Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Superior National Forest, Near Grand Marais, Minnesota
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness does not offer reservations through Recreation.gov. Please take a look at the area details below for more information about visiting this location. Enjoy your visit!
Overview
Click "Show Notification" in upper right corner to review Reservation Reminders for BWCAW on-sale Jan 31st! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Place Worth Preserving The BWCA Wilderness is a unique area located in the northern third of the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota. Over 1,098,000 acres in size, it extends nearly 150 miles along the International Boundary adjacent to Canada’s Quetico and La Verendrye Provincial Parks, bordered on the west by Voyageurs National Park with Grand Portage Monument to the east. The BWCAW contains over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, 12 hiking trails and over 2,000 designated campsites. This area was set aside in 1926 to preserve its primitive character and made a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System in 1964 with subsequent legislation in 1978. Wilderness offers freedom to those who wish to pursue an experience of expansive solitude, challenge and personal connection with nature. The BWCAW allows visitors to canoe, portage and camp in the spirit of those travelers that came before them centuries ago. The BWCAW Act of 1978 In 2018, we observed the 40th anniversary of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act (PL 95-495). The 1964 Wilderness Act created the National Wilderness Preservation System that included the BWCA. The BWCAW Act of 1978 added more acreage and specific management direction with the purpose to protect, manage, enhance and restore the area. Learn more about the BWCAW Act of 1978 Plan Ahead and Prepare For the most current, comprehensive information on planning a trip to the BWCAW, please review the BWCAW Trip Planning Guide from the U.S. Forest Service to help you plan a safe and successful trip, and learn more about the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area. The above GPS coordinates are for the Superior National Forest Supervisor’s Office located in Duluth, Minnesota, approximately 90 minutes south of the nearest entry point location for the BWCA Wilderness. Refer to the entry point’s description for driving directions to a specific entry point. To get to the Supervisor’s Office: Northbound I-35: Take Midway/Beck's Rd exit, turn right. Follow to Commonwealth Ave (Hwy 23) and turn left (becomes Grand Ave). Travel 2.25 miles, look for Forest Service sign and turn left. Southbound I-35: Take Grand Ave exit (Hwy 23), go 2.7 mi. Look for Forest Service sign and turn right onto Grand Ave Place.You may cancel online anytime up to two days before the entry date for overnight permits. If you cancel reservation two or more days prior to entry date, all recreation fees paid will be refunded. If you cancel reservation on the entry date or one day prior, you will be charged a penalty of $32.00 (two adult user fees), any additional recreation fees paid will be refunded. Cancellations made through the call center must be made 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM CT. The $6.00 reservation fee is non-refundable. Walk-up permits cannot be cancelled once they are issued. BWCAW permits are not transferable. No refunds are granted for weather events including but not limited to storms, rain, wind, hail, ice, snow, flood, lightening, tornados, excessive heat, cold, bugs, locusts or drought. No refunds for personal, work, or medical emergencies; accidents or casualty. No refunds for operator error, technical issues or network outages. No refunds for force majeure, unforeseen circumstances, or acts of God.BWCAW Regulations and Rules Max. penalty of $5,000 and/or 6 months in jail. 1. Permit is valid to enter only on entry date and at entry point specified. 2. Be quiet. Noise effects solitude and scares off wildlife. 3. Group size is limited to 9 people and 4 watercraft anytime or anywhere—on the water, on portages, or in camp. 4. Camp at a USFS designated campsite with fire grate and latrine. 5. Camp and travel on durable surfaces. Place tent in area with no vegetation—keep campsites small. Walk in the middle of the trail. 6. Practice portage etiquette. Wait on the water until group in front of you is gone. 7. Damaging any living plant is illegal. Never cut a live tree! 8. Firewood: paddle well away from camp and use only dead and downed wood easily broken by hand, smaller than your wrist. 9. Fires are allowed only within a USFS fire grate. Never leave a campfire unattended! 10. To put out a fire, DROWN with water and STIR ashes until COLD to the touch. 11. Wash dishes and yourself at least 200’ from shore and use soap sparingly. 12. Possessing any cans or glass bottles is illegal, except fuel, insect repellent, or medicines. 13. Dispose of fish remains at least 200’ from shorelines, campsites, trails, and portages. 14. Burning trash is illegal. Pack it in, pack it out! 15. Motorized watercraft are allowed only on designated lakes with horsepower restrictions. 16. Dogs must be under human control at all times on a 6-foot or shorter leash. Dispose of dog waste 200’ from water, campsites, portages, or put it in a latrine. 17. Fireworks are illegal. Discharging a firearm is prohibited within 150 yards of a campsite or occupied area, or in any manner or location that places people or property at risk of injury. Firearm and game laws apply. 