BWCAW Quota Permit — Little Isabella River (EP75)

Little Isabella River (EP75): what makes it different

Little Isabella River is a paddle-only overnight entry in the Tofte District, reached by a long, rough gravel drive from Highway 1 and a short carry to a narrow, beaver-dammed river. It feeds the Isabella River, with Bald Eagle Lake to the west and Quadga Lake to the east. The quota is one group a day, and a 2016 party saw nobody for four days.^1,2,3,9

Getting to the start

The Forest Service lists EP75 as overnight, paddle only, in the Tofte District, with a 20-rod portage to the Little Isabella River and several short portages before the Isabella River.^1,2

From Ely, BWCA Wild says to follow Highway 1 east about 18 miles to Tomahawk Road (Forest Road 173), turn left and go about 6 miles, then turn left onto Forest Road 381 heading north. That last road is narrower and usually rougher. By summer the grass can grow two feet high down the middle of the road and hide ruts, boulders and logs.³

The lot at the end is very small, about five cars by BWCA Wild's count and roughly six tightly parked vehicles by a 2016 party's count, so arrive early on a summer weekend. There is no restroom. The Snake River entry (EP84) is about a two-mile walk away.^3,9

The first leg

The portage starts just right of the bulletin board and runs downhill to the river, dropping about 35 feet. BWCA Wild measures it at 33 rods and a Paddle Planner listing says 31, against the agencies' 20, so expect between 20 and 33 rods and a short, easy walk.^4,3,8,1

You cannot beach a canoe at the put-in. A line of large boulders means you balance the canoe in the water and step onto rocks, and BWCA Wild says the same thing coming out, when a solo paddler may have to stand in the water.^4,3

A 2016 party counted three carries on the way to the Isabella River: the entry trail, one of 32 rods that climbs moderately, and one of 16 rods that is flat but lands among boulders. A large downed tree near the landing and a jack pine across the river made the first stretch harder.⁹

Terrain and difficulty

The Little Isabella is a dark, bog-fed stream with many twists. BWCA Wild says to expect one to three beaver dams between the entry and the Isabella River.⁵

Once on the Isabella River, the water can be shallow and swift enough to scrape a loaded canoe. Fire damage from the 2011 Pagami Creek Fire shows along the north shore, and a wild rice flat has to be crossed by a narrow channel.^9,6

Quota at this entry point

• 2026 daily quota at Little Isabella River (EP75), overnight paddle: 1 group a day. This was the daily total on nearly every date Recreation.gov listed from May to September 2026.²

Rules specific to this entry point

No motors are allowed. Recreation.gov's division text lists paddle as the only method of travel, and Paddle Planner's entry page agrees.^2,8

Where it leads

West on the Isabella River leads to Bald Eagle Lake, at least five miles of mostly continuous paddling from the Little Isabella mouth with a portage of about 140 rods along the way. East leads to Quadga Lake and Lake Isabella beyond.^6,3

Quadga Lake is reached by a portage that starts at the base of impassable rapids, with carries on both sides of the river. BWCA Wild lists it at 100 rods heading downstream and 39 rods heading upstream.^6,9

BWCA Wild describes a long day loop through three rivers: down the Little Isabella, along the Isabella to the Snake River mouth about four miles away, up the Snake and out its entry point, then a walk back along the road.⁷

What trip reports say

A five-person party posted a Paddle Planner report for July 7 to 10, 2016, a Fourth of July weekend trip chosen to avoid crowds. They saw no other people for four days and met the first paddlers on the way out on July 10.⁹

Their Quadga Lake camp was in the southeast corner, rocky and mostly unsheltered. Other sites on the lake were closed or hard to find, and the northwest site was swampy and buggy.⁹

They hit very bad bugs on the evening of July 8, caught abundant northern pike and bass, and had a couple of beaver dams that were easy paddling on the way in become a quick pull-through on the way out.⁹

When to go from here

Both the July 2016 report and BWCA Wild point to shallow water as the pinch. The party scraped bottom on the swift parts of the Isabella, and BWCA Wild says that at low water you may need to walk or rockhop your canoe through the landing area at Lake Isabella, the river's source.^9,6

Compare with nearby entry points

• Snake River (EP84): Snake River (EP84) is a separate one-group entry about two miles away. The Forest Service lists a 198-rod portage to its river against the short carry here, and BWCA Wild says starting on the Little Isabella is the easier direction for the three-river loop.^1,7,3
• Isabella Lake (EP35): Isabella Lake (EP35) is also in the Tofte District and also paddle only, but Recreation.gov describes it as a 70-rod portage to the lake rather than to a river.²

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, Little Isabella River and Isabella Lake divisions, Recreation.gov. Read 2026-10-15.
3. BWCA Entry Point 75 - Little Isabella River, BWCA Wild. Read 2026-10-15.
4. Portage between BWCA Entry Point 75 and the Little Isabella River, BWCA Wild. Read 2026-10-15.
5. Little Isabella River, BWCA Wild. Read 2026-10-15.
6. Isabella River, BWCA Wild. Read 2026-10-15.
7. Snake River, BWCA Wild. Read 2026-10-15.
8. Entry Point 75 - Little Isabella River, Paddle Planner. Read 2026-10-15.
9. Quintet finds Quiet solitude on Quadga, Paddle Planner (trip report by TuscaroraBorealis). Read 2026-10-15.
10. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Permits, Superior National Forest, USDA Forest Service. Read 2026-10-15.

Safety & planning

Alternatives to a Little Isabella River (EP75) permit