Camp Sites on Burntside

[Lazy Mike]

I am planning to explore Burntside this fall or next spring. Can anyone provide information on the remote campsites located on the lake?. Are any of the sites suitable for landing/beaching a 18 1/2 ft deep v? I know the lake is mostly rocky, but are there any sandy areas to camp and/or swim? Also are most of the hazards marked in this lake? Thanks in advance for the info.

[Steve Foss]

Mike, all the traditional nav hazards have buoys on them. However, sometimes buoy lines break or vandals pull them, so care is required. Also, the water is quite low and that means some areas that aren't hazards in normal or high water years are hazards now. Also, I'm not sure when they pull the Bside buoys (on most lakes it's late Sept. or early Oct.) and if you're exploring the lake after they pull them or before they put them out in spring you've got a bigger challenge.

However, if you go slow, tilt your motor and wear polarized sunglasses as you explore, Burntside's clear water will allow you to see the hazards as they come. Burntside WILL claim its share of props and lower units from the unwary, but it doesn't gobble them as fast as Vermilion, with its stained water.

The most commonly used camp site, and one that has great access for boats of any size, is on the western shore of the North Arm a bit less than halfway up the arm. If you travel up the arm through the narrows and emerge into the big wide-open bay you've gone too far. There's another campsite on the North Arm on the east shore. As the narrows open into that big wide bay, stay toward the right-hand shore and there's a good-looking campsite on the first point on the right looking over the bay. These are rocky campsites. There are sandy beaches in some areas on Burntside (up toward the Dead River is one good one), but I don't know of any established campsites in sandy areas.

There's a public landing on the North Arm, but it's steep and gravel and isn't that easy to get a heavy boat/rig down and up, and there's not much parking, so I'd recommend putting in at the big main Van Vac public landing off Van Vac Road along the south shore of the lake.

As far as I know, no permits of any type are required, and it's first-come, first-served for these.

Good luck.

[Lazy Mike]

Stfcatfish, thanks for the info. I can't wait to spend some time on the lake. Last weekend we had dinner at Burntside Lodge and I quickly became captivated by the lake. Not sure if it was because of the great meal, or the clear water . Anyway, with a cabin on Vermilion it's easy to forget about other lakes in the area, but I will definitely spend some time on Burntside!

[Great Outdoors]

Like Old Fart Foss said, most rocks marked. Buoys come off in late September/early October.

With the lower water, be very careful if you decide to explore this fall.

Spring may be your best time to try a new lake.

[chunkytrout]

Mike, there's also a nice sight in school section bay suitable for a larger boat. Very sheltered unless the wind is out of the south, BTW what we used to do on Snowbank is bring two 8' 2x6's hinged together on one end. Worked great for a temp slip.

[Lazy Mike]

Chunkytrout, I can't quite visualize the temp slip arrangment. Would you pull the boat right up on top of the 2x6's with the bow & stern centered in the middle of 2x6's? Sounds interesting. I am still kinda babying the new Tyee but maybe I just neeed to break it in with a few more scratches.

GreatOutdoors, good idea about waiting till spring. Maybe a better chance at a laker too.

[chunkytrout]

Yep essentially it would make a narrow V. With so many rocky shorelines on Snowbank we just decided to try it one day and it worked slick. Just enough so the bow wasn't rubbing on the rocks all night. We also always tie off the rear at eack corner.