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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Listening Point - General Discussion :: Land locked School Trust Land
 
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LindenTree3
03/29/2018 10:00AM
  
firemedic5586:
As we all know one can't set up their own campsite on the federal lands of the BWCA... However, I'm assuming one would be able to camp, ect, on the school land that is landlocked in the BWCA . Has anyone heard of, or seen this done at all?
"


Firemedic,
I asked this question to a ex firefighter and FPO, Forest Protection Officer/Canoe Ranger from Ely yesterday during our fire refresher. He worked for the USFS out of Ely for at
least 15 years, and now fights a few fires out of Detroit Lakes for us.


He stated that it is a grey area but he believes you can camp on state land withing the BWCA. He also stated that he has done it in the past.


Don't take this information as fact if you try it, just passing his opinion along.
 
firemedic5586
03/29/2018 10:13AM
  
LindenTree3: "firemedic5586:
As we all know one can't set up their own campsite on the federal lands of the BWCA... However, I'm assuming one would be able to camp, ect, on the school land that is landlocked in the BWCA . Has anyone heard of, or seen this done at all?
"



Firemedic,
I asked this question to a ex firefighter and FPO, Forest Protection Officer/Canoe Ranger from Ely yesterday during our fire refresher. He worked for the USFS out of Ely for at
least 15 years, and now fights a few fires out of Detroit Lakes for us.



He stated that it is a grey area but he believes you can camp on state land withing the BWCA. He also stated that he has done it in the past.



Don't take this information as fact if you try it, just passing his opinion along."


That what I figured.. Thanks for the pearl of info.. :-)
 
arctic
03/29/2018 07:38PM
  
I'm fairly certain that recreational use of School Trust Lands within the BWCA is identical to that of federal lands within the area. If you can't use a chainsaw there, then certainly you can't just camp wherever you want outside of a designated campsite during the open water season. In winter you can camp anywhere.


Also, all lakes and streams within the wilderness are owned by the state of Minnesota (as per the MN constitution), but the 1978 Wilderness Act prohibits certain activities within the BOUNDARIES of the wilderness, regardless of ownership.


Here's what I found from the DNR about camping on state lands within the BWCA from a 2007 document, updated from the 1960s:


"Subp. 2. Cutting live trees prohibited. No new campsite shall be established, other than by the Department of Natural Resources, by cutting live trees."

There are MANY BWCA campsites on state land in the BWCA. The fire grates are usually identified as such, as I recall.

Regardless of where you camp, you still need a federal permit, must obey the can/bottle ban, as well as every other BWCA regulation.

 
firemedic5586
03/24/2018 04:33PM
  
I saw a blurp on the NEWS yesterday night... This got me thinking today, which is never a good thing..

As we all know one can't set up their own campsite on the federal lands of the BWCA... However, I'm assuming one would be able to camp, ect, on the school land that is landlocked in the BWCA . Has anyone heard of, or seen this done at all? As I'm assuming none this land meets state guidelines as being posted for no trespassing..

I'm asking for a friend.. I kid, I kid... Going through the effort to find a spot on school land and camp just to thumb your nose at the man, is more work/time then I want to put in... That doesn't say that someone hasn't done it..
 
LindenTree3
03/24/2018 05:26PM
  
I can't answer your specific question, but state land may not exist within the BWCA much longer.


State Land in the BWCA may be bought by the Feds
 
firemedic5586
03/24/2018 06:31PM
  
LindenTree3: "I can't answer your specific question, but state land may not exist within the BWCA much longer.



State Land in the BWCA may be bought by the Feds "


Yup,, Like I said, I saw that on the news yesterday..


After using a little Google fu, I came up with THIS state map of the trust land... Some poking around later, I have found at least one Fed camp site and portage on state land... So much for one permit per entry for the BWCA ;-)..