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I have been camping and fishing on Kab/Nam for years.  I'm planning a trip up in a few weeks with kids.  Now that we have to reserve sites, I went out to what is open.  As I suspected, not much.  Two available sites that I have never camped on are Sexton Island and Catamaran N15 up near Kettle Falls.  Does anyone know anything about those sites?  It makes me nervous that they are open pretty much all the time.  Sexton Island was closed the last few years for eagle nesting I think.  We will have two 17' boats as well that we would like to have docks for due to bad knees.  I think the dock at Catamaran is full size but the site is in a fairly high traffic area.  Any information about the dock space and tent pad size on Sexton would be greatly appreciated!!  My brother will be staying with Dock Boy at Voyageur Park Lodge but he doesn't have room for me and my kids 

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Sexton is a nice site, but can get tough to dock at if the wind is wrong. Here's a pic of my Classic 165 at the dock in October of 2013 with the wind blowing into the side of the dock. IMG_0727.thumb.JPG.61a974feb29a6e5cd73b6 One tent pad is what I'd call normal for VNP, and one is larger. When I went by in April just after ice-out there was a work boat there, don't know what they were doing. I'd call the Ash River visitor center if I were you.

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I have camped at Sexton a few times, and your right it has been closed due to nesting eagles thru August for many years.  I'm really suprised its open truth be told, the nesting pair must have moved or their tree blew down (it was on the north side)

I think you will have a tough time having two 17' boats on the dock there, but it can work.  Bring your boat bumpers as you will have quite a bit of traffic passing very close to the dock.  The Kettle Falls hotel boats and many others all use the back channel behind Kubel to run back and forth on, passing right in front of the campsite, and due to the rock piles just north of the site (sits on the NW corner of the island) they have to pass quite close by.  

One tent pad is down near the water, just to the right as you walk off the dock, while the other is up a small hill to the left where the rest of the site it.

I have only stopped at Catamaran for a look see a couple of times.  Although it is on the channel just short of  Kettle Falls, the majority of the boat traffic will be quite a ways away cutting the corner at squirrel narrows to get to Kettle.  You will have less waves due to boats there than at Sexton.  There is actually a little bay at Catamaran. I cant recall the specifics on the tentpads, its been a few years and we never ended up in the position where we had to go that far to find an open site back in the "first come" days.   I think the reason for folks not going there much is that it is aways from the docks, and for me, its a long way to most of my favorite fishing areas in July/August. 

 

  

  

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  • 2 weeks later...

I ended up reserving Sexton Island for two nights and Hoist Bay for two nights because I didn't want to travel all the way to the east end of Nam or way up by Kettle to stay at Catamaran N15.  I was not thrilled about moving campsites with just me and my two boys that are 6 and 9 years old, so yesterday I cancelled that reservation, which costs me $50, and I reserved Catamaran N15 up by Kettle.  At least I won't have to pack up and move and from looking at the picture it looks as if it is a short walk with the coolers to the bear lockers.  Whenever I have traveled up up Kettle I have always followed the channel markers and gone to the east of Sexton and Kubel.  Is it safe and faster to go to the west of Sexton and Kubel?  Are there rocks that aren't marked I would need to worry about?

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You can run the back channel behind Kubel but it does get shallow as you enter it from Sexton (@3'), and its skinny water as you exit and split the two small islands on the Kettle side.

Personally I would continue to just go the regular way.  I did hit a stump/log a couple years ago as I came out the sexton island side, but it was operator error as I got too far from the middle/channel.  It probably saves a few minutes and a mile in distance total.

If its any consolance, Catamaran was occupied the whole time we were up last thursday to saturday.  And there were quite a few boats walleye fishing on both sides of squirrel narrows.  If you want some action for the boys, try casting the bays along the north side of Mica bay. We caught quite a few pike and smallies there last friday in the shallows casting flicker shads.  Anything with orange was best.  

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  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Creators

Hockey Guy, you can show your appreciation for Xplorer's help by clicking the "Like this" icon in each of his posts he helped you in. Eventually those likes will be used for additional benefits.

