My first trip into the Boundary Waters is coming up in June. I'm going in at EP30 and am curious about procedures related to actually getting into the water. There are thirteen permits per day, so how is that regulated? Do I self-report like I would at a hiking trailhead, or what? I'm just wondering how anyone would know if I just showed up early in the morning and put on the water at first light. Who checks if I have a permit or not?

For the record, I have my permit reserved and am NOT looking for help cheating the system, just want an idea what I need to do. ;)

Pick up your permit at the cooperator or ranger station and that's it. Honor system at the EP...unless a ranger is there and asks to see your permit, which is quite unlikely.

Keep the portage trails and put-in/take-out area clear of your gear/canoes so others can pass. Keep the permit with you on your person or close by the whole trip... you never know if you will encounter a USFS ranger that will ask to see while you are in the backcountry.

I've never been asked to show an overnight permit in the BWCA or Quetico in 20 years.

There typically aren't people at the entry checking permits. Though that is a busy one so who knows. It's like a fishing license....you need one but no one is right there checking you when you first pull your pole out and cast. (typically) But you need it if/when checked.

If you're wanting an early start, pick up permit the day before at a cooperator nearby. (outfitter normally, list is on the .gov site) You can change your reservation to be picked up at one of these. A place like Voyageur North outfitter in Ely has MUCH earlier and later hours they're open than a ranger station that depending on the day might have banker's hours. We typically drive up the day before, pick up any last minute things, permit, bait, etc. Eat, sleep, and get up bright and early and head right to the entry point if all goes well. I've been on the water before 6 once doing this if you really want to get out early before wind or people etc.

But in general, no you can't do anything with a kiosk at the entry in the paddle season. There is a sign and map and rules and such there typically. But no paperwork or pay here or anything. You need the permit before you show up. (unless it's like a Sawbill permit and you're picking up from Sawbill Outfitter right there)

You can pick up your permit the day before, but no earlier. You have already chosen where you are going to pick it up (part of the initial permitting process) so you make sure that you know what their hours are. You can enter any time on the entry day, the earlier the better for campsite selection. You drive to the EP, find a parking spot, unload you gear out of the way, make sure you have all your gear (PFD, permit, and toilet paper are the most important) and get on the water and go. You should have already planned out your route by now. Portages aren't marked so don't paddle around looking for a sign. Locate it on a map and use your compass/GPS to find it. Spend time on here reading posts to find out what to do next.

Yeah, once you pick up your permit either at a cooperator (aka outfitter usually) or at the FS Ranger Station, you are set. Once at the Lake One entry just unload your gear, park your vehicles in the lot, and paddle away. That’s really all there is to it. Just try to be respectful to allow space for others starting or ending a trip. That’s about all there is to it.

I think I’ve had my permit checked by rangers at least 4 times in a decade of tripping. Mostly at popular entry points. Only once in the parking lot, more often a little ways in at a choke point. Just ensure you have it available and each canoe has their stub!

Have a great trip. As others have stated, Rangers are few and far between, but they are out there and will probably check you if you see one. I’ve been checked twice in thirty trips, so it doesn’t happen often, but you should always have your permit readily accessible.

If you want to be on the water early, get your permit the day before and you could legally enter the wilderness anytime after midnight. I have an EP 30 permit for May 16th. I’ll get the permit Sunday evening at my cooperating outfitter, spend the night at my cabin, and shove off from Lake One at first light the next morning. That’s how I typically do things, especially if it’s a popular entry like Lake One. Something about shoving off as the sun rises just feels right.

Enjoy your first time, I’m sure it won’t be your last.

Tony

I've been checked five times in fifty years - four times on Sag and once on Clearwater.

Some entry points require a vehicle payment, like the county lot on Sag.

I don't bring my keys into the boundary waters. I hide them in a zip lock near the vehicle, and show one other person where I hid them. I always have a hide-a-key on my vehicle as well. I don't want to get 60 miles from the nearest locksmith, and lock my keys in the car, or lose them in the lake.

I hide a cc or some cash someplace in the vehicle.

I always pack a take home bag of clothes, and toiletries, and leave them in the car.

Between the clothes, keys, and cash, I know even if I capsize and lose everything, if I can just find my way back to the car, i can get home, and I'll have something warm and dry to put on.

I was in the 99 blow down. The tents got flattened. All the poles were broken. The sleeping bags, and clothes were drenched. It was nice knowing we just had to get back to the car, and we had something dry to put on.

I've never had anyone break into my car, in 50 trips. I think I've only heard it once on this site as well. It's very rare.

