- 5–7 days
- Duration
- Challenging
- Difficulty
- 57 mi
- Total distance
- 47 mi
- Paddling
- 52
- Portages · 3,196 rods
About this route
The Brant Wilderness Loop is a challenging Boundary Waters loop that begins and ends at Entry Point 52 (Brant Lake). This route leads paddlers through some of the eastern BWCA's quieter interior lakes, combining rugged portages, expansive wilderness scenery, and a rewarding sense of solitude.
From Brant Lake, the route heads west toward the larger waters of Ogishkemuncie Lake, a scenic destination known for its rocky shorelines, numerous islands, and excellent fishing opportunities. The return journey winds through the Gillis Lake area before completing the loop back at Brant Lake.
This route features a good mix of medium-sized lakes and forested portages, offering a classic Boundary Waters experience away from many of the busier travel corridors. Flexible campsite options make it easy to tailor daily mileage, while the varied landscape rewards paddlers with excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing and backcountry camping.
Route Highlights:
Classic loop beginning and ending at Brant Lake. Visit the scenic waters of Ogishkemuncie Lake. Travel through the quiet interior lakes of the eastern Boundary Waters. Challenging portages balanced by rewarding wilderness scenery. Opportunities for fishing, wildlife viewing, and secluded campsites.
The portages
54 carries, 3,196 rods total.
| Portage | Rods | Climb |
|---|---|---|
| Beth Lake → Grace Lake difficult | 288 | +62 ft |
| Cherokee Lake → Skoop Lake difficult | 211 | — |
| Alton Lake → Beth Lake difficult | 151 | +229 ft |
| Knight Lake → Hazel Lake difficult | 144 | — |
| Elton Lake → Little Saganaga Lake difficult | 132 | +62 ft |
| Lake Polly → Koma Lakecarry 3 of 3 difficult | 125 | +13 ft |
| Hazel Lake → Lake Pollycarry 4 of 4 moderate | 99 | +53 ft |
| Panhandle Lake → Makwa Lakecarry 1 of 2 moderate | 98 | +69 ft |
| Hazel Lake → Lake Pollycarry 3 of 4 moderate | 97 | — |
| Ada Lake → Sawbill Lakecarry 1 of 2 moderate | 95 | +56 ft |
| Gotter Lake → Brant Lake moderate | 88 | +62 ft |
| Skoop Lake → Ada Lakecarry 2 of 3 easy | 85 | — |
| Anit Lake → Pan Lake easy | 85 | +55 ft |
| Ada Lake → Sawbill Lakecarry 2 of 2 moderate | 83 | +89 ft |
| Grace Lake → Phoebe Lakecarry 4 of 4 moderate | 78 | +19 ft |
| Pan Lake → Panhandle Lake moderate | 78 | +20 ft |
| Little Saganaga Lake → Virgin Lake moderate | 77 | +89 ft |
| West Round Lake → Round Lake moderate | 77 | +33 ft |
| Green Lake → Flying Lake moderate | 73 | +105 ft |
| Malberg Lake → Kivaniva Lake moderate | 70 | +82 ft |
| Ham Lake → Rib Lakecarry 2 of 2 moderate | 69 | +62 ft |
| Ham Lake portagecarry 1 of 2 moderate | 66 | — |
| Panhandle Lake → Makwa Lakecarry 2 of 2 moderate | 59 | +30 ft |
| Makwa Lake → Elton Lake moderate | 59 | +32 ft |
| Long Island Lake → Gordon Lake moderate | 58 | +62 ft |
| Hazel Lake → Lake Pollycarry 1 of 4 moderate | 58 | +10 ft |
| Lake Polly → Koma Lakecarry 2 of 3 moderate | 50 | — |
| Edith Lake → West Round Lake moderate | 47 | +13 ft |
| Malberg Lake → Malberg Lake moderate | 43 | +17 ft |
| Ham Lake portagecarry 2 of 2 moderate | 37 | — |
| Virgin Lake → West Fern Lake moderate | 37 | +39 ft |
| Rib Lake → Lower George Lake moderate | 35 | +20 ft |
| Powell Lake → French Lake moderate | 35 | +26 ft |
| Brant Lake → Edith Lake moderate | 33 | +3 ft |
| Karl Lake → Long Island Lake moderate | 32 | +68 ft |
| Sawbill Lake → Alton Lake easy | 29 | +4 ft |
| Grace Lake → Phoebe Lakecarry 2 of 4 easy | 29 | — |
| Hazel Lake → Lake Pollycarry 2 of 4 easy | 29 | — |
| Gillis Lake → Bat Lake easy | 24 | +3 ft |
| Koma Lake → Malberg Lake easy | 23 | +0 ft |
| French Lake → Gillis Lake easy | 23 | +23 ft |
| Lake Polly → Koma Lakecarry 1 of 3 easy | 19 | +10 ft |
| Kivaniva Lake → Anit Lake easy | 19 | +26 ft |
| Bat Lake → Green Lake easy | 18 | +0 ft |
| Grace Lake → Phoebe Lakecarry 1 of 4 easy | 17 | +0 ft |
| Ham Lake → Rib Lakecarry 1 of 2 easy | 15 | +26 ft |
| Lower George Lake → Karl Lake easy | 15 | — |
| West Fern Lake → Powell Lake easy | 14 | +19 ft |
| Skoop Lake → Ada Lakecarry 3 of 3 easy | 13 | +45 ft |
| Flying Lake → Gotter Lake easy | 13 | +19 ft |
| Gordon Lake → Cherokee Lake easy | 12 | +0 ft |
| Skoop Lake → Ada Lakecarry 1 of 3 easy | 12 | +0 ft |
| Grace Lake → Phoebe Lakecarry 3 of 4 easy | 11 | — |
| Long Island Lake → Long Island Lake easy | 9 | +0 ft |
Lakes on this route
39 lakes, 181 campsites between them. Fish species recorded by the Minnesota DNR.
