Lake One to Hudson Loop

Overview

The Lake One to Hudson Loop begins and ends at Entry Point 30 on Lake One, one of the busier put-ins in the Kawishiwi District. From the landing, the route follows the Numbered Lakes chain east through Lake Two and Lake Three, then leaves that busy corridor for a quieter run through Horseshoe, Brewis, Harbor, and North Wilder Lakes to Hudson Lake, the trip's farthest point. A portage by way of Fire Lake returns the group to Lake Four, and the same Numbered Lakes stretch carries them home.

Lake One, Two, and Three run open and irregular, broken into bays and islands along the Kawishiwi River. The south shore of Lake Three and much of Lake Four's shoreline still show the 2011 Pagami Creek Fire, open young growth standing beside older, unburned forest. Lake Four holds the strongest fishing on the route: some of the best northern pike numbers recorded there, averaging close to three pounds. The Kawishiwi River drops over a short rapids where it leaves Lake One, at the start of the trip.

This suits a group with three to five days who want to string together a full chain of lakes rather than paddle out to one destination and back. Every portage on the route stays short and easy or moderate, so the effort comes from the number of legs in a day more than any single carry. It's a good fit for a group comfortable covering several lakes and portages between camps.

Route Highlights

• A short rapids where the Kawishiwi River drops out of Lake One, right at the start of the trip
• The south shore of Lake Three and much of Lake Four still carry the regrowth from the 2011 Pagami Creek Fire, open young growth standing next to older, unburned stands
• Lake Four holds some of the best northern pike numbers recorded on the route, averaging close to three pounds