A friend and I have been thinking of paddling from West to East across the Boundary Waters and wanting to see if anyone out there already has any pre-existing routes mapped, or know of where I could find some.

I've done the section from Kawishiwi River to Sawbill through the Numbered Lakes/Fishdance/Lady Chain.....msg me for more info or read my trip report from 2020.

I have been looking at doing that route for a long time. Here is a link to my google map for my basic idea.

West to East BWCA Border Route

I've been in a group of four that paddled across Quetico. Let me know if you'd like information on that option.

This is something that has been on my list and I have sketched out a few possible routes depending on how much time I would have.

Shortest is from Moose to Saganaga along the border...with the option of tows on either side. Could probably do this over a 3 day weekend.

With a 5 or 6 night trip, Snowbank through Ima to Kek and Ogish coming out at Seagull. Probably doable in 4 nights but 5 or 6 allows for layover days if necessary or desired.

One longer trip would start at the Kawishiwi River and meander to the Frost River and could come up in a number of different places....Round Lake, Poplar Lake, or Brule. I figure this is an 8 to 10 day trip or longer.

And of course there is the classic border route which you can read about about in the border route challenge thread.

Lots of options...good luck!

Are you wanting to do it fast or take your time and do the more in-depth routes?

The easiest/fastest way is the border route as mentioned. People race it from time to time and the best can FLY doing it all the way essentially without stopping.

If you want to dip south you're of course adding more days and portages but also smaller water and more things to see if you have lots of time.

In 2001 we had what was an epic adventure for 4 of us across the BWCA. We had 2 daughters about to graduate high school who could shuttle cars from Snow Bank Landing to Round Lake and that was a haul in itself. Our goal was to see the deep interior of the BWCA which we had been all around, and we travelled Snowbank to Adams, Kawishiwi river, through Makwa, which we called Bear Lake, and out through Tuscarora.

A 6 day trip left not enough time for fishing but we caught lake trout on Thomas, Makwa and Tuscarora. It felt remote that early with no tracks on the portages and fresh wolf scat on the trails and fulfilled our goal. Ice an inch thick in the water container in the morning, but a wonderful and beautiful adventure for the team. Hope you enjoy whatever you decide.

There is a lot of west to east that can be done, depending on how much time you have. As a reference point we did a 7 day trip from Moose lake EP25 to grand portage. Started about sun up and went to mid afternoon, single portaging. Day 7 was the grand portage and then driving back to Moose lake& Ely. Traversing between sections of the BWCA can be a bit tricky from a timing standpoint so you are "leagal"

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Border Route Challenge that severl people on this message board make every year. Obviously these people have a lot of information about routes etc. Search the web site and you will find a lot including trip reports.

WHendrix: "I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Border Route Challenge that severl people on this message board make every year. Obviously these people have a lot of information about routes etc. Search the web site and you will find a lot including trip reports."

I'm one of those people that do it every year.

ejsiljen- if you want to do it fairly fast, you could join the group of paddlers this fall (date not yet set but probably Labor Day -ish). 8 days or less is the timeframe to take advantage of shared shuttles. Here is a link to last year's Border Route Challenge with links to lots of info. But the map linked above in a previous reply is the answer to your OP. The border route is the long established way to go, but if you have more time and want to see more, then there are all sorts of places you could alter from the border.

2022 Border Route Trip Invite

How do the participants in the annual border trip deal with car shuttling from the entry and exit points?

Kendis: "How do the participants in the annual border trip deal with car shuttling from the entry and exit points?"

We hire Piragis to shuttle us at both ends. Their vans can hold nine people and lots of canoes. Cars stay at Piragis in Ely.

We work together to transport "finish bags" to Grand Portage so paddlers have fresh clothes and what they need while we gather and wait for all to finish. There is a group of volunteers who host a gathering room at the Casino at Grand Portage. Most paddlers stay at the Casino Lodge or camp in their campground. It is a great adventure and comradery with paddlers..

Think it could be done in 5 or 5.5 days?

Sean: "Think it could be done in 5 or 5.5 days?"

It has definitely been done in that time frame and shorter. But it requires some long days and very efficient portaging.