BWCA Portage 695 (Gull to Sea Gull)

What a confusing portage coming from Seagull into Gull! This portage cuts through the campground, follow this advice: First, at the landing, take the trail next to the stream, not the wider trail that cuts into the woods. The woods trail leads to a campsite, not the portage. Second, when you come to a split and see a boardwalk on the right with paved road beyond it, use that trail. If you stay along the river to the left, you will end up climbing up a large boulder and into another campsite. Third, on the paved road, turn left so you continue to parallel the stream. Look for a trail that leads you back to the water after 1 or 2 campsites. Take it from me, we wasted a lot of time looking for the right path through here and bumbling into people's campsites! It was a frustrating 35 rods at the end of a long day out from SAK.

Confusing portage. Heading south, you navigate through Trail's End campground, onto a road, and past Campsites 18 and 19...

Nice portage. Beginning in Gull was a little rough with the tree roots, but then you walk over exposed rocks, onto a road, and then over a boardwalk to more rocks. Descended down some rocks/roots to the lake.

We came through here in the late spring of 2014, and the water was pretty high. We opted for the portage. It was a little rocky, and the north landing can be a bit tricky if there is traffic at the portage. We went through here on the way out and on the way back. We also pulled off to the side of this portage and ate lunch as there is a good spot for that here.

First off, do not attempt to "shoot the rapids" here (as our outfitter had suggested was entirely possible), the first drop is simply too big for anyone but the most expert paddlers, and beyond that it is extremely rocky/shallow, and your kevlar canoes will get chewed up. From the Sea Gull Lake (south end) of the portage, there are actually 2 paths out. We took the one to the "right" (to the NE), which actually empties into the adjacent campground (the campsite we walked through happened to be empty at the time). Inadvertently, this make the portage much easier! You just walk along the campground road and re-enter the portage on a well defined path just north of campsite #19. Much much easier than struggling along the poorly defined, rocky and rooty shoreline path. Also be aware, this portage is not long, only 35 rods as indicated on this site, but some maps (such as our McKenzie Maps) indicate this is a long 88 rod portage.

A tough portage in places - steep and rooty.

A little hilly, but not too long.