Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Minnesota / Boundary Waters

Kekekabic Trail

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (Gunflint Trail to Snowbank Lake Road)

The Kekekabic Trail crosses the heart of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, from the end of the Gunflint Trail west to Snowbank Lake Road near Ely. Section Hiker calls it “a rugged deep wilderness trail that displays many of the natural wonders that make the BWCA such a special place,” and warns that “Every mile on this trail is hard.”

It began in the 1930s as a Forest Service route to a fire tower above Kekekabic Lake, and today it’s part of the North Country National Scenic Trail. The North Country Trail Association’s Kekekabic chapter maintains it with volunteer crews.

The hike

Section Hiker’s 2019 trip ran east to west over four days, and its author says five or six would have been better. From the Gunflint trailhead, the first day passes Bingshick Lake (about 3.3 miles in), Howard Lake, and Gabimichigami Lake, which bwcawild says is the deepest lake entirely within Minnesota at 209 feet. The eastern end runs through old burns from the Cavity Lake and Ham Lake fires, and Section Hiker found the first day hot and buggy with little tree cover.

At 12.5 miles, a wooden bridge crosses the outflow from Agamok Lake to Mueller Lake. Bwcawild calls the Agamok Falls area very scenic. The second day is the hilliest, with repeated 300-foot climbs between about 1,500 and 1,800 feet, past the old fire tower site and a spur to Kekekabic Lake, then down to Strup Lake. West of there, Section Hiker found gentle lowland terrain but long stretches without good water, camping at Medas Lake among dead jack pines before finishing at the western trailhead.

Conditions depend on recent volunteer work. Section Hiker’s group turned back in 2018 because of blowdown from a 2016 windstorm, then found the trail cleared in 2019. The Kekekabic chapter’s May 2026 report says “the Kekekabic Trail is in good hiking condition,” with random blowdowns, beaver dams to cross, wet spots, summer ferns and raspberries hiding the tread, and moderate brush from Medas Lake west. It says blue flagging marks unclear spots, and asks hikers not to add or move it.

The chapter recommends its Kekekabic Trail Guide, and Section Hiker says not to go without the full set of McKenzie maps (7, 8, and 9). The trailheads are about 180 road miles apart; the chapter page lists a shuttle service.

The west end shares a parking lot with the Snowbank Lake Trail. The east end connects to the Border Route Trail.

Tips

Camping

The chapter says permits are required year-round for all overnight use, with quota permits through Recreation.gov from May 1 to Sept. 30 and self-issued permits Oct. 1 to April 30. The Forest Service limits groups to nine people and four watercraft, requires camping at designated sites with steel fire grates and latrines during the ice-free season, allows up to 14 consecutive days on one site, and bans cans and glass bottles except for fuel, insect repellent, and medicine. From April 1 to Nov. 30, hang food at least 12 feet up and 6 feet out, or use a certified bear-resistant container. Dogs must be on a 6-foot or shorter leash.

Section Hiker and bwcawild name sites at Bingshick, Howard, Gabimichigami, Agamok, Mueller, Strup, Benezie, Medas, and Moiyaka Lakes, plus Disappointment Lake off a spur.

Inside Intel: Section Hiker rated the Bingshick Lake site and the first Disappointment Lake site off the spur trail 10 out of 10, and the Agamok Bridge and Strup Lake sites 8. It rated Howard Lake 1 and Gabimichigami 2.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Beaver dams and wet spots on the Kek:

The chapter's 2026 report lists beaver dams, wet spots, and blowdown, and day two has repeated 300-foot climbs. See whether the Beta SL is worth it, or if a cheaper shell will do.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.