18. Never store scented items in your tent. Use a bear-resistant container or ropes to hang food packs . Permit holders are required to watch (3) Leave No Trace videos and review rules prior to receiving permit. BWCAW Trip Planning Guide BWCAW Regulations and Rules To preserve the values you came to experience, some regulations have been established. Forest Service regulations are enforceable with a maximum penalty of $5,000 and/or 6 months in jail. Test your knowledge of BWCAW regulations by answering the following questions: 1. Why is it necessary to enter the BWCAW at the entry point and date shown on your permit? • Permit is valid to enter only on the entry date and at the entry point specified, because entry points and dates regulate visitor distribution and support solitude. Carry your permit with you at all times. 2. Why is it so important to be quiet to preserve the wilderness experience? • Human noise has a significant effect on solitude and scares off wildlife. Sound carries long distances over water. Avoid playing music, yelling, banging pots, dragging canoes over rocks, and singing loudly! 3. Explain the 9 person and 4 watercraft rule. • Group size is limited to 9 people and 4 watercraft at any time or anywhere in the Wilderness—on the water, on portages, or in camp. Smaller groups have less impact. 4. Where must you camp in the BWCAW? • At a USFS designated campsite. How do you know it's a designated campsite? A campsite has a USFS fire grate and latrine. All group members listed on the permit must camp together. 5. What does it mean to camp and travel on durable surfaces? • Place your tent in areas with no vegetation—keep campsites small. Walk in single file in the middle of the trail, even when it’s muddy. 6. Tell me about portage etiquette. • Wait on the water until the group in front of you has proceeded down the trail. 7. Why is it NOT okay to cut, peel or deface a tree or shrub or pick flowers? • Damaging any living plant is illegal. Peeling birch bark, carving, or chopping roots kills the trees. Never cut live vegetation! 8. Firewood: What should you gather and from where? • Paddle well away from camp to collect firewood. Use only dead and downed wood easily broken by hand and smaller than your wrist. Never cut a live tree! 9. Where can you have a fire? • Fires are allowed only within a USFS fire grate. Don’t build a fire on a windy day and keep fires small. Consider using a camp stove, they have less impact and work well during rainy weather. 10. How do you put out a fire? • DROWN your fire with water and STIR the ashes until they are COLD to the touch. Never leave a campfire unattended! 9 out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans. 11. How far away from water should you be to wash yourself and your dishes? • Preserve water quality, wash at least 200 feet from shore. Filtering dirty water through soil allows the breakdown of bacteria. Use soap and other products sparingly, they are not biodegradable. 12. What rules apply to cans and bottles in the BWCAW? • Possessing any cans or glass bottles is illegal, except for containers of fuel, insect repellent, or medicines. 13. What do you do with live bait and fish remains? • Dump bait bucket water before every portage and refill on the other side. Dispose of fish remains at least 200 feet from shorelines, campsites, trails, and portages. MN state law prohibits dumping unused bait into water, pack it out. 14. What do you do with leftovers and trash? • Latrines are not garbage cans! Trash in the latrine harms wildlife. Burning trash is illegal and it pollutes the air and soil. Pack it in, pack it out! When breaking camp, make sure your campsite and fire grate are free of trash. 15. Is motorized equipment allowed in the BWCAW? • Motorized watercraft are allowed only on designated lakes with horsepower restrictions. No other motorized or mechanized equipment is allowed, except for portage wheels on specific routes. Drones are prohibited. 16. What responsibilities do you have if you bring your dog? • Dogs must be under human control at all times on a 6-foot or shorter leash. Dogs endanger wildlife and barking intrudes on the experience. Dispose of dog waste 200 feet from water, campsites, portages, or put it in a latrine. 17. What rules apply to fireworks and firearms? • Fireworks are illegal. Discharging a firearm is prohibited within 150 yards of a campsite or occupied area, or in any manner or location that places people or property at risk of injury. Firearm and game laws apply in the BWCAW. 18. What rules apply to food storage? • Never leave food unattended on portage trails or in camp, or other scented items in your tent at any time. Doing so attracts bears and encourages unnatural populations of some species. Use a bear-resistant container or ropes to hang food packs . Leave No Trace of your visit to protect the natural integrity of this special place for wildlife and future generations.Recreation Fee Required for all overnight visitors May 1 – September 30. Per person, per trip recreation fee: Adult $16.00 Child/Youth 0-17 $8.00 Minimum Deposit A minimum deposit of $32.00 (equal to two adult recreation fees) is required when making an advanced reservation for a quota permit. When recreation fees are less than $32.00, the difference will be refunded when the permit is issued. Pass Discounts The Senior/Access pass discount applies to the recreation fee of the pass holder only. All Interagency Senior and Access Passes must be presented for validation when picking up permit