Midwest Ed wrote:If you walk along the beach pay attention to the location where you entered the cove. Depending on the state of the vegetation, it can be difficult to find the trail head.
Don't be silly. We walked in next to those rocks and that washed up drif..... wholly crap there are a lot of rocks and washed up drift wood in this bay, and they all look the same.
Last year someone had stuck some branches in the rocks vertically. That helps... Because if you start walking 100 yards on either side of the trail, it does start to all blend in...
Tom wrote:Don't be silly. We walked in next to those rocks and that washed up drif..... wholly crap there are a lot of rocks and washed up drift wood in this bay, and they all look the same.
Last year someone had stuck some branches in the rocks vertically. That helps... Because if you start walking 100 yards on either side of the trail, it does start to all blend in...
At least sometime in the past there has been a trail marker at Rainbow Cove.
I know the trail marker wasn't always present and the beach is very long and at times can be non-descriptive.
Here's a rainbow cove photo from last September. I went for 5 nights last year at the same time (very late Sept) from Grand Portage and had a fantastic time doing the Feldtman loop. I did the loop in 3 days, then did the Hugginin Cove trip in 2, with ample relaxing time at Washington Creek/Windigo. It was my first time (third time backpacking in general) and loved it. I don't know the other part of the island, but since you're coming from Grand Portage and it's your first time, why not enjoy the obvious choice? Next time choose the east end when you have more days off. The peace of the Feldtman Lake and the rocky shores of Hugginin Cove are beautiful, and Siskiwit Bay might be my favorite campsite.