If I arrive one day before my anticipated EP registration date, could I technically head out on the water using a day use permit and then at 12:00 a.m. I'm technically entering using my applied for registration permit? Or am I required to exit under the day permit and then re-enter?

I'm not sure on the legality of this plan but even if it is technically legal it still seems to violate the spirit of the law.

If you want to enter a day earlier change your permit for the day before your original date. If that day no longer has any permits available then stick to entering on your original permit date.

The rules are meant to limit the number of people entering on any given day to help disperse campers more evenly. If you entered a day early using a day use permit then you'd essentially be ignoring that fact.

I'm also guessing if you enter using a day permit and a FS ranger checked your permit they'd have a lot of questions as to why you needed so much gear for a day trip.

How are you entering at an entry point when you are already in the BW somewhere else? I think it violates the wording of the permit.

And if allowed why couldn't you be on a series of day use permits?

Call and ask the USFS, but I'm pretty sure they'll say you gotta enter the day of and entry point stated on your permit. If you were checked I really don't think a ranger is going to believe you exited and re-entered the BWCA at midnight.

Let's say you set up camp on your first day and a ranger stops by. What do you think the ranger will say? What will you say? "Oh, I'm just having a picnic. I'm not officially going to camp until midnight?"

quote cycle003: "Let's say you set up camp on your first day and a ranger stops by. What do you think the ranger will say? What will you say? "Oh, I'm just having a picnic. I'm not officially going to camp until midnight?"


"

Was searching day use permits for another reason and came across this.

If you have an overnight permit for the 14th say and you arrive a day early and get a day use permit for the 13th, the OP question was, does the overnight permit become valid at midnight.

Some have said it violates the spirit and others have said you have to exit the BW with you day use permit and re-enter on the date if your permit.

The second answer seems to be the most correct. Unless I'm mistaken, overnight permits are only issued on the date they are valid. So, on a day use permit, you wouldn't be able to have an overnight permit in your possession. And unless you found an outfitter who would open up shop at midnight, it would be impossible to enter the BW at midnight.

So rather than start a new thread, I'll just ask my question now about day use permits that lead me to this older thread........

If you are in the BW in a day use permit, do you ever take advantage of using established campsites to have lunch, take a nap, or go exploring?

Is this even legal? If occupying a campsite in a day use permit, a site by definition you can't camp on, couldn't that potentially prevent some other group with an overnight permit from getting a campsite on that lake?

Does it matter? Do you care? Is it as simple as first come first served?

Just curious what the ettiquete is.

First to go back to the original OP question. Overnight permits can be picked up the day before entry so a permit allowing entry on a Saturday could be picked up on Friday morning allowing you time to go use a day use permit. Now while all of that it possible it still doesn't make it legal to enter a day early with a day use permit with the intent to get around the entry date rules on your overnight permit.

To answer the second question from LMB, when I've done day trips with day use permits I have used campsites for lunch and potty breaks. I am unaware of any rule or regulation stating day use visitors are not allowed to visit a campsite. Similarly if you have an overnight permit and are out doing a day trip I am unaware of any rule stating that you can't stop at a campsite for lunch or to use the latrine.

I would say some common sense is appropriate though. Keep your visits rather short so you aren't preventing others from using it for very long. If you're on a busy route and know the site is likely to be used by campers that day look for non-campsite spots that might work for lunch first and only use the campsite if no other option exists. Also if you're on the campsite and you see a group that appears to be looking for a site flag them down and let them know of your intention to leave the site and then do so quickly leaving the site to the campers.

LuvMyBell...... overnight camping permits can be issued either the day before entry or the day of entry. I prefer getting it the day before whenever it works out so I can enter at first light. It's my favorite time of day to be paddling and there are less people out and about and/or on the portages.

I have used campsites during daytrips many times to fish, swim, eat lunch (this is a much better place to eat lunch than at a portage), stretch my legs, use the latrine etc. The longest I've stayed at a site during a daytrip is an hour. I use common courtousy and keep an eye out for people looking for a site so I can let them know the site is open if they want it. In fact we were on a site on Caribou during a daytrip a couple of weeks ago...... lunch and the kids swam and fished from shore. I saw a group looking for sites (you could see 2 empty sites from this site) but ours was the nicest and I let them know we were not camping there so they could have it if they wanted it.

I have not seen anything in the rules stating you can't use a site for those purposes on a daytrip.

Thanks Nofish and Ducks.

I've been going to the BW since 1999 and never knew you could pick up an overnight permit the day before. We always timed our arrival in Ely or Grand Marais in the am, driving through the night, so we can pick up the permits and get an early start.

Learn something new almost every time I visit this site.

The explanation I received when asking this question of a Station Ranger,

The overnite permits are controlled to distribute visitor impact. Using a day permit to enter early violates that purpose and is not allowed. Day use permits require leaving the BWCA before the end of the day. Overnite entry permits allow entry only on the specified day.

butthead

And, FWIW, you can get at least EP 71 from Canada permit earlier then the day before, as would be necessary if starting at Beaverhouse and exiting at, say, Kawishiwi Lake, or even a week in the Q through PP and then a few days in BWCA on way out.

And when I talked to USFS in Duluth, there was a suggestion that they have made other exceptions based on your plans. I think I was asking about starting in Grand Portage and not entering the BWCA the next day. Not sure if there are not other situations that you couldn't talk the USFS into some consideration.

(And is day before - not till noon or anytime? Maybe its the Q that is noon the day before.)

Your day use entitles you to enter and LEAVE ON the same day.you do not leave. It is a violation. Plain and simple.
Either a piece of mind knowing you did the right thing.
Or a piece of paper with a fine on it
..easy choice

quote cycle003: "Let's say you set up camp on your first day and a ranger stops by. What do you think the ranger will say? What will you say? "Oh, I'm just having a picnic. I'm not officially going to camp until midnight?"


"

Part of the answer to me is if you set up camp you are definitely in violation in my book.
At one time and maybe still is that way in a little different scenario. On Crown land in Ontario north of the BWCA on the east side. You need a permit to setup camp and sleep overnight on land. But if you stayed in the canoe on water all night you don't need a camping permit.