Good evening,

What is a good BWCA planning book? A book with tips about campsites, fishing, pictos, rapids, portages etc. So many route options so little time.

Thanks,
CV

CanoeViking, here are a few suggestions:
Exploring the Boundary Waters
Boundary Waters Canoe Area - Eastern Region
Boundary Waters Canoe Area - Western Region
20 Great BWCA Trips
I have and recommend them all. Hope this helps!

For routing suggestions, try the Robert Beymer books, one east one west BWCAW.

I prefer Exploring the Boundary Waters by Daniel Pauly over the Beymer books, but they're all good. :)

+1, but I have, and use, all of them.

Answer received.

carmike: "I prefer Exploring the Boundary Waters by Daniel Pauly over the Beymer books, but they're all good. :) "

That is a very good book.

A couple of other good sources for trip planning are outfitter websites, which often have route suggestions, the reviews here, and trip reports.

I really like the Beymer books too. The books are organized in such a way that you can decide your # of days and desired difficulty and the book gives you suggestions accordingly. It will describe within those suggestions notable things to see/avoid/experience, fishing in the covered lakes, details about portages, etc.

The way the book(s) is organized works with my brain.

I am more of map person and not really interested in too detailed a narrative guide. Like to have some unknown character to the route to add to the adventure I guess. My planning aid of choice is the Fisher Map book. Wish I had enough wall space to cut and paste it up. It has enough info to know there are portages and frequency of campsites. All I need to know.

https://www.fishermaps.com/shop/b-1-canoe-country-map-book/

All that I have is "Boundary Waters Canoe Camping" by Cliff Jacobson. Gonna have to make a run to the bookstore for some of those other titles. I thought Jacobson's book was pretty informative, though.

I think I have read most of them. 20 Great BWCA trips was a good one for beginners, and the first I read. It got me interested in reading the others to see what else was out there. I got Exploring the Boundary Waters by Daniel Pauly next, and have tended to reference it first. The Beymer books are great, nice to have east and west split out after picking an entry point. I have read several of Cliff's books too and enjoyed them thoroughly as well.

Not sure there is a horrible reference out there, they all have pluses and minuses depending on the type of planner that you are. If there is a bad one, please correct me - sometimes it's fun to see a wreck. :)

Enjoy the search!

For pictograph information and locations:

Magic On The Rocks, by Michael Furtman