FROST RIVER
BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE ROUTE – FROST RIVER
BWCAW Entry Point 50 Cross Bay, Entry Point 51 Missing Link, Entry Point 52 Brandt
Minimum Trip Length 6 Days
BWCA Maps Needed:
- Fisher Maps: F-12
- McKenzie Maps: 7
- Voyageur Maps: 6, 8, 9
Fast Facts:
| Lake | DNR # | Fish Species | Maximum Depth | Acres | Elevation | Campsites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cross River | H-1-119 | Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike | unknown | 18.6 miles | 1691 | 0 |
| Ham | 16060800 | Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike | 40 | 100 | 1699 | 4 |
| Cross Bay | 16052600 | unknown | 10 | 15.8 | 1708 | 2 |
| Rib | 1605440 | Northern Pike | 10 | 82 | 1735 | 1 |
| Lower George | 16054600 | unknown | 10 | 21 | 1745 | 0 |
| Karl | 16046100 | Lake Trout, Northern Pike | 70 | 105 | 1762 | 1 |
| Long Island | 16046000 | Lake Trout, Northern Pike | 85 | 864 | 1762 | 14 |
| Gordon | 16056900 | Northern Pike | 95 | 139 | 1776 | 2 |
| Unload | 16057000 | unknown | unknown | 8.1 | 1774 | 0 |
| Frost | 16057100 | Lake Trout, Northern Pike | 88 | 236 | 1773 | 5 |
| Octopus | 16057800 | unknown | unknown | 34 | 1739 | 0 |
| Frost River | H-1-113-19 | Northern Pike | unknown | unknown | 12 miles long | 0 |
| Chase | 16057500 | Northern Pike, Walleye, Largemouth Bass | 95 | 31 | 1704 | 0 |
| Pencil | 16057600 | Unknown | Unknown | 15 | 1700 | 0 |
| Afton | 16074000 | Northern Pike | unknown | 29 | 1653 | 1 |
| Fente | 16074100 | unknown | unknown | 34 | 1642 | 0 |
| Whipped | 16073900 | unknown | unknown | 55 | 1629 | 1 |
| Time | 16073800 | unknown | unkown | 18 | unknown | 0 |
| Mora | 16073200 | Northern Pike | 40 | 205 | 1614 | 3 |
| Tarry | 16073100 | unknown | 53 | 44 | 1615 | 0 |
| Crooked | 16072300 | Lake Trout, Northern Pike | 66 | 233 | 1637 | 6 |
| Gillis | 16075300 | Lake Trout, Northern Pike | 180 | 570 | 1651 | 7 |
| Bat | 16075200 | Lake Trout | 110 | 80 | 1704 | 3 |
| Green | 16062800 | unknown | 20 | 141 | 1704 | 0 |
| Flying | 16060200 | Unknown | unknown | 45 | 1736 | 0 |
| Gotter | 16060300 | Northern Pike | unknown | 21 | 1756 | 0 |
| Brandt | 16060000 | Northern Pike | 80 | 104 | 1759 | 3 |
| Edith | 16060400 | Northern Pike | 44 | 10 | 1756 | 0 |
| West Round | 16060500 | Northern Pike, Perch, Sucker | 20 | 10 | 1756 | 0 |
| Round | 16060600 | Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike | 45 | 154.48 | 1744 | 0 |
Portages:
| Portages out of Ham | Portages out of Cross Bay | Portages out of Rib | Portages out of Lower George |
|---|---|---|---|
| -North 40 rod -South 24 rod to Cross Bay | N 24 rod to Ham -W 47 rod to Snipe -S 56 rod to Rib | -N 56 rod to Cross Bay -S 37 rod to Lower George | -N 37 rod to Rib -S 28 rod to Karl |
| Portages out of Karl | Portages out of Long Island | Portages out of Gordon | Portages out of Unload |
|---|---|---|---|
| N 28 rod to Lower George -SW 35 rod to Long Island | NW 35 rod to Karl -NE 109 rod to Cave -E 4 rod to Muskeg -S 5 rod to Gordon | -N 28 rod to Long Island River -S 13 rod to Cherokee -W 140 rod to Unload | -E 140 rod to Gordon -W to Frost |
| Portages out of Frost | Portages out of Frost River | Portages out of Octopus | Portages out of Pencil |
|---|---|---|---|
| -E to Unload -SW 130 rod to Frost River | –W 15 rod to Octopus -W 10 rod through river -W 25 rod through -W 20 rod through -NW 30 rod to Chase -10 rod through -5 rod through -10 rod through -15 rod through -20 rod through | E 15 rod to Frost River -W 10 rod to Frost River Portages out of Chase -SE 30 rod to Frost River -SW 15 rod to Bologna -W 10 rod to Pencil | -E 10 rod to Chase -W 50 rod to Frost River Portages out of Afton -20 rod SE to Frost River -20 rod NW to Fente |
| Portages out of Fente | Portages out of Whipped | Portages out of Time | Portages out of Mora |
|---|---|---|---|
| SE 20 rod to Afton -SW 300 rod to Hub -NW 15 rod to Whipped | SE 20 rod to Fente -N 100 rod to Whipped | -NW 45 rod to Little Saganaga | S 100 rod to Whipped -N 10 rod to Tarry |
| Portages out of Tarry | Portages out of Crooked | Portages out of Gillis | Portages out of Bat |
|---|---|---|---|
| -S 10 rod to Mora -N 50 rod to Crooked | -S 50 rod to Tarry -E 55 rod to Owl -N 90 rod to Giliis | -S 90 rod to Crooked -NE 25 rod to Bat -NW 25 rod to Fern | -S 25 rod to Gillis -E 20 rod to Green |
| Portages out of Green | Portages out of Flying | Portages out of Gotter | Portages out of Brandt |
|---|---|---|---|
| W 20 rod to Bat -E 70 rod to Flying | SW 70 rod to Green -SE 50 rod to Gotter -NW 70 rod to Fay | -W 50 rod to Flying -E 100 rod to Brant | W 100 rod to Gotter -E 35 rod to Edith |
| Portages out of Edith | Portages out of West Round | Portages out of Round | |
|---|---|---|---|
| W 35 rod to Brant -E 50 rod to West Round | W 50 rod to Edith -SE 85 rod to Round | -NW 85 rod to West Round -SW 142 rod to Missing Link -E 50 rod to Ham (through cross river) |
Route Description: The Frost River is an advanced BWCAW route that involves 35+ portages. We don’t recommend doing this route any later than June, as once the water levels drop the route can become unnavigable. Beavers keep this route interesting from year to year and can double or even triple the amount of portages, so be prepared to get in and out of your canoe throughout the journey. That being said, this is an excellent remote route to see wildlife. We had one guest return from a trip and report seeing 12 moose throughout the trip! Give us a call to learn more about the detalis of this route if you are willing to take on the challenge!