I posted this on Trip Planning too, but probably belongs here:

For those of you who have thru-hiked the Kek... or really any BWCA trail... I am coming from the experience of hiking the Superior Hiking Trail (and general trail community) whereas if you come upon a campsite, and it is already occupied... and there is room to pitch your tent you may do so in a 'group camping' style.

I'm also experienced in BWCA paddling when you come upon an occupied campsite you move it along.

What is the standard in this community? Some trails have campsites very far and few between on the hiking trails, so to tell someone to paddle to the next lake, isn't as big of a deal as "hike 5-6 miles" to the next site.

Thoughts?

Like you, the Superior Hiking Trail taught me my trail etiquette when backpacking. And what I learned is that in the backpacking community you share a site no matter what. This plays out to the extreme on the Appalachian Trail and the huts. No matter what, if another person shows up to a hut, space is made for that person somehow.

This sharing etiquette I have seen upheld at all backpacking sites I have been too, which ranges from the Pacific Crest Trail, to Glacier National Park, to Trinity Alps Wilderness among others. It doesn't matter the trail, there is an understanding that backpackers share sites.

Now, that being said, the sites in the BWCA I think are a unique situation. There are no specifically designated backpack sites along the Boarder Route Trail (other then one, but I am not counting it for this), and it is expected that backpackers and canoeists share sites. However, I haven't attempted this in practice. When I have backpacked the BWCA, if a site is occupied, I end up moving on. But if it is late in the day, then I will be asking the occupied site if I can stay.

I think that is also the reason why backpackers are allowed to disperse camp along the trail if needed in the BWCA.

Trail culture is well primed for the idea of sharing campsites, but given the BW is overwhelming about canoe camping it might be a little less welcome to share campsites with folks. Given the BWCA is one of the few true wilderness areas in this part of the country, a lot of people seek it out specifically for solitude in their camping so they may be less inclined to share a campsite compared to more trafficked trails.

I can't speak to the official rules, but I know with campsites as far apart as they are I would definitely welcome another hiker into my camp if needed. I am usually solo or have one of my kids with me so don't take up a lot of room.

Three years ago I took my mom with me to hike the angleworm, and we came to the site we wanted late in the afternoon, and the person there would not let us camp with him, so we ended up sleeping off the trail another mile past that campsite.

I’m exclusively a backpacker with almost 30 years of BWCA hiking. I choose to backpack, mostly in the BWCA, to get away, have alone time with no one else around. The beauty of the BWCA is that you don’t have to share a campsite with others and I choose not to. When going there, I plan my hiking accordingly, knowing the campsite may be taken. I start hiking early in the mornings, as hopefully to get to a site before others. If a site is taken, I stealthy walk away, before being noticed. I never ask to share a site. And yes, I have turned others away. I am a solo female backpacker, an introvert and don’t feel comfortable sharing a site with people I don’t know, for the most part.

That being said, I understand that most people don’t realize how hard backpacking can be in the BWCA. Navigating your way can take much longer to travel the same distance as on a more developed trail like the SHT. Hikers need to consider this and plan to start hiking earlier in the day, and spending more time on the trail. In my experience, try to plan on being to a campsite no later than 2:00, or you risk not getting the site.

And now to contradict myself, lol, I would make exceptions. I probably wouldn’t turn away another female or someone with kids.

I believe the BWCA rules for camping is different for hikers than it is for canoers. If you can’t find a designated site along the trail, you can camp anywhere as long as you’re at least 150 ft from the trail and or water source.
While it might not be preferred, it’s still an option.

egknuti: "I believe the BWCA rules for camping is different for hikers than it is for canoers. If you can’t find a designated site along the trail, you can camp anywhere as long as you’re at least 150 ft from the trail and or water source.
While it might not be preferred, it’s still an option. "

Yes I did find out that hikers in the BWCA can actually just camp wherever basically, so that is great! (Obviously practicing extreme LNT.)

Excited.