Pow Wow Hiking Trail
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Overview
The trail is approximately a 27 mile loop that is minimally maintained. Method of travel is hiking. There is a need for preparedness in route-finding under adverse conditions for those who enter this wilderness trail.
It is marked by rock cairns and tree blazes; however, there are other signs to watch for -- sawn-cut log ends and tree roots that have been worn bare by foot traffic. Even with these signs it is possible to lose the trail or encounter a large blown-down jumble of trees.
To find the trail, the best course of action is to post someone where you last knew you were on the trail while the rest of your party circles the area out in front or beyond the jumble to search for the trail tread. Don't forget that the last place you think you were on the trail might already be off the trail. False trails are sometimes created by others who have made the same wrong turn that you did -- so you may have to check for the true trail somewhere behind you.
Other areas to be alert for is around beaver dams. The trail doesn't always continue where the dams end (beavers keep changing the dams). Usually there will be a discernible reroute leading you to the trail. Keep your eyes open and you should be able to find it.
Check for fire restrictions and current information prior to your trip. For more information, please call the Tofte Ranger Station in Tofte at 218-663-7280.
Following is a brief description of the trail -- divided into four sections -- with approximate distances listed in miles.
Trailhead to Split
- Trailhead to Isabella River Bridge (1 mile)
- Isabella River Bridge to Trail Split (2 miles)
The first section of the trail can be a little confusing. You park at the back end of the Isabella Lake parking lot. You go to the northwest corner of the lot and find a trail that cuts thru pines planted in the 1980s. The trail takes some 90 degree turns and can be a little confusing at times. Eventually it cuts overland until it reaches an old logging road that comes up from the south. At this point the trail is on a well defined path. As an old logging road it's relatively flat and straight. You can make extremely good time. When you reach the intersection with the Isabella River there is a campsite on the river about 50 yards southwest of the bridge. The bridge is a great place for pictures, especially when the sun is low on the horizon.
After the bridge, the trail picks up the old logging road and continues a relatively flat and straight path. You do skirt a couple beaver ponds, some which may be drained, depending on local activity. At times the road or some build-up on top of it, maybe the top of the dam & trail. Near one of these beaver dams, you reach a split in the trail, about two miles north of the Isabella River Bridge.
It cannot be emphasized enough, if you haven't hiked this trail, you must hike it clockwise or you will end up lost. You turn west here (don't continue straight).
Split to Superstition Lake
- Split to Marathon Lake (2.3 miles)
- Marathon Lake to Campfire Lake (3.5 miles)
- Campfire Lake to Superstition Lake (2 miles)
For this entire section, the trail runs along old abandoned logging roads. The trail is relatively level and straight. It is generally easy to follow except through some tail grasses and around some beaver dams.
The Marathon Lake campsite straddles the trail about 100 yards from a shallow, weedy water access. This is not a great campsite and it's recommended you push on if possible.
While the Campfire Lake Campsite is better than the Marathon Lake site, the best sites are either the Quadga Lake site off a quarter mile spur trail or the Superstition Lake site.
Superstition to South Wilder
- Superstition to Mirror (1.5 miles)
- Mirror to Path (1.2 miles)
- Path to Rock of Ages (0.5 miles)
- Rock of Ages to Horseshoe (1.5 miles)
- Horseshoe to North Wilder (1.8 miles)
- North Wilder to South Wilder (1 mile)
This section of trail sees the tread leave the old logging roads and find its own way thru the woods. Your progress will be less than half the speed you had up to this point. Be prepared. Each sub-section of trail was measured from campsite to campsite.
The Mirror Lake campsite is a marginal camp that straddle the trail. It is incorrectly located on Fisher maps. It is found a little to the south of the island on Mirror Lake.
The Path Lake campsite is one of the best along the trail. It too is marked incorrectly on Fisher Maps and is located on the north side of the lake, halfway between the far western side and the inlet.
The Rock of Ages site is another excellent campsite found among rocks above the water.
The Horseshoe Lake campsite is nearly a half mile around the lake from when you first see the water. It's a decent site set up a little. Beware of hungry chipmunks.
The Site on North Wilder is located about a tenth of a mile before it crosses the portage from Harbor Lake. You will see a spur on the left leading to waters edge, this site is rather small, but well hidden from canoeists.
The South Wilder campsite is set very high above the water to where it is almost a problem making your way down to the water. It is an excellent site except for the issue of water access.
South Wilder to Split
- South Wilder to Pose Lake Spur (3 miles)
- Pose Lake Spur to Dry Grass Turn (.5 miles)
- Dry Grass Turn to 90 Degree Turn (1 mile)
- 90 Degree Turn to Split (1.5 miles)
The walk along the north shore of South Wilder lake is excellent. The trail eventually goes southeast and proceeds along the south shore of Pose Creek. There is a great lunch or mediation spot along Pose Creek. McKenzie Maps mark it as a "Vista", but not from a pure height perspective, it just gives you a great vantage point overlooking a large stretch of the creek and surrounding lowlands.
As you approach Pose Lake, there are a few turns that are confusing. Keep a good eye on your map and compass. If a trail runs out of tread, backtrack and see if you missed a turn. It happens.
There is a quarter mile spur trail to the campsite on Pose Lake. The site is OK, but not as good as Quadga, Path, Rock of Ages or South Wilder. It is, however, the closest site to the trailhead from this direction. The good news is that the trail follows abandoned logging roads and a quick paced hiker can make it out in under three hours from Pose Lake.
From the campsite spur, its a relatively short hike to where the trail intersects with the trail coming out of the southeast with a beaver pond forcing hikers to turn. There is quite a bit of dry grass here, some of it can approach 10 feet high. Hiking clockwise, you run into the beaver pond and turn right (southeast). Many hikers coming from the entry point miss this turn. It is usually flagged, but that doesn't mean you realize that the trail turns because it appears to continue to the north. Hiking clockwise eliminates the possible mistake.
Hike southeast until on good tread until the trail T's. The obvious trail is to the right (southwest). The old abandoned East Loop of the Pow Wow Trail used to extend to the northeast here. If you take this trail you will run into a large beaver pond about a half mile down the trail. It is overgrown and you can tell it isn't maintained to normal standards. From this intersection the trail goes southwest toward the original split.
