BWCA Portage 931 (Bear Trap)

There are two options: take this long portage or take a couple portages along the river. We did the long portage on the way out and the shorter ones on the way back as we made a day trip to Sterling from our campsite. This portage was easy to find and, other than being a little overgrown, plenty easy to follow. The other end is a little choked in and shallow, but really nothing too bad here.

So the two previous comments on this one are now clear to me... There are two possible routes to get from Beartrap Lake to the Spring Creek/Beartrap River intersection, en route to Sunday Lake. I discovered this by presuming that the 1153m portage marked on the paddleplanner map (accurate to my eye as of September 2020) was at the outflow of the lake. If you look with any kind of care, you will see this is not the case. I should have paid more attention! It's in the next bay to the North. There is, however, a portage-paddle-portage-paddle-portage-paddle option (that's three portages for those of you playing along at home) if you go to the outflow of Beartrap, and find the obvious trail on the river left of the outflow. The three portages are much shorter than the long single portage of 1153m...perhaps 400m in total, and for the most part your route is right along the river. This is how I went to Sunday Lake, and this 'shortcut' took me, single-portaging, about an hour fifteen. On the way back I found the 1153m portage pretty easily, and singled that in 17 minutes. But if you are doubling or god forbid tripling, the 3/400m may be more palatable.

Going west from Beartrap Lake to Beartrap River, the portage is easily found as indicated here and is one continuous trail to the river. While the portage is certainly overgrown, it is quite easy to follow with no major obstacles at the time of our visit. As a bonus, you are rewarded with a beautiful view of the Beartrap River upon your arrival to the west side. I can see how the landing could be difficult to find if coming from the river.

Wasn't able to find the long portage. This is actually 3 separate portages and a beaver dam following the Bear trap river. Trails are overgrown but are findable. We cleared a few downed trees and some brush so as of 7/5/19 they are easily passable.