or discount will not be honored. Reservation Fee The $6.00 reservation fee is non-refundable. No Show: USFS retains the entire payment if the group is a no show. Official Closures: In the event a BWCAW entry point closes due to an official Forest order, refunds will only be processed for trips with entry dates falling within the date perimeters of the closure order, regardless of when the closure is announced. If the entry point is not closed and you choose not to use your reservation because there is a fire, the reservation fee is non-refundable and user fees may be retained if inside the cancellation window. When a closure order is lifted, remaining and future quota will be available on a first come, first served basis with no preference granted to permit holders affected by a closure, past or present. BWCAW Recreation Fee Discounts Interagency Senior/Access Pass Holders $8.00 Interagency Youth Access Pass Holders $4.00 The Senior/Access pass discount applies to the recreation fee of the pass holder only. All Interagency Senior and Access Passes must be presented for validation when picking up permit or discount will not be honored.A permit is always required to enter the BWCA Wilderness: Visitors taking an overnight paddle, motor or hiking trip, or a motorized day trip from May 1 – September 30 are required to obtain a quota permit. Walk-up permits may be obtained at any permit issue station on the entry date or one day prior when available, however, reservations are recommended since there are a limited number of quota permits for each entry point. Self Issued permits are required for non-motorized day use visitors year-round and for all overnight visitors entering the BWCAW from October 1 – April 30. Self Issued permits are available from kiosks at BWCAW entry points and Forest Service offices (no reservation required and no recreation fees). When making a reservation, visitors are allowed up to 7 reservations in one cart and 1 cart per transaction. BWCAW Quota Permit Requirements Permits are not transferable (permit holder, alternates, entry date and entry point cannot be changed once the permit reservation is made). One permit per day, per permit holder. To ensure everyone has the opportunity to make a reservation, when a visitor makes multiple reservations on the same entry date or has overlapping reservations, all but one permit will automatically be cancelled by the Forest Service. Cancelled permits will be returned to the inventory and permit holders will not be notified prior to cancellation. Permit is valid to enter BWCAW only on the entry date and at the entry point specified. Permits can only be picked up on the entry date or one day prior. Only permit holder or alternate permit holder specified at time of reservation can pick up permit (photo ID required). Reserved permits must be picked up at issue station specified on the permit. Allow extra time to discuss wilderness principles and current conditions when picking up permit. Office hours vary, see "Issue Stations" tab for hours of operation. Once a permit is placed with a cooperator, issue station cannot be changed. Cooperators may charge a service fee for issuing permit (up to $2 per overnight permit). No refunds. See Fees. BWCAW quota permit requirements are strictly enforced. BWCA Wilderness Regulations and Rules Permit holders and group members are responsible for understanding and following all BWCAW Regulations and Rules . Plan Ahead and Prepare Wilderness trips don't just happen, they are the result of careful planning. Thoroughly review the BWCAW Trip Planning Guide and always remember to leave a trip itinerary with family or friends prior to departure (see page 24 for an example). BWCAW Leave No Trace Video Series Permit holders are responsible for sharing the BWCAW Leave No Trace Video Series with their group prior to departure: Part 1: Trip Planning Part 2: Plan Ahead and Prepare Part 3: Know Before You Go Part 3 will be shown to all groups at permit issuance. Learn about reserving permits for a non-profit organization. Day Use Motor Permits and Overnight Motor Permits Motor-powered watercraft are permitted only on the following designated lakes. All other lakes or portions of lakes within the BWCAW are paddle only. Motors may not be used or be in possession on any paddle-only lake. Lakes with 10 HP Limit: On these lakes, the possession of one additional motor no greater than 6 HP is permitted, as long as motors in use do not exceed 10 HP: Clearwater, North Fowl, South Fowl, Seagull (no motors generally west of Three Mile Island), sections of Island River within the BWCAW. Lakes with 25 HP Limit: On these lakes or portions of these lakes, the possession of one additional motor no greater than 10 HP is permitted, as long as motors in use do not exceed 25 HP: Basswood (except that portion north of Jackfish Bay and Washington Island), Saganaga (except that portion west of American Point), Fall, Newton, Moose, Newfound, Sucker, Snowbank, East Bearskin, South Farm, Trout. Lakes with No HP Limit: Little Vermilion, Loon, Lac La Croix (not beyond the south end of Snow Bay in the U.S.), Loon River. Portage Wheels: Mechanical assistance is only permitted over the following portages: International Boundary, Four-Mile Portage, Fall-Newton-Pipestone and Back Bay Portages into Basswood Lake, Prairie Portage, Vermilion-Trout Lake Portage. Quota A quota system limits the number of groups entering the BWCAW each day by limiting the number of permits available for each entry point. Quotas reduce natural resource damage and help to protect the Wilderness for future generations. Group Size Nine people and four watercraft are the maximum allowed together in the BWCA Wilderness. You may not exceed the limit as a group at any time or anywhere (on water, portages and campsites) in the BWCAW. Smaller groups enhance the wilderness experience, chances of seeing wildlife, and decrease resource impacts. BWCAW Regulations and Rules Max. penalty of $5,000 and/or 6 months in jail. 1. Permit is valid to enter only on entry date and at entry point specified. 