September 2021 — A weathered brown U.S. Forest Service directional sign marks the turnoff for Bog Lake, the Island River, and Isabella Lake within Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota. These destinations sit along a network of remote gravel roads east of Ely and north of Isabella, an area known for its mixed pine–birch forest, quiet canoe routes, and access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The cracked reflective surface of the sign hints at decades of harsh winters and summer sun, while the surrounding understory—changing with early autumn color—reflects the rugged, lightly traveled character of this part of the Northwoods.