Hello, brand new member, though long time reader of BWCA.com. Wonderful, very helpful site and community here!

I have made a few trips to the BWCA and have not had this occur yet, but what does one do if you reach a remote lake with few campsites and they are all taken? I am looking to do two trips this year, one of which I am thinking of doing solo. Some of the areas I am considering only have a site or two on the destination lake and would be a real downer to have to backtrack from. Especially if it is very late in the day, or worse yet, already getting dark. I'm sure someone has been in this exact situation; wondering what to do next. What is the best course of action should this happen? Thanks to all for any insight you may have.

You have a lot of options in this situation. Before you go, plan to enter the wilderness on a Tuesday or Wednesday. I think Wednesdays tend to be the lowest volume of entries per entry point but much will depend on the time of season. So that's one option: to go in mid-week.

Another option is to keep your trip plan and quiz outcoming canoes as you meet them on open campsites near or on your lake. This is a very effective way to gather your camping intelligence en-route.

Coupled with this option, making a plan B is always a good idea. "What if the site is taken" when I get there. Plan out an alternative site to stop at if you are fairly sure your site is taken or you need to portage back out.

In a pinch (i.e. bad weather), you can bivvy on a nonsite but you must move out in the morning and if it's a true bivvy ---- you'll probably want to!

Just some thoughts -- others will have better advice!

First, I plan to get a site before "it is very late in the day, or worse yet, already getting dark". Leave yourself some "wiggle room" and know your options. Make a note of sites that are still open as you pass them in case you need to backtrack. One nice thing about solos is that just about any site will do in a pinch.

I also wanted to add a "welcome to the board" message! Boonie makes some good points as well.

Watching sites as you go in gives you an idea where you can return before too late and still have a site. If most sites are full or filling it is a good idea to grab the next site that is open even if you had hoped to go farther. While it is unusual, during peak seasons all sites might fill, particularly in your destination lake scenario. Stopping early during peak seasons is highly recommended. During shoulder seasons there is almost always a site and as said on a solo nearly anything will work. Camping at non designated sites is not allowed except in real emergency situations.
Another welcome.

First of all, welcome to the board! ? Second, what you suppose, unfortunately, is exactly right.
A third option is to ask to share a campsite. You cannot exceed the number persons or craft limits. Also, realize it is an imposition on the current occupants. That said, if someone were in a true bind (and not just lazy) , I would not hesitate to share a site.

I've shared my campsite on 2 occasions. Both times it was my site. Once with a couple when it was getting dark (only site on the lake) and another time with a youth group and it was a down pour. It's good Karma and mojo.

Unfortunately, this can happen. It is just one of the challenges of BW. We have shared our camp with others on 2 occasions and asked to share on one. When we did the asking, we had pushed hard all day and were going through an area with few sites, all of which were taken. We pushed on for several hours more and were literally out of gas with a monster portage ahead and a long paddle after that. I hated to intrude but my wife was done so we asked and they gladly invited us to stay. You do what you have to. We would have camped anywhere had they turned us down. Just get where you’re going early and that usually, but not always, solves the problem.

Unfortunately, this can happen. It is just one of the challenges of BW. We have shared our camp with others on 2 occasions and asked to share on one. When we did the asking, we had pushed hard all day and were going through an area with few sites, all of which were taken. We pushed on for several hours more and were literally out of gas with a monster portage ahead and a long paddle after that. I hated to intrude but my wife was done so we asked and they gladly invited us to stay. You do what you have to. We would have camped anywhere had they turned us down. Just get where you’re going early and that usually, but not always, solves the problem.

Thanks for the welcoming and the wealth of information!!! This is just one of those scenarios I have play out in my mind while thinking about heading out to more remote territory. I certainly appreciate all of the suggestions, and I'll just have to force myself to stop earlier in the day if need be, and plan in some additional "wiggle room". Glad to finally be a part of this community!!!

Welcome to the site.

