Isle Royale Forums

Has anyone been on the McCargoe Cove to Chickenbone Lake portage recently? I'm wondering if it is possible to paddle to the end of the cove and up the creek to the portage trail, or if we would be better off just carrying our canoe from the McCargoe Cove dock.

They changed the portage some years ago to begin at the dock. When I last went up the creek maybe 15 yrs ago there were 2-3 beaver dams to cross and wasn’t particularly easy in any case. Now there is no identifiable trail from the portage to the creek. I believe they changed it because the creek is a loon nesting area. Short answer, start at the dock.

Thanks! So about how far is it from the dock to where we can put the canoe into Chickenbone Lake?

backwoods doc wrote: Fri Oct 25, 2019 3:25 pm Thanks! So about how far is it from the dock to where we can put the canoe into Chickenbone Lake?

1.2 miles. Gradual uphill, nothing extreme.

I was there this past spring and a beaver dam was 20' downstream of the put in at the top. I couldn't paddle much past the dock, only 100 feet or so.