It's a nice way for you to say Thank you :)

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have never been to VNP. We have a 13x13 tent. Do you think it would fit on the larger tent pad?

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I have never been to VNP. We have a 13x13 tent. Do you think it would fit on the larger tent pad?

​I'd advise you to call the park office about that. Some pads are 12 x 12, some are 14 x 14, there might be other sizes. I know of one on Hamilton Island that is pretty tiny. There is a page on the VNP website with photos and descriptions of the campsites , including tent pad sizes, but it's not working right.  http://www.nps.gov/voya/learn/photosmultimedia/campsites.htm  The campsite reservation page  http://www.recreation.gov/wildernessAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72783  also has that data, but you have to go through the process of selecting dates to bring up the campsites. Neither website is very user-friendly, but complaints don't seem to register with anyone.

Below is the description for Sexton Island. Unless things have changed since I was there a couple of years ago, there is one tent pad that is bigger than the other, not as described.

Sexton Island N62
entranceSearch.do?mode=submit
Sexton Island (N62) is a small campsite with a dock that measures 4'x10'. This site has 1 vault toilet, 1 picnic table, 1 fire ring, 2 bear-proof food lockers that measure 52'' w x 36'' d x 21'' h, and 2 tent pads that measure 12 x 12.
Zone: Namakan
Type: Small Campsite, 2 Tent Pads
 
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We did see on the board at the Ash River Visitor Center two weeks ago that Sexton is closed due to Eagle nesting. While camped at Namakan, a park ranger visited us one evening I mentioned that we are usually at the park every summer about this time and thought that the number of occupied sites was down from previous visits and he agreed and said that he thought there were a lot of people who objected to having to pay for a site.

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Thanks for the info....I called and it is now open. Eagles were there but have moved on.

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  • 7 months later...

Thinking about camping at N55, Namakan Island NE....anyone been at that site? Comments...good or bad....Thanks in advance...

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10 hours ago, HunterFisher11 said:

Thinking about camping at N55, Namakan Island NE....anyone been at that site? Comments...good or bad....Thanks in advance...

Ok change in plans, could not get that sight for the week we wanted so got site N65. Same question.

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5 hours ago, HunterFisher11 said:

Ok change in plans, could not get that sight for the week we wanted so got site N65. Same question.

Ok was wrong on what site it was it is N63..

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Hunter/Fisher11- i'm up there a lot in the summer and used to run a kayak outfitting business up there...so I'm familiar with most of the sites.  The good news is that N63 is nice, great beach (normal water) elevated site area that would get a gentle breeze, 2 tent pads I think, and a great area in Namakan with good access to Junction bay, Hoist Bay, Kettle Falls is not to far...

Bad news on that site is simply that it can be fairly busy with boat traffic during the day time.  This site is on a point of BIG namakan and there is a channel that the boat traffic must come through to get into Junction Bay...can be busy during the day.

All in all very good site that I think you will enjoy.

Kabkid

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Well thanks for all the information on that site!! Looks like my brother in law made reservations on k22, looked like it had a nice beach being we have 4 kids that will love to play in the sand.. If you have any info on that one that would be great!!!!! 

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Pretty soon we'll have to open a campsite information site because that reservations.gov is terrible...anyway, K22 "Moxie island"...amazing sand beach...great swimming for kids and fairly well protected from most winds.  Good central location, fairly close to the visitor center (2 miles or so).  Good fishing depending on time of the year.  2 nice tent pads, and nice point to catch a little breeze to keep bugs away.  What's the BAD???  Well, no dock...can be some boat traffic in that general area with some fishing spots close...not much for trails or anything to hike around Moxie island.  Overall good site, better than most...especially for family outting.

Enjoy Kabetogama!!!

Kab Kid

 

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There are several places that you can get campsite information it is just a matter of doing your homework. One thing to remember is that the sites become available on Nov 15th for the following summer. So if you want to get your favorite site for 2017 the sites become available on Nov 15th 2016.

On rec.gov when you are checking on availability, if you click on the name of the site that you are interested in, it will show you a picture and describe what is there. Most of the tent pads are 14 X 14. Small campsites have two tent pads large campsites four.

