Baptism
B) Eckbeck campground to Lake Superior (4 miles)
| Difficulty | II-V |
| Length | 3.8 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 110 fpm |
| Reach Info Last Updated | April 19, 2025 |
River Description
Click this link for a fine YouTube Video of the run
From the Forest Service campground, easy boulder garden paddling leads about a quarter mile to a small canyon with a fine III+ drop, leading to a good recovery pool. Easy paddling for the next mile and a half leads to the next significant drop. Increased gradient leads to a large boulder (just right of center) which can be run to either side.
A brief paddle brings one to an irregular short ledge, followed by boiling 'funny water', as the river is immediately diverted ninety-degrees to the left.
Be prepared to take out a short distance downstream, as a horizon line looms, and the thundering of Illgen Falls is heard. Small diagonal ledges lead in to this 35' vertical drop, which has been run routinely since the 70's. A narrow 'goat-trail' portage for the less adventurous (?) clings tenuously to the river left rim, over the boiling cauldron at the base of the falls. Illgen Falls can be run as low as 200 cfs, but 300 to 450 cfs is optimal! Above 500 cfs there are serious consequences for being offline!
Resume paddling for a short distance, getting out river left above the Superior Hiking Trail footbridge. High Falls, a 50-60' vertical drop, landing almost uniformly shallow, has been survived (with broken bones) by a hiker who was swept over it. Boaters will follow the trail to a boardwalk down to the river below the falls.
The next significant drop, Two Step, consists of a 12' ledge (boof river left), followed by a short recovery area, then a second ledge. Center river drops more gradually, across irregular bedrock, and into a particularly sticky hole. The usual route is tight right, through a couple easy waves, almost brushing the vertical rock wall, as one drops blindly into the river right eddy below.
Paddle c
...River Features
Put In
Illgen Falls
Class IV? Class V? A fairly straightforward approach (ok, a couple of potentially tricky ledges, rocks, holes, and waves) leads to the brink of this 35' (more or less, depending who you talk to) drop into a large boiling cauldron of a pool. Not really that much of a 'skill' move . . . more of a 'guts' move. Or, a portage for those not taking the big drop.
Superior Hiking Trail Bridge / High Falls
The Superior Hiking Trail bridge is the take-out point to begin the portage around High Falls, which is just downstream, and is a MANDATORY PORTAGE for all mortal, sane boaters. Carry a ways down the hiking trail, and to a trail back down to the river below the falls, where you'll have a good view of this falls (as shown in the photo).
Two Step
About a 6' (+/-) ledge (some piton potential if you don't hit your boof), a short pool, then a sliding drop into a particularly munchy, keepy hole. The second drop is generally best run WAY to river right (almost rubbing elbow against the rock face flanking the drop), boofing into the eddy, avoiding dealing with the hole.
Narrows/Cascades
Again, most mere mortal and sane boaters will want to get out (river left) and portage the next stretch of river. A series of ledges and holes lead to a major constriction where a huge rock splits the flow to spill down contorted rock before resuming a more reasonable path below. While this has been run, it is not generally advised.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportFlow information on North Shore Creeks not listed on USGS Waterwatch can be found at Minnesota DNR Cooperative Stream Gauging Service.
It includes Big Sucker, Beaver, Baptism, Poplar and Brule.
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/csg/index.html
Andy McMurray on Illgen.
Way too high!!! My friend Tyler had a NDE here at this level. We didn't know how to boof at the time either (just starting to creek boat)
Lenny shows a nice line through the left side of Kramer's Choice.
The 1st of the two 'steps'
The mouth of the Baptism River as it enters Lake Superior
Dave pauses between the 'steps' of this drop.
This 30-footer has been run since the 70's (in 'glass boats!).