I'll just post a little now and come back later with some more advice. I've taken my 2 kids on a few canoe trips. The first one was with my wife when the kids were 4 years old and 6 months old. I took the older one by myself when he was 5. Last year I took him when he was 6 with some friends and their sons.

First, when canoeing with younger children, the trip is all about them. It is a very different experience than a normal canoe trip - still very rewarding (if not more so), but very different.

Second, it is a lot of work. When I did the trip with just my 5-year-old, I realized it was more work than soloing. I not only had to take care of camp all by myself, but I also had to cook for two, make sure he was safe and entertained, and deal with the inevitable emotional issues.

Third, and probably most important for now, don't plan too much. My experience with 7 and 8 year olds is that they can stand about 2 hours of paddling. After that, good luck. Also, unless they are used to walking a long way, make sure portages on the route are short.

All this being said, your situation is a little different than mine. You will also have a 12 and 14 year old with you. They can handle some of the work. Teenagers come with their own problems, though  (I've taken a couple of Boy Scout troops on week-long trips.)

I don't intend to discourage you from taking your kids. To the contrary, I am committed to helping kids/teenagers experience the beauty and wonder of the Boundary Waters. I am planning on taking my sons (now ages 7 and 3) many times this coming summer. I just want you to know what to expect. I'll give some route suggestions in a bit - I have a few in mind.

Originally Posted by: Chichi

Hi dlaiho5. Have you decided on a route at all? I'm looking at a similar situation and want to get into Quetico. Have been looking at going in at Beaverhouse and doing Cirrus, Kasakokwog, Quetico loop over 7 days, which I'm thinking should leave plenty of time to have short days on the water or if we're wind-bound. We'll have 2 canoes - a 10yr old with Dad in one, and a 13yr old with Mom in another. So not super-strong paddling. These are big lakes so I'm hoping that sticking close to shore and leaving lots of time will make it enjoyable for everyone.

That's some big water. We used to basecamp on Pickerel by the Rawn Narrows when I was a teenager. My dad and mom would be in a canoe with my youngest sister, and I would be in a canoe with my two other sisters. We were ages 14, 13, and 12. One of the trips was very, very windy, both going in and out. My mom thought she would never see her kids again. I was already an experienced canoeist by then, though, and we handled it all right. It did take us over twice as long to paddle anywhere.

Since you only have one strong paddler in each canoe, you probably won't make much headway on a windy day. I've paddled down Quetico Lake, and I don't think the shore would offer much protection from a west wind. Even a north or south wind turns into a west wind on that lake (it acts like a tunnel).

As for doing a loop, some kids like moving, some would prefer just to basecamp. We basecamped growing up and loved it. I've taken a couple of Boy Scout troops, and I divide them into two groups - ones that want a leisurely "basecamp" trip and those that want to move. Just know your kids and what they want.

Originally Posted by: Chichi

Would you say Cirrus is a bit better than Quetico in the wind, or should we likely expect it to be a wind tunnel too regardless of where the wind is coming from?

I haven't been on Cirrus myself, but most of the lakes in that region are similarly shaped - narrow east to west. I would think there could be wind issues on any of the lakes.