| Lake | Depth | Size | Campsites | Fish species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ham Lake | 40 ft | 119 ac | 4 | northern pikesmallmouth basswalleyewhite suckeryellow perch |
| Rib Lake | — | 84 ac | 1 | — |
| Lower George Lake | — | 18 ac | — | — |
| Karl Lake | 70 ft | 121 ac | 2 | — |
| Long Island Lake | 85 ft | 884 ac | 14 | burbotlake troutnorthern pikesmallmouth basswhite suckeryellow perch |
| Gordon Lake | 95 ft | 135 ac | 2 | — |
| Cherokee Lake | 142 ft | 837 ac | 19 | burbotlake troutnorthern pikewhite sucker |
| Skoop Lake | — | 9 ac | — | — |
| Ada Lake | 13 ft | 23 ac | — | — |
| Sawbill Lake | 45 ft | 834 ac | 13 | burbotcisco speciesnorthern pikerock basssmallmouth basswalleyewhite suckeryellow perch |
| Alton Lake | 72 ft | 969 ac | 16 | northern pikerock basssmallmouth basstullibee (cisco)walleyewhite suckeryellow perch |
| Beth Lake | 22 ft | 170 ac | 4 | northern pikesmallmouth basswhite suckeryellow perch |
| Grace Lake | 16 ft | 433 ac | 7 | northern pikesmallmouth basswalleyewhite sucker |
| Phoebe Lake | 25 ft | 610 ac | 8 | green sunfishhybrid sunfishnorthern pikesmallmouth basswalleyewhite suckeryellow perch |
| Knight Lake | 6 ft | 94 ac | 1 | — |
| Hazel Lake | — | 97 ac | 3 | — |
| Lake Polly | 21 ft | 485 ac | 15 | green sunfishnorthern pikepumpkinseedrock basssmallmouth basswalleyewhite suckeryellow perch |
| Koma Lake | 14 ft | 250 ac | 5 | bluegillburbotlake whitefishnorthern pikerock basswalleyewhite suckeryellow perch |
| Malberg Lake | 37 ft | 398 ac | 14 | — |
| Kivaniva Lake | — | 45 ac | 1 | — |
| Anit Lake | — | 12 ac | — | — |
| Pan Lake | — | 94 ac | 2 | — |
| Panhandle Lake | — | 12 ac | — | — |
| Makwa Lake | 76 ft | 128 ac | 3 | — |
| Elton Lake | 53 ft | 124 ac | 3 | — |
| Little Saganaga Lake | 150 ft | 1,627 ac | 24 | burbotlake troutnorthern pikewhite suckeryellow perch |
| Virgin Lake | 40 ft | 58 ac | 1 | — |
| West Fern Lake | 60 ft | 82 ac | 2 | — |
| Powell Lake | 75 ft | 51 ac | 2 | — |
| French Lake | 130 ft | 121 ac | 2 | — |
| Gillis Lake | 180 ft | 616 ac | 7 | burbotlake troutwhite suckeryellow perch |
| Bat Lake (2) | 110 ft | 83 ac | 3 | — |
| Green Lake (2) | 75 ft | 40 ac | — | — |
| Flying Lake | — | 37 ac | — | — |
| Gotter Lake | — | 11 ac | — | — |
| Brant Lake | 80 ft | 111 ac | 3 | — |
| Edith Lake | 44 ft | 10 ac | — | — |
| West Round Lake | 20 ft | 11 ac | — | — |
| Round Lake (2) | 45 ft | 154 ac | — | northern pikesmallmouth basswalleyewhite suckeryellow perch |
Ready to paddle this route?
Open the planner with this route pre-loaded and customize it for your trip.