I've been on a few trips and one time was intent on one specific site...... needless to say that site was taken and our group had to continue on two more portages to a lake with multiple sites. Had we gotten to that lake to find all 5 sites taken, not sure what I would've done. Good to know you can bivy somewhere overnight when in a pinch.

If I'd go in more than 4 lakes deep on entry day and have a target of 3 or 4 campsites, I'd feel fairly confident in the plan. Some entry points being tougher than others.

Note too that this is less likely to be an issue when you're in more remote parts of the park. The ratio of sites to users generally gets more favorable once you're a solid day's paddle from an entry point, and of course across a hard portage. But there's no guarantee, and of course even when you're far away from your entry, you may be close to another. We tend to find a site around midday when we're close to an entry.

Welcome to the site brand new member MJ! One thing that caught my eye in your op was the scenario being set in some remote area. People who have paddled some distance to camp in a remote spot with few sites might be a lot less welcoming to share a site with latecomers than the same people camped on popular lakes or near entry/exits points. I'd be willing to share in some situations, but not necessarily all. There are plenty of people who would just say no for reasons ranging from personal preference to perceived safety of their group, and that is their right. There are some great past threads on the topic of "sharing campsite" where people have shared their past experiences - some awful - and their kindnesses. Worth reading.

Though I've come close to situations where I felt a need to either share or set up a bivy in a non-site, I've never actually had to. Like others have said, this is definitely a problem best avoided.

TominMpls: "Note too that this is less likely to be an issue when you're in more remote parts of the park. The ratio of sites to users generally gets more favorable once you're a solid day's paddle from an entry point, and of course across a hard portage. But there's no guarantee, and of course even when you're far away from your entry, you may be close to another. We tend to find a site around midday when we're close to an entry."

This pretty much hits it on the head, John. Once you're more than a solid day's travel from entries, the traffic thins considerably, especially if you do one or two tougher portages, which also tend to thin people out. But it's still a little bit of a crapshoot at any given time and place. My 2016 trip was an example of that - I certainly did not expect to have Alice Lake to myself, see one group on Fraser, then find Sagus full and have to backtrack to Shepo!

And weekends near a popular entry can be busy, so if you can enter and exit mid-week, you'll have fewer problems with that.

boonie: "

TominMpls: "Note too that this is less likely to be an issue when you're in more remote parts of the park. The ratio of sites to users generally gets more favorable once you're a solid day's paddle from an entry point, and of course across a hard portage. But there's no guarantee, and of course even when you're far away from your entry, you may be close to another. We tend to find a site around midday when we're close to an entry."

This pretty much hits it on the head, John. Once you're more than a solid day's travel from entries, the traffic thins considerably, especially if you do one or two tougher portages, which also tend to thin people out. But it's still a little bit of a crapshoot at any given time and place. My 2016 trip was an example of that - I certainly did not expect to have Alice Lake to myself, see one group on Fraser, then find Sagus full and have to backtrack to Shepo!


And weekends near a popular entry can be busy, so if you can enter and exit mid-week, you'll have fewer problems with that. "

I agree. Never had an issue deep in after a full push. Only time was when we were close to a EP. Had to backtrack.



Bummer that Sagus was taken. One of my favorite spots is on Sagus! Never had a problem getting it though :)

Agree that in season it is best to find a campsite a bit earlier and not wait until you are absolutely spent and it is late. However, sometimes things happen. We have welcomed people to our site when necessary. A group from a camp had traveled around one of the larger lakes and found nothing. It was late and the leader had 6 or 7 middle school girls with who were tired and frightened. They stayed on our site overnight. I guess this is called compassion and civility. I am sure the leader learned she had to plan better in the future.

We go in mid to late September with our groups and rarely see anyone.

That said, last year we portaged in to Alpine off Seagull. Every site was taken (second week of September). However we had left at 8 AM and were on Alpine by noon. We paddled to all sites to check them out. Ended up having to portage back to Seagull for a site. Allowing enough time for this possibility resulted in being at a site back on Seagull 2 hours before dark.

