Northern Highland American Legion State Forest Portage 34035 (Nellie)

This portage feels longer than it is. It is flat and easy most of the way along a dirt state forest road. One car passed down the road while I was portaging. the connection from Nixon Creek to the road is the hardest part. The landing at Nixon creek is hard to see - I had a gps map - otherwise I wouldn't have found it. It was very hard to find solid enough footing at the landing to exit the boat. There is a ditch that shows how generations of scouts and Camp Manitowish youth have portaged through this bog. The ditch is no longer usable. You'll have to cut along a newer path to the east which is faint. One of my feet punctured through the bog while I had my canoe on my back and my leg plunged crotch deep into the water below the vegetation mat. If both feet had plunged through this could have been a very dangerous situation. I advise you to be slow and cautious, and check your footing for each step before putting the full weight on it. The landing on the other side is in deep water. Tying off the canoe is required before loading it and you'll need to get into the boat from waist deep water.

Mostly a nice, level forest road. Nasty piece of bog-slogging at the Nixon Creek end.