The other place to look at is the Voyageurs National Park Home page. www.nps.gov/voya. There is a ton of information in there on campsites including pictures of each sites.

A third place to get info, in the National Geographic campsite maps which can be purchased at the park visitor centers or online at  www.shop.jnpa.com they are updated regularly and show all the sites plus list what are the features of the site.

If you still can't get what you need call Park headquarters at 218-283-6600 and someone there will know the answer.

 

-Duckster

 

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Thanks for all information!!!! Big help!!!! Sounds like it will be a good choice with kids and also staying out of the wind..

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  • 1 month later...

Sorry to keep bugging you guys about campsite info but you seem very helpful. We are looking at K5 for the first week of August. Any thoughts on that would be appreciated. I did look at the pictures on the Park Service web site and it looks pretty nice but I've never been up there. We'll have 4 adults, 6 kids and 2 boats.

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Guru,

Nice site. I have camped there a few times with my family. It is in a bay on the south side of Cutover island. Sand access, 4 tent pads, 4 food boxes,  protected area and site is up in the pines. If you have any questions let me know.

VOYA_web_K5_C_Vic_Linsten_Campsite_Camp-Out.JPG

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  • 3 weeks later...

I just received an call saying Sexton Island site will not be reservable from April through August because of the eagles nesting on the island again.  Luckily I was able to get N18 McManus Island West reserved for the same week in July.  This looks like a nice site.  Does anyone have any experience with this site and fishing around it in July?

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We've stayed at McManus site many times.  

Its a little bit of a hill to haul your gear up from the dock, but nice when you get on top.  Have a great view to the south and west, with awesome sunsets!!  There is a @20' dropoff to the water on the frontside of the campsite.  If you have small children just be cautious of this.   My son has caught quite a few smallies right off the rocks along the bottom of the dropoff tho.   I really like that it is up in the air and gets a pretty constant breeze, which really helps alot with the bugs.  Also there are some good flat rocks just to the side of the dock for swimming/sunning/sitting.  Also a nice spot for a screen tent.  

Dont be surprised to see deer crossing the narrow channel just north of camp (in high water you can trim way up and navigate this channel to the wolf pack islands area) 

You are very close to alot of good fishing spots here.  I could fish the whole month of July from there and never run more than 10 minutes from the dock.  What part of July are you there?    Eyes will be heading to or on the reefs and windy shorelines, and smallies will be in the same areas just shallower.   I prefer this site to Sexton, so I would say you made a good swap:)

Edited by Xplorer
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Thanks Xplorer!   This is great information.  My son and I will be arriving July 4th and leaving on the 8th.  We are both very excited for our first trip to Voyagers!

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  • 1 year later...

Hey guys. I might be late to the party here, but there is actually YouTube videos of several campsites throughout the park. Kind of strange the world we live in. I thought I was going to be camping in the middle of nowhere then while searching for fishing videos, boom there’s my campground. I’m only 40 and I already feel like the world has passed right by me. Either way the videos are very good at describing at least some of the sites. I always thought I knew all the gems. Boy I was wrong! Warning though you watch this now you might get depressed because it’s still winter. 

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  • 1 month later...

Hi Guys - believe it or not I just realized there are all these great boat-in camping opportunities on Kab and other lakes. My buddy and I are looking at reserving a site in early June, and since we're so late to the game our options are fairly limited. I've read through this thread to get a little idea of what's what on Kab, and none of the ones mentioned are currently available the weekends we're looking at going . But it's good to know Moxie island is about 2 miles from the Visitor Center, which gives me a frame of reference for how far some of the other sites are. The ones that are available tend to be open a lot - and I'm not sure if it's because of their location or quality of the site. For what it's worth it would be 2 guys, using my buddies 17 ft boat, and ideally going after walleye.

Are any of these sites ones you wouldn't send your worst enemy to?

Cutover Island South K6
Northland K24 - (this one is hardly ever booked)
Windigo K35
LaBounty's PT K14
Grassy Island K9
Peterson PT K25 (realize it would be better to use the Ash River launch for this location)

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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
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