found a spot to take cover if need be.
The storm passed quickly and we breathed a sigh of relief. The sky was blue again and the sun was shining. Then just as we were about to make dinner, the wind picked up and the sky grew even darker. As we made our way back to a more sheltered area of our campsite, a tree along the shoreline snapped in half and was luckily caught by another tree before it could hit me or our camp setup. It can be tempting to retreat to your tent when strong storms roll in. But we prefer to be out so we can see what’s going on. And as I mentioned, we always identify the best spot to take cover if things get really crazy.
The next morning brought clear skies but the wind was still vicious. We got up early to try and fish but called it quits due to the cold and biting wind. We spent most of the day hanging out in a more sheltered area of the campsite. The winds died down as the sun got close to setting and we enjoyed one final evening in our idea of paradise.
We departed midmorning on a Monday and when we arrived at the boat launch parking area, there was only one other vehicle. This is more typical of our experiences in the Superior National Forest. After loading up, we welcomed an uneventful drive home.
The BWCAW gets most of the attention when it comes to canoeing in Minnesota and for good reason. But equally lovely camping and paddling can be found just outside the wilderness boundary in the Superior National Forest. Whether you’re looking to base camp at one of the many wonderful watercraft campsites or challenge yourself with one of the canoe routes, you’ll enjoy an epic adventure you’ll never forget.
Happy and safe paddling!
Holly Scherer is a Minnesota-based writer, photographer, outdoorswoman, and guide. She’s most at home in the great outdoors; camping, hiking, paddling, cycling, and gardening. When she’s not on an adventure, she and her husband live in the Twin Cities where they’re fond of saying, “home is where we store our outdoor gear.”