The groups that I have found have problems with sites are those that "push hard" all day on the entry day and don't start looking for sites until near sundown. (Probably the same guys that don't look for hotels until after 9 PM on road trips!)

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that you should start watching the status of the campsites of the lakes that you have crossed getting to the lake you want. It's better to backtrack a portage, I think, rather than move forward more where there still may not be a campsite. I do this regularly as I know that lakes can fill up, or be filled up, and alter my plans.

Additionally, I also try to be aware of "surface contacts..." (my wife and I call them). These are other parties who are ahead or behind us who may also need a campsite on the same lake we are vying for. Especially in lakes with one or two campsites only this may help. This is not to say one should race to get the campsite. But awareness of who is around and how big their party is may be helpful.

Mike

Again, thanks to all for all of the information. I guess that is why it's called "Trip Planning". Emphasis on the "Planning", not just your whole trip; but all the little what ifs! I would never want to have to ask someone to share their site, so all of these suggestions should help me avoid that from ever happening... hopefully!

Last July my wife and I had pretty rough trip because of full campsites. Entered early at Mudro and in the afternoon the wind really started to pick up so we decided to find a campsite. Every campsite was taken, so we decided to turn back and take the first empty site we found. Turns out everyone else had the same idea and we ended up getting all the way back to the car at 9pm as every single site was taken. But I feel we made the right choice as I wouldn't want to push deeper onto lakes with fewer sites only to find them taken as well.

My group of four had a great experience sharing our site on meads lake in October last fall. We beat a party of three to a fabulous site in the middle of lake after deciding the West site was not too good. So when the other party (3 guys from Illinois) pulled up to ask if the West site was open we offered to share our giant site. They assured us they would be out fishing and would share their catch. As soon as they set up thier tent they were off fishing. It immediately started raining and then lightening and thunder and then harder rain. I was ready to give them up for dead when they appeared with 7 beautiful walleyes. They built a fire and cleaned the beauties. But when they got ready to fry they could not find the oil. We donated ours ( we’d had poor luck) and then once they started frying they quickly ran out of paper towels donwe donated ours (they’d had good fishing). At this point I asked if they had lemon or tartar sauce and they sheepishly said they never bring that so we donated ours too. I was soo happy to contribute to this wonderful meal and we gorged on fresh walleye neither group could have enjoyed had we not offered to share our site. If any of you recognize yourself, speak up it was a great BWCA evening with some kindred spirits.
Jon

One thing to also consider is where the entry points are. If you are heading towards another entry point you may have trouble. I call these lakes choke points. People from multiple entry points are vying for the same lakes. I made this mistake on the smoke lakes east of Sawbill. I passed 10 occupied sites before i found one.

primitiveguy: "My group of four had a great experience sharing our site on meads lake in October last fall. We beat a party of three to a fabulous site in the middle of lake after deciding the West site was not too good. So when the other party (3 guys from Illinois) pulled up to ask if the West site was open we offered to share our giant site. They assured us they would be out fishing and would share their catch. As soon as they set up thier tent they were off fishing. It immediately started raining and then lightening and thunder and then harder rain. I was ready to give them up for dead when they appeared with 7 beautiful walleyes. They built a fire and cleaned the beauties. But when they got ready to fry they could not find the oil. We donated ours ( we’d had poor luck) and then once they started frying they quickly ran out of paper towels donwe donated ours (they’d had good fishing). At this point I asked if they had lemon or tartar sauce and they sheepishly said they never bring that so we donated ours too. I was soo happy to contribute to this wonderful meal and we gorged on fresh walleye neither group could have enjoyed had we not offered to share our site. If any of you recognize yourself, speak up it was a great BWCA evening with some kindred spirits.
Jon "

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This is a wonderful story. These types of interactions are priceless. Thanks for sharing!

Mike