BWCAW Quota Permit — Cross Bay Lake (EP50)

Cross Bay Lake (EP50): what makes it different

Cross Bay Lake starts on the Cross River off Round Lake Road, not at the wilderness itself. You paddle upstream, make portages, cross Ham Lake outside the boundary, and enter the wilderness on the carry into Cross Bay. It is paddle only, with three groups a day.^1,2,3

Getting to the start

The Forest Service lists EP50 as overnight and paddle only, run by the Gunflint District out of Grand Marais, with the access through the Cross River to Ham Lake and then Cross Bay Lake. Rec.gov repeats that and notes many trip options with additional portages.^1,2

From Grand Marais you drive the Gunflint Trail about 45 miles to Round Lake Road (County Road 47), just past the Gunflint Lake Overlook. The road parallels the Cross River, and about a mile in you reach the entry point sign and lot.³

Gear goes from the lot down steps to a gravel dock on the Cross River. BWCA Wild lists the walk as 5 rods, and there is a restroom. Day permits are in a box on the right of the bulletin board.³

Missing Link Lake (EP51) and Brant Lake (EP52) share a lot farther down the road at Round Lake, and a Centennial Trail loop lot is also just down the road. Tuscarora Lodge and Outfitters is nearby for gear or rooms.³

The first leg

From the dock you turn right and paddle upstream on the Cross River, make several portages and cross Ham Lake. Ham Lake is roughly 45 minutes from the landing, and one last carry takes you to Cross Bay Lake.³

The official wilderness boundary sign is on the carry between Ham Lake and Cross Bay Lake. So the landing is where you start, not where the wilderness begins, and Ham Lake is outside it.^3,5

Sources disagree on the carries. Rec.gov lists 50 and 40 rods to Ham Lake and 24 rods to Cross Bay Lake. A 2018 trip report measured about 66 rods and about 30 rods to Ham, and BWCA Wild's Ham Lake page lists 20 and 24 rods. Treat these as ranges and check a current map.^2,6,5

BWCA Wild also warns that many maps draw the Ham to Cross Bay carry in the wrong place, about 600 feet east of where it really is.⁵

Terrain and difficulty

Cross Bay Lake covers 52 acres and is under 15 feet deep. It is really a wide section of the Cross River, it drains north to Ham Lake through strong rapids, and the narrow north end has a slight current and underwater boulders.⁴

The 2007 Ham Lake Fire started just downstream of where the Cross River enters Ham Lake and burned about 75,000 acres, including land across the Canadian border. The entry landing itself was spared.³

Pitcher plants and blue flag iris grow along the Cross Bay shore in late spring and early summer. Northern pike and walleye live there, and the page says the fishing is known to be good.⁴

Quota at this entry point

• 2026 daily quota at Cross Bay Lake (EP50), overnight paddle: 3 groups a day. This was the most common daily total on Rec.gov across May to September 2026.²

Rules specific to this entry point

Cross Bay Lake has two usable campsites, one at the south end and one at the mid-lake bend on the west shore. A third site is closed. Ham Lake has four campsites but sits outside the wilderness.^4,5

Where it leads

Cross Bay has portages to Ham Lake (24 rods), Rib Lake (58 rods) and Snipe Lake (80 rods). A fourth route, about 25 rods north toward a lake near Lucky Pay Lake, is a bushwhack.⁴

On Ham Lake, the north-shore point site is the most popular and probably the best on the lake, though breezy. The westernmost site sits by the river channel and has a harder landing. BWCA Wild suggests Ham Lake as a camp the night before you enter.⁵

What trip reports say

A 2018 report on Wander the Map, written by guests of Visit Cook County and Tuscarora Lodge, started at this entry point. The writers paddled the Cross River, made a carry of about 66 rods, paddled on, then carried about 30 rods to Ham Lake.⁶

They skipped the last 24-rod carry into the wilderness because they were short on time. The post describes Ham Lake as 119 acres and 40 feet deep with four campsites, and says another group was starting a portage when they arrived.⁶

When to go from here

Late spring and early summer bring pitcher plants and iris along Cross Bay. BWCA Wild warns about underwater boulders at the narrow north end of Cross Bay, where a slight current runs.⁴

Compare with nearby entry points

• Brant Lake (EP52): Brant Lake (EP52) is a mile farther down Round Lake Road and starts at the Round Lake canoe landing. Cross Bay starts on the Cross River and goes through Ham Lake, while Brant goes through West Round and Edith Lakes.^1,3
• Missing Link Lake (EP51): Missing Link Lake (EP51) shares the Round Lake lot and is reached by a single 142-rod portage per the Forest Service. Cross Bay needs several carries along a river.^1,3

Sources

1. Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness Entry Points, Superior National Forest, USDA Forest Service. Read 2026-10-15.
2. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Permit, Cross Bay Lake division, Recreation.gov. Read 2026-10-15.
3. Entry Point 50 - Cross Bay Lake, BWCA Wild. Read 2026-10-15.
4. Cross Bay Lake, BWCA Wild. Read 2026-10-15.
5. Ham Lake, BWCA Wild. Read 2026-10-15.
6. Canoeing Ham Lake, Tuscarora Lodge, Gunflint Trail, Minnesota, Wander the Map. Read 2026-10-15.
7. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Permits, Superior National Forest, USDA Forest Service. Read 2026-10-15.

Safety & planning

Alternatives to a Cross Bay Lake (EP50) permit