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Stillwater resevoir campsites ?

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  • Stillwater resevoir campsites ?

    I plan to spend a few days canoeing, camping on the Stillwater next year. Looking for recommendations for a base campsite and places to visit. The left shore looks nicer. I know I have to pick my site at the launch. Want a quiet site with a view that's somewhat central. I hammock camp so a level tent site isn't an issue nor is an easy launch. Several options would be nice incase #1 is taken.
    Thanks, Turtle

  • #2
    Wow - and I thought I started planning trips early....

    Big Burnt Lake area is nice, not many motor boats go back in there, more secluded feel. 16 (SW corner of Trout Pond) and 17 (island on shallow pond at north end) are ok sites and more secluded, but are also sheltered against prevailing wind direction - not recommended when bugs are in force. I also was there in spring - not sure if waters by these sites get mossy/weedy (16) or stagnant (17) later in year. 19 is nice, good central location, access a little steep but not bad, does have some wind exposure, better in bug season. 15 was swampy, did not check 18. 4-mile hiking trail at north end of Trout Pond looked very promising, though did not venture far - on my to-do list for future trip. Bass fishing very good here as well, if you are so inclined.

    Loon Lake (island site 28) is picture-perfect beautiful, but broken glass around backside of the island was a bit of a buzz-kill for me (though much of that may be hidden at higher water levels). Speaking of which, Loon Lake requires a short carry if water levels are down. You also will hear road traffic here, though road is not heavily used. Worth the trip even if you do not stay there.

    I did not paddle into Beaver River for a beer....that is also on a future to do list.

    Good luck!

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    • #3
      Where you stay may depend upon what you're paddling...as you know it's gets pretty rough there sometimes.

      Also, are you just gonna hang at a campsite, or do you plan to do some side trips?
      Some great stuff from Big Burnt Lake leading to Salmon and Witchhopple lakes.
      Also the near side where Conk starts many of his paddlewhacks, Raven Lake and beyond.
      I would definitely do Witchhopple Lake and Beaverdam and Little Rock ponds.

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      • #4
        I would be paddling my Nomad which does well in the wind and I do want to do side trips -a beer at Beaver River Station is defiantly on my list. I plan to build in a "wind Day". Conk's trips are interesting, but I don't want to go all the way to his extreme.

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        • #5
          Witchhopple is actually fairly easy after the one mile carry to Salmon Lake. Most of Witchhopple's outlet is navigable, reducing that carry to about 1/4 mile...

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          • #6
            All of the above, plus I have often beached at site #3, Evergreen Landing, and carried my canoe up to Evergreen Lake for some interesting paddling and successful fishing. There are other interesting ponds to visit nearby Evergreen as well.
            With wife and kids we liked to go to site#25, where there is a small protected bay with frogs for the kids to catch.
            In my early days of solo paddling a 17' grumman, I once stayed on the island on Loon Lake, and got wind bound there for longer than planned. Most memorable on the small island was a very loud chorus of frogs overnight that made for a tasty breakfast.

            Note: more than one boater has succumbed to the often high winds on Stillwater over the years.
            Last edited by Wldrns; 11-10-2017, 10:23 AM.
            "Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth." -Walt Whitman

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            • #7
              Originally posted by datdweeb View Post
              Wow - and I thought I started planning trips early....

              Big Burnt Lake area is nice, not many motor boats go back in there, more secluded feel. 16 (SW corner of Trout Pond) and 17 (island on shallow pond at north end) are ok sites and more secluded, but are also sheltered against prevailing wind direction - not recommended when bugs are in force. I also was there in spring - not sure if waters by these sites get mossy/weedy (16) or stagnant (17) later in year. 19 is nice, good central location, access a little steep but not bad, does have some wind exposure, better in bug season. 15 was swampy, did not check 18. 4-mile hiking trail at north end of Trout Pond looked very promising, though did not venture far - on my to-do list for future trip. Bass fishing very good here as well, if you are so inclined.

              Loon Lake (island site 28) is picture-perfect beautiful, but broken glass around backside of the island was a bit of a buzz-kill for me (though much of that may be hidden at higher water levels). Speaking of which, Loon Lake requires a short carry if water levels are down. You also will hear road traffic here, though road is not heavily used. Worth the trip even if you do not stay there.

              I did not paddle into Beaver River for a beer....that is also on a future to do list.

              Good luck!
              Hi, I am new to this Forum so i apologize if this is not the way to ask a question. I read something in this post and another one that I can't seem to find anymore about the campsite on Loon Lake #28. The question I have is about the road (Six Mile Rd). Is there somewhere to launch kayaks near Loon Lake or would we have to paddle all the way from the registration site in Stillwater? If there is a place to launch kayaks near the lake or anywhere along that roadway, and is there anywhere to park our vehicle for the weekend? Thanks in advance!

              -Erin

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              • #8
                Six Mile Road is only traveled by cars that have been hauled to Beaver River on boats or were there before the Reservoir was filled. The closest access is from the Parking Lot, the trail that shows on the map starts at Twitchell Lake and is about 7 miles to reach Beaver River.

                You can access the campsites south of the Parking Area on the western shore from the Stillwater Big Moose Road, and launch a canoe at at least one spot on the road, but you will still need to register at the Ranger Station in Stillwater, and decide on which campsite you want. And you could find that someone has already taken the spot and neglected to register and remove the marker from the board, so you might have to drive back and forth a couple of times.

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