My family has taken over an entire resort on Lake Vermillion’s Black Bay. Special family times are the rule when you have the grand couple (Molly and me), our three kids (and their 3 spouses) and eight grandkids … plus three family dogs!
Whether it is the older grandchildren or the the younger they all like to sleep in till after 8 am, which gives your truly the opportunity to still go out birding at 6 am and be back for family breakfasts at 9 am. Life is good.
The Lake Vermillion / Cook area has some great Boreal Forests and Bogs, within minutes of our rented cabin. This morning I drove Johnson Road to the east of Cook, and then crossed over Hwy 53 to visit Plum Creek Road to the west of Cook. My route stayed very close to the Rice River. The birding was fun, and the dirt roads were basically reserved for my own use.
Right now Hawks are dealing with chicks that are demanding food, as evidenced by this Broad-Winged Hawk and Kestrel. The raptors need to hunt almost continuously which makes finding them much easier. I actually flushed this Broad-Winged by accident, but came back to the same exact spot 30 minutes later … the hawk had also returned!
Ugly is Pretty! Pretty can also be Ugly! There are no universals, but these turkey vultures posed in a nice spot for me shortly after sunrise this morning. Make certain you maximize the third image and count the vultures.
This post documents one of my favorite wilderness tours … from the town of Big Falls, Minnesota (a bit south of International Falls & the Canadian Border) to the town of Waskish, Minnesota (on the shores of Upper Red Lake). Your route will take you through amazing wilderness, and your drive will be on dirt roads for 37.2 miles from the start of Toomey-Williams Forest Road to Waskish.
Please note eBird spells Toomey-Williams in this manner … “Twomey-Williams Forest Road.” I am using the Google Maps spelling. You will find other spellings, even on the sign as you turn onto this forest road.
I have 8 videos which document this route. The videos were taken on the final day of June 2025. The route takes you along Toomey-Williams Forest Road, Pine Island State Forest Road (past Fiero Truck Trail) and finally to Waskish Road. Most of the habitat is boreal forest and bog. Immediately next to Toomey Williams Forest Road there will be lots of bogs, and there is a huge stretch of bog about seven miles past the intersection of Pine Island State Forest Road and the Fiero Truck Trail. Your drive will end driving through rice farms as you approach Waskish. The topography is very flat … thus the bogs.
I have a small Northwoods cabin on North Star Lake near Marcell which gives me easy access to this region. For everyone else, there is a humble, but clean motel named the TimberWolf Inn just north of Marcell (has a restaurant) which would give anyone easy access to the Pine Island State Forest.
This post assumes you will be driving this route in the early morning, and thus will have the sun behind you for most of your birding expedition (easier to see and find birds / wildlife). Upon reaching Waskish you will find gas stations in both Waskish and Kelliher (sixteen miles to the south). If you are returning to the Marcell area (Timberwolf Inn) use Google Maps, and you will be routed back with your first turn taking place off Mn #72 at Kelliher. I do NOT suggest doing this wilderness route in reverse unless you wait till well into the afternoon and get the sun behind you.
Pay attention to these warnings!
You will not have cell phone coverage
The road can be soft. Only drive this route with an “all wheel or 4 wheel drive” vehicle. After heavy rains the roads may be difficult driving for any vehicle.
There is no civilization … no buildings … no cabins … no help if you break down or get stuck (no cell phone coverage over most of the route). I carry a bow saw in my car to cut through trees that may have fallen across the road.
This route is not plowed in the winter
The bogs and forest are fantastic. Wildlife abounds!
A basic map of the route … click to expand
Here are interesting links and web content: (click or press upon to maximize images)
