BWCA Portage 227 (Bald Eagle)

As mentioned by others, the maps (MacKenzie, PP) are basically wrong on this stretch in regards to portages. To get from the parking lot to the Isabella River, there are 4 portages. The first long 200 rod one, then 3 more 30-ish rod portages. The MacKenzie map position of the portages is pretty close just not the number or length. BTW the Snake River is pretty choked up with Alder trees along the first stretch after the long portage; this gets much better after the 2nd short portage. The first portage is on the right. BUT there are rocks and a large log that make trying to figure this one out tricky. You can see where many have tried the left side as well. The trick is to come alongside that log on the right, hop out, toss canoe packs over the log, slog through the little mud puddle and get to the well-traveled short portage after that. The entry back into the Snake is better. The next portage is not that far downstream from the previous one, with the take-out on the right. This is very straight-forward except for one thing - the half-fallen tree you have to navigate under on the up-stream side of the portage. Note it is possible when traveling up-stream to avoid this 2nd portage in the Spring and just run it, but not worth it (we did it and were successful but should have just done the portage). The 3rd portage is a bit farther downstream (a different portage on PP maps; I will put these comments on both portages). The location is basically correct, MacKenzie shows 2 30-ish portages, but it is only 1 and like ~30 rods. The portage entry / exit is straight-forward. The route is a rock-and-tree root fest but doable without too much trouble.

This portage was not needed paddling in either direction and even in the event it would be it wouldn't be anywhere near as long as most maps list it at. However, I will say I did see, what appeared to be, a faint landing on the east side of the stream but, it looked like it hadn't been used in a long time and has grown over. A definite worn small landing was seen on the west side! This is a trail that runs to the back side of the old logging camp (near the bridge that crosses the Snake River on the official trail) where it then hooks up with the listed entry point portage trail thus making it a mile and a halfish??? long portage if one so chooses that route. Although, I've heard (not from anyone official) this was not a legally established extension so I don't know what/if any repercussions may entail if using it?

This river is one continuous mess. I don't think a single portage was marked correctly on my map. If one goes to where the northern landing is marked, there is a nicely cleared old logging road that one could portage all the way back to the landing, and perhaps that would be quicker. There is a shorter portage on the north side of the river that leads around the rapids.

We actually didn't even find this portage. Rather there were a couple beaver dams that we pulled our canoes over and one maybe 5 rod portage. Not sure what happened to Portage #227... Our method would probably only work in the spring/early summer as long as the two dams are there.

My first trip to the Boundary Waters. we used this as our exit point and ended up taking the right portage at first but, if you aren't careful and take the wrong path it brings you for a LONG, LONG walk all the way to the parking lot. Ended up making a 550 rod portage instead of a 62 rod and a 189 rod.