BWCA Portage 479 (Gibson to Cattyman)

Pretty hilly, but also pretty short. We passed a lot of people on this portage, but it mostly felt crowded because of the forest service crew coming through. I can definitely say that this portage has been recently "refurbished" as of 7/6/2021. We even noticed they had replaced a broken plank on one of the little stream step-overs. Both landings are fine. Gibson is easier, but Cattyman is bigger/prettier. On our way back through later in the day, we stopped off at the falls maybe 10 rods up from Gibson. Very pretty and worth hiking down to. Area around the falls feels like a completely different forest than the surrounding.

Good landing on the Gibson end, rocky landing on the Cattyman end. Visit the falls.

As you might expect, the trail climbs as you head towards Cattyman. Sizeable landings on both ends. Besides the waterfall, there are some neat rock formations along the trail (especially near the Cattyman end).

We didn't carry our stuff through; we only stopped for the falls. The falls were really flowing today! Also neat to see the Ash trees growing here. Super cool micro-climate ecology with the falls. Even though it was raining, our group enjoyed the stop.

Easy portage, with multiple landings on the Cattyman side. You can get pretty close to the rapids before the falls, without any sort of current; just stick to the right side. You can also stop like 5 rods earlier and walk it on the rocks. The falls are beautiful in June and there are some nice paths down the hillside to get a close up and personal experience!

A nice portage, relaxing even, as you can hear Cattyman falls as you're carrying. Make sure to take the time to get a good look at the falls while you're here!