2. Be quiet. Noise effects solitude and scares off wildlife. 3. Group size is limited to 9 people and 4 watercraft anytime or anywhere—on the water, on portages, or in camp. 4. Camp at a USFS designated campsite with fire grate and latrine. 5. Camp and travel on durable surfaces. Place tent in area with no vegetation—keep campsites small. Walk in the middle of the trail. 6. Practice portage etiquette. Wait on the water until group in front of you is gone. 7. Damaging any living plant is illegal. Never cut a live tree! 8. Firewood: paddle well away from camp and use only dead and downed wood easily broken by hand, smaller than your wrist. 9. Fires are allowed only within a USFS fire grate. Never leave a campfire unattended! 10. To put out a fire, DROWN with water and STIR ashes until COLD to the touch. 11. Wash dishes and yourself at least 200’ from shore and use soap sparingly. 12. Possessing any cans or glass bottles is illegal, except fuel, insect repellent, or medicines. 13. Dispose of fish remains at least 200’ from shorelines, campsites, trails, and portages. 14. Burning trash is illegal. Pack it in, pack it out! 15. Motorized watercraft are allowed only on designated lakes with horsepower restrictions. 16. Dogs must be under human control at all times on a 6-foot or shorter leash. Dispose of dog waste 200’ from water, campsites, portages, or put it in a latrine. 17. Fireworks are illegal. Discharging a firearm is prohibited within 150 yards of a campsite or occupied area, or in any manner or location that places people or property at risk of injury. Firearm and game laws apply. 18. Never store scented items in your tent. Use a bear-resistant container or ropes to hang food packs. Permit holders are required to watch (3) Leave No Trace videos and review the BWCAW Regulations and Rules prior to receiving permit.A permit is always required to enter the BWCA Wilderness: Visitors taking an overnight paddle, motor or hiking trip, or a motorized day trip into the BWCAW from May 1 – September 30 are required to obtain a quota permit through Recreation.gov. Walk-up permits may be obtained at any permit issuing station on the entry date or one day prior when available, however, reservations are recommended since there are a limited number of quota permits for each entry point. Self Issued permits are required for non-motorized day use visitors year-round and for all overnight visitors entering the BWCAW from October 1 – April 30 . Self Issued permits are also required for Day Use Motor visitors from October 1 - April 30 . Self Issued permits are available from kiosks at BWCAW entry points and Forest Service offices (no reservation required and no recreation fees). A BWCAW permit allows a group of up to 9 people and 4 watercraft to enter the Wilderness. One permit per group per trip. Please Note: This is not your permit. Bring photo ID and this information with you to the Permit Issuing Station. Discounts All Interagency Senior and Access Passes must be presented for validation when picking up permit or discount will not be honored. Issuing Station If you selected a Forest Service Office and are expecting delays, change your issuing station to a Cooperator with longer hours of operation. Changes may be made prior to permit issuance at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Permit Regulations This permit is valid to enter the BWCAW only on the entry date and at the entry point specified. Only the group leader or alternate group leader specified at time of reservation can pick up the permit (photo ID required). Permits can only be picked up on the entry date or one day prior. Cooperators may charge a service fee for issuing permits (up to $2 per overnight permit). Allow extra time to discuss wilderness principles and current conditions when picking up permit. Cancellation Policy You may cancel online anytime up to two days before the entry date for overnight permits. Cancellations made through the call center must be made 9:00 a.m. CT - 11:00 p.m. CT, March 1 - October 31, or 9:00 a.m. CT - 9:00 p.m. CT, November 1 - February 28. If you cancel reservation two or more days prior to entry date, all recreation fees paid will be refunded. If you cancel reservation on the entry date or one day prior, you will be charged a penalty of $32.00 (two adult recreation fees), any additional recreation fees paid will be refunded. Day Use Motor Permits may be cancelled anytime during the motor week. Please cancel your reservation if you are unable to use it. The $10.00 reservation fee is non-refundable. Change Policy Permits are not transferable (group leader, alternate leaders, entry date and entry point cannot be changed once the permit reservation is made). No Show Policy The Forest Service retains the entire payment if the group is a no show. Discounts Interagency Senior and Access Passes must be presented when picking up permit to receive discount in the form of a refund. Links BWCAW Trip Planning Guide Superior National Forest BWCAW Reservations The BWCA Wilderness is a drone free zone.
