I have paddled the Turtle river through Chiipewa Natl forest near Bemidji. Great river paddle with some campsites along the way. Great scenery and some OK fishing. Quiet and easy to get to.

It is about 8 miles of paddling between a put in near Bemidji and Cass Lake-great time

I hate to disagree with you BW but to be completely honest that is a lousy trip.  That is unless you like mosquitos and 6 miles of meandering swamp between Turtle Lake and Little Rice Lake.  And, you don't have a decent campsite until you get to Kitchi.  If your in Bemidji and you want a decent paddle, do the Mississippi River from the east side of Lake Bemidji, through the Cass Chain and into the 3rd River Flowage of Winnibigosh.  Have someone pick you up at the Winnie Dam off Hwy 8.  3-4 days of great scenery, beautiful campsites, relatively few people and excellent fishing.  Much, much better trip than the Turtle River (aka "Poo Crik" to us locals)

Agree in most part PJ.  But aome of us locals get tired of all the USUAL routes and I'd take a stab at the turtle, just for something different.

I've paddled the upper Mississippi alot and agree--would put in at the power damn east of Lake Bemidji (Stump Lake).  Big Wolf, Andrusia and Cass are all excellent in the spring.  As a kid I used to swim at the big "sand hill" (last hill before Big Wolf) all the time.  We have a place on Wolf still.  I certainly wouldn't characterize the Miss as "relativly few people".  I guess it's a matter of opinion.

I live on 6th Crow Wing in Hubbard County.  My favorite local trip is to put in at the small damn out of 5th, and paddle down to 4th or even 3rd in part of an afternoon.  It's all shallow, little fish, but good swimming holes on some bends. A great trip for kids.  It's also horse-fly haven parts of the summer.  This year I'm going to paddle it all the way to Huntersville. (a good day paddle).  You can paddle it all the way to the Mississppi if you want with plenty of "canoe only" campsites along the way.

Another nice days paddle locally is from Twin Lakes lnear Menhaga (just S of Park Rapids).  Put in at the bridge just East of the Twins and S of Hubbard.  Paddle the Shell river to it's confluence with the Crow Wing, and anywhere S of there.

Agree in most part PJ.  But aome of us locals get tired of all the USUAL routes and I'd take a stab at the turtle, just for something different.

I've paddled the upper Mississippi alot and agree--would put in at the power damn east of Lake Bemidji (Stump Lake).  Big Wolf, Andrusia and Cass are all excellent in the spring.  As a kid I used to swim at the big "sand hill" (last hill before Big Wolf) all the time.  We have a place on Wolf still.  I certainly wouldn't characterize the Miss as "relativly few people".  I guess it's a matter of opinion.

I live on 6th Crow Wing in Hubbard County.  My favorite local trip is to put in at the small damn out of 5th, and paddle down to 4th or even 3rd in part of an afternoon.  It's all shallow, little fish, but good swimming holes on some bends. A great trip for kids.  It's also horse-fly haven parts of the summer.  This year I'm going to paddle it all the way to Huntersville. (a good day paddle).  You can paddle it all the way to the Mississppi if you want with plenty of "canoe only" campsites along the way.

Another nice days paddle locally is from Twin Lakes lnear Menhaga (just S of Park Rapids).  Put in at the bridge just East of the Twins and S of Hubbard.  Paddle the Shell river to it's confluence with the Crow Wing, and anywhere S of there.

Sorry for the double post.

PJ--pooh river is about right.  As a kid, I remember seeing  human waste float by on the Mississippi as the city of Bemidji used to dump directly into the river.  (as local legend has it--this practise was only recently abandoned)?  Can you clarify that?

Bemidji has never made a practice of this for as long as I know and has had a waste water treatment facility since 1948.  Other municipalities have done this though as recently as 1976 (Blackduck, Cass Lake, etc....).  The Turtle River though is a small, dirty, shallow, narrow and relatively disgusting little stream however.  (From the golf course to Kitchi anyway) and there are many more options if one wanted a 'nice' paddle.   Regarding the Miss., once you leave Cass Lake and get over the dam you will probably not see anybody till you get to Winnie.  

I know the 'sand hill' very well Wally.  And you are right, that part of the river is high traffic.  I was speaking mainly east of Cass.  But, if you start in the morning from Bemidji it's not so bad.  Sounds like were practically neighbors.