Horse Lake Loop

The Horse Lake Loop is a multi-day route that starts and finishes at Entry Point 24 (Fall Lake). From the launch, the route travels through Newton Lake and onto the broad waters of Basswood Lake before turning south through a chain of smaller lakes and eventually returning along the same corridor to Fall Lake.

The character of this trip shifts as you go. Fall and Newton offer a straightforward start, while Basswood opens into broad, island-filled water along the Minnesota–Ontario border, with long shorelines and open crossings. Turning south, the route links Horse, Tin Can Mike, and Sandpit through a series of short portages and quiet, forested lakes that feel more intimate than the open expanse of Basswood. The contrast between the sprawling border lake and the tucked-away interior waters gives the loop a good sense of variety over its length.

This route suits paddlers comfortable with a mix of open-water travel and regular portaging. The crossings on Basswood reward those who watch the weather and plan around the wind, while the smaller southern lakes offer sheltered paddling and a change of pace. With campsites spread across Basswood and the interior lakes, the loop gives flexibility to set your own daily distance over a multi-day trip.

Route Highlights

• Open, island-filled paddling on Basswood Lake along the border
• A southern chain of quiet, forested lakes through Horse and Sandpit
• Short portages linking the smaller interior waters

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1

Fall Lake → Basswood Lake

Paddle out through Newton Lake and portage into Basswood, then follow its open water and island-dotted shoreline to a campsite along the border lake.

Day 2

Basswood Lake → Tin Can Mike Lake

Work south off Basswood through a set of short portages, crossing Horse Lake before settling onto the quieter waters of Tin Can Mike.

Day 3

Tin Can Mike Lake → Basswood Lake

Continue through Sandpit Lake and its portages back toward Basswood, trading the sheltered interior for the loop's broader water again.

Day 4

Basswood Lake → Fall Lake

Close the loop by paddling back across Basswood and through Newton to Fall Lake, returning to the entry point at Entry Point 24.