Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Over four thousand square kilometres of Minnesota lakes and portages where motors are banned and permits are capped daily.
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The wilderness covers around four thousand square kilometres along the Canadian border with roughly a thousand lakes connected by portages - carries between water where you put the canoe on your shoulders and walk. Motors are prohibited across nearly all of it, and permits are quota-limited by entry point and day, released months ahead and gone quickly for popular routes. Campsites are designated with a fire grate and a latrine and nothing else. Food must be hung or stored against bears. It adjoins Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario, making a very large contiguous protected area. Light pollution is minimal enough that it was certified a dark sky sanctuary. A proposed copper-nickel mine upstream has been a long fight.
What you actually see
- A thousand lakes linked by portages - carried on foot between water.
- No motors - across nearly the whole wilderness.
- Designated campsites - a fire grate and a latrine, nothing more.
- Dark sky sanctuary status - very little light pollution.
When to go
June to September for paddling; winter for ski and dogsled travel. Three days to two weeks.
Honest expectations
Permits are quota-limited and popular entry points sell out within minutes of release. Portages with a canoe and gear are hard physical work. Mosquitoes and black flies in June are severe. There is no resupply - you carry everything.
Nearby
Ely is the western gateway; Voyageurs National Park is west.
What to pack for Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
