Sweat pours from the voyageurs as they made their way to the St. Croix River. They came from their 2 mile journey from the Brule River. The portage between the St. Croix River and the Brule River connects the St. Croix watershed and the Lake Superior watershed. Two large bundles of European trade goods were carried from their foreheads each weighing ninety pounds each. The hard work of these men was part of the Northwest Company that operated out of Montreal in North America. Smaller fur posts were scattered throughout what are now the states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
The bodies of water in these areas acted as highways for these French Canadian voyageurs, and these portages were entrances and exits that connected these strategic routes of travel together. The light weight of the birch bark canoe made travel extremely efficient between these waterways. Over the time period of the fur trade many canoes and trade goods were transported over this portage
Come experience this place in history by walking the historic portage trail from Upper St. Croix Lake to the Brule River. This hike is 2.2 miles long and is part of the Brule State Forest. The trail is moderate hiking with some steep slopes.