- 3–5 days
- Duration
- Challenging
- Difficulty
- 26 mi
- Total distance
- 22 mi
- Paddling
- 20
- Portages · 1,467 rods
About this route
The Poplar Lake Loop begins and ends from Poplar Lake, the route travels west and south through a long chain of interior lakes before looping back east to return to the put-in.
From Poplar, the route carries into Skipper Lake and works south through Little Rush and Rush lakes before opening onto the wider water of Banadad Lake. The middle section continues through Sebeka, Ross, Cave, and Long Island lakes — smaller, forested waters linked by varied portages — before a significant descent toward Muskeg Lake and a climb onto Kiskadinna Lake. From there the route descends through Omega and Henson, then turns east through Gaskin, Jump, Allen, Horseshoe, Caribou, and Lizz lakes on a run of short carries and quiet paddles before rejoining Poplar. The mix of open crossings and sheltered lake chains gives the route a changing character throughout.
This loop suits paddlers comfortable with sustained portaging and extended days on remote water. The carry out of Poplar at the start is the most demanding section and sets the tone early. Portage lengths and grades vary considerably across the route, with the most notable terrain concentrated around the Kiskadinna and Banadad sections. The western lakes feel genuinely remote, and the smaller interior waters on the return offer quieter paddling and flexible overnight options spread across a long lake chain.
Route Highlights
- More than a dozen lakes linked by a mix of short and long portages
- Significant terrain and elevation change through the Kiskadinna and Banadad sections
- Quieter, sheltered paddling on the smaller eastern lakes of the return
- Remote interior character throughout with camping spread across the route
Suggested itinerary
5 days at a steady pace.
Poplar Lake → Banadad Lake
Leave Poplar with a substantial carry into Skipper Lake, then continue south through Little Rush and Rush lakes to reach the open water of Banadad Lake for the first night.
Banadad Lake → Long Island Lake
Work through Sebeka, Ross, and Cave lakes on a series of connected portages before settling onto the quieter shores of Long Island Lake.
Long Island Lake → Kiskadinna Lake
Make the notable descent into Muskeg Lake before climbing onto Kiskadinna, one of the higher lakes on the route with a more open feel.
Kiskadinna Lake → Horseshoe Lake
Descend through Omega and Henson, then move east through Gaskin and a string of smaller lakes — Jump and Allen — before settling onto Horseshoe Lake.
Horseshoe Lake → Poplar Lake
Paddle through Caribou and Lizz lakes and make the final carry back to Poplar to close the loop at Entry Point 49.
The portages
20 carries, 1,467 rods total.
| Portage | Rods | Climb |
|---|---|---|
| Poplar Lake → Skipper Lake difficult | 267 | +193 ft |
| Ross Lake → Cave Lake difficult | 185 | +63 ft |
| Muskeg Lake → Kiskadinna Lake difficult | 178 | +206 ft |
| Sebeka Lake → Ross Lake difficult | 164 | +46 ft |
| Cave Lake → Long Island Lake difficult | 106 | +29 ft |
| Henson Lake → Gaskin Lake moderate | 92 | +82 ft |
| Banadad Lake → Sebeka Lake moderate | 84 | +10 ft |
| Caribou Lake → Lizz Lake moderate | 68 | +47 ft |
| Allen Lake → Horseshoe Lake moderate | 52 | +13 ft |
| Lizz Lake → Poplar Lake moderate | 46 | +29 ft |
| Little Rush Lake → Rush Lake moderate | 43 | +16 ft |
| Kiskadinna Lake → Omega Lake moderate | 37 | +46 ft |
| Omega Lake → Henson Lake moderate | 31 | +0 ft |
| Long Island Lake → Muskeg Lakecarry 1 of 2 easy | 27 | +4 ft |
| Horseshoe Lake → Caribou Lake easy | 22 | +10 ft |
| Gaskin Lake → Jump Lake easy | 18 | +29 ft |
| Jump Lake → Allen Lake easy | 17 | +20 ft |
| Rush Lake → Banadad Lake easy | 13 | +30 ft |
| Skipper Lake → Little Rush Lake easy | 12 | +0 ft |
| Long Island Lake → Muskeg Lakecarry 2 of 2 easy | 5 | +7 ft |
Lakes on this route
19 lakes, 62 campsites between them. Fish species recorded by the Minnesota DNR.
| Lake | Depth | Size | Campsites | Fish species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poplar Lake | 73 ft | 764 ac | — | black crappieburbotlake whitefishnorthern pikesmallmouth basswalleyewhite suckeryellow perch |
| Skipper Lake | 30 ft | 107 ac | 1 | — |
| Little Rush Lake | — | 14 ac | — | — |
| Rush Lake (2) | 54 ft | 261 ac | 4 | — |
| Banadad Lake | 45 ft | 178 ac | 4 | — |
| Sebeka Lake | — | 33 ac | — | — |
| Ross Lake (2) | — | 37 ac | — | — |
| Cave Lake | — | 26 ac | — | — |
| Long Island Lake | 85 ft | 884 ac | 14 | burbotlake troutnorthern pikesmallmouth basswhite suckeryellow perch |
| Muskeg Lake (2) | — | 32 ac | 1 | — |
| Kiskadinna Lake | 40 ft | 121 ac | 2 | green sunfishwhite sucker |
| Omega Lake | — | 150 ac | 4 | — |
| Henson Lake | 40 ft | 111 ac | 5 | green sunfishnorthern pikepumpkinseedwhite suckeryellow perch |
| Gaskin Lake | 82 ft | 372 ac | 10 | — |
| Jump Lake (2) | — | 6 ac | — | — |
| Allen Lake | 12 ft | 48 ac | 2 | green sunfishnorthern pikesmallmouth basswalleyewhite suckeryellow perch |
| Horseshoe Lake (3) | 26 ft | 188 ac | 7 | — |
| Caribou Lake (2) | 26 ft | 246 ac | 8 | — |
| Lizz Lake | 30 ft | 23 ac | — | brook troutnorthern pikewhite sucker |
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