Washburn County has two primitive canoe/kayak routes six miles north of Birchwood. Both routes are in an area with little to no development and provide a unique opportunity for a quiet, back country experience. Many refer to this area as their "mini boundary waters" due to the amount of glacial lakes and the solitude that they find when exploring this little-known gem. The canoe/kayak route areas lie within heavily forested, rolling topography with a high density of small glacial lakes. These lakes are land locked deep soft water lakes with steep banks and wooded shores. Bass and Panfish are abundant. The canoe portage and trail system has been marked to guide canoeists.