Don't forget the worms in your car.

Don't forget the map in your car.

Don't leave leftover food in your car.

Don't buy new lures at the Beaverhut in GrandMarais, and leave them in the car.

Not that I've done any of those things.

analyzer: "Some entry points require a vehicle payment, like the county lot on Sag. ……"

To be clear, isn’t that the only pay lot? Every entry I’ve been to has open, free parking (including Lake One).

Jaywalker: "

analyzer: "Some entry points require a vehicle payment, like the county lot on Sag. ……"

To be clear, isn’t that the only pay lot? Every entry I’ve been to has open, free parking (including Lake One). "

There are 2 different lots for Sag, you pay for both of them. But yeah, I think that's the exception to the rule.

Keep a copy of your entry permit and fishing license on you at all times. Such that you may be day-tripping without all your gear. I either have them in a ziplock with my map or waterproof phone case that are with me at all times.

Was checked at the West end of Ensign on our way out one year. Easy access for Rangers to boat to the drop-point on Sucker and paddle in 2 portages to patrol a very popular lake like Ensign that is also an EP at Sucker. Checked the papers of each person and on our way.

We've had our permit checked half dozen times in the last 6 years. Before that, we had never seen a ranger in the wilderness and we've been tripping since the early 90s.

Three times on Sawbill, two of them just a month apart last summer.

Once on Lake Three (where we were visited by the DNR on the water - are you fishing, do you have cans or glass in that mini cooler, is your canoe licensed? ) and the Forest Service for our permit.

Once on the portage landing from Horseshoe in to Gaskin when we were exiting. We ran in to a Forest Service crew on the portage itself, talked with them quite a bit about our trip and the campsite work they were heading to do on Gaskin. I realized as we went our separate ways that they hadn't asked to see our permit. We double portage so our canoe was already at the end they came from... with the permit in the map case attached to the canoe. They had clearly turned over the map case and found the permit! That's where we keep ours - attached to the canoe so we are never on the water without it.

And once when we were on a daytrip to Rose Falls. Glad we had filled out the day permit. I carry several with me in my daypack but have forgotten to fill it out when just doing a daytrip in and out.

Have a great trip... all good advice from others on permit pickup, landing and portage etiquette, etc.

Good advice from others. Keep it simple and don’t over think it. Have a check list and use it. Most definitely observe etiquette at portages when landing and launching. Have a great trip.

Like yourself, some are new to the BWCA. Entry points and portages require the patience of Job, at times, as they do occasionally get bottled necked--almost always from folks who are new to it all or large unorganized groups. Do your best to be considerate of others' learning curves. In my opinion, arriving at an entry point in the wee hours of the morning doesn't give you an edge on campsite selection. The BWCA is buzzing, especially these past 3 years and vacated sites open up at all hours of the morning. My method is to keep my car keys in with my belongings. I tether my ring of keys inside one of my packs or bear-proof container that I know will float to the surface in case I flip in the course of travel. There are some people with too much time on their hands who are up to no good. It's not frequent but there have been thieves known to break into parked vehicles. I don't want a thief to find my car keys 'hidden' under my vehicle. Lord knows they have time to search in those lone, quiet parking lots at entry points. Sorry, if I come off as contradictory or negative-like advice. Not the intent. Have an adventurous first trip! It's one you won't forget whether the BWCA grabs ahold of your spirit for a lifetime, or not. Take a picture of your permit/fishing license with your cell phone if you bring one for photo purposes or for navigating. That way you can keep the paper copies in your tackle box when you're out fishing--so you never forget it in camp or in a shirt pocket you aren't wearing. I've encountered rangers in places I least expected a handful of times.

For those of you who have food sealers, I like making a couple of small pouch’s and sealing my folded permit in one and fishing license in the other. Then both go in a pocket of my PFD. Most trips they come home sealed. Last trip two rangers stopped me out on the water so I just pulled out my knife and opened it for them. I think they were amused by that.

I've never been asked to show an overnight permit in the BWCA or Quetico in 20 years."

I guess I've made up for you. I have been checked about 20 times in about 50 trips. One trip I was checked twice.

analyzer: "


Don't forget the worms in your car.


D"

Guaranteed. You will only do this once. #personalexperience.

Over 50 trips, and I remember only being asked once, and that was well over 30 years ago. Interesting the variation in who has been asked and who has not.

Mike

Yes, it is interesting to compare. In over 30 years of tripping our crew has only been asked once to see our paperwork. That was on a portage leaving Ensign.