Hello Everyone,

I’m looking to get a bit of information regarding the Boundary Waters, on the MN side of things. This will be our first trip to the BW - we are likely going to have a group of four. I of course will be doing my own research as well (I suppose this is part of doing research), but I have a number of questions I was hoping to have answered, if you’re willing.

1. What does permitting look like? Are there permits for each individual or just the group as a whole? Do we need permits for each watercraft we bring as well?

2. What do we need for fishing licenses? Along with that, any types of, say, trout stamps, or similar? Can we obtain a week long (or similar) license?

3. Are there appropriate loops one can do (with portaging…perhaps that goes without saying) that would be sufficient for a four night trip? We are looking to head onto the water on a Friday and exit the water on the following Wednesday. We don’t want a short loop, per se, but something that is perhaps a bit more challenging. What would a challenging loop of that time length look like?

5. I believe there is no dispersed camping - it’s a requirement to reserve designated campsites? Is this correct?

6. What are some of the most remote areas that would be accessible via a vehicular entry point?

7. We are planning the trip for the end of June…what do the evening/night temps look like at that time of year?

8. Any recommendations on high quality maps?

I would like to just note, though this is a first time trip to the BW, this is not a first time backcountry trip for us. We do have a lot of prior backcountry camping/backpacking/canoeing experience, which is why I am comfortable asking about more remote and challenging routes. Of course anyone can say that, so take it for what it’s worth. But any assistance would certainly be appreciated.

Thank you all in advance!

Will

First you'll want to familiarize yourself a little more with the details. You'll find some information under the Planning tab at the top of the page, Recreation.gov, and the link at that site to a BWCA trip planning guide.

1. You need an overnight paddle permit, which will be good for 9 people and 4 watercraft. Quota permits are limited by and specific to both date and Entry Point (EP). Suggest you see what's available before planning an entry and route.

2. I don't know but you can probably find out on the MN DNR site or in the Fishing forum here.

3. Note: If you enter on Friday and exit Wednesday, that's 5 nights. Yes, there are long loops you can do, as well as point-to-point trips that will keep you busy for that time. A challenging route will vary from one group to another. What would you consider challenging in terms of distance and difficulty.

5. All members of the permit group must camp together at a designated campsite. Designated campsites are not reservable, they are first-come, first-served. This has implications for travel.

6. Not sure what you are looking for here - you can drive to all entry points. Farthest from where . . . ? You can drive to the the end of the Gunflint Trail or the Echo Trail, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's "remote" or not busy.

7. I look up the weather averages at weather.com, and more importantly the record highs and lows. The weather can be highly variable and can affect travel, something else to take into account when planning.

8. There are three main makers of maps for the BW - Voyageur maps, Fisher maps, and McKenzie maps. There are some differences in scale, size, color and coverage. Voyageur maps are available from this site, and various maps are available from outfitters. The online maps at the Voyageur website are zoomable and scrollable. Sometimes it's useful to have a set of maps from 2 different companies.

Thanks for the information, boonie. Yes, five nights - my mistake. Perhaps maybe 5-12 miles worth of paddling a day, with portages? Ballpark. I’m not looking to kill ourselves, but would like to cover some distance. I referred to vehicular entry points as I am aware there are apparently fly out trips and paddle backs. Just curious too if there are some generally less utilized entry points than others due to campsites being further distances apart. I’m certainly going to bounce around on this site and others a bit and dig deeper into research. Wanted to get some basics for starters - your info is more than helpful!

1. Permits go to recreation.gov and put Boundary Waters Canoe Area in the search box. Choose "Explore available permits", then on the next page in the top left is a box "select permit type". Then enter a date that you want a permit for. That should open a page showing the entry points with permits available that date and for the next 9 days. Choose one that works for your group.

2. There are non-resident licenses available for several different amounts of time. The shortest is 12 hours, the longest is all season but you probably want either the 7 day or 14 day licenses. Once you have figured out where you can get a permit for, you can check the various lakes you might travel through to see if there are any special stamps required.

3. The kind of loop you can do will depend a lot on what permit you choose. Not much we can tell you about the lakes until you have a permit secured.

4. You do need to camp at a designated campsite. Some lakes may have all the campsites taken when you get there and you will need to move on until you find an empty one. We often suggest that people start looking for a campsite before 4 PM, maybe even earlier. Getting an early start from your campsite will make that easier.

5. It doesn't much matter what is the most remote except when you look for a permit. If the remote entry point you want is already taken the choice has already been made for you.

6. Weather sites lie. I have lived in northern Minnesota my whole life and I would say that the night temperatures can range from the upper 20's (yes, it can freeze at that time of year) to the low 70's.

7. A route is as challenging as you make it. Some of us have explored many routes for the challenge of it, some prefer a much easier route. Some people want to move every day, some want to paddle to a base camp and stay there for their entire trip. I've done some of both. Note that you need to get a permit for a specific entry point and day but you can exit where you choose. They will ask when you expect to come out but there is no requirement to stick to that.

First, there are no fly-ins into the BW, although that is common many places in Canada.

There are some less-utilized EP's and some with a lower number of available permits, which generally corresponds to the number of available campsites in an area. Some are less-utilized due to fewer route options, more portages, and more difficult portages, maybe the fishing is not as good, etc.

If you are looking for solitude, that generally comes with more travel, and more as well as more difficult portages.

As to time and distance, one question is - do you plan plan to single or double portage? I have always double portaged, in which case one walks the portage 3x, once without a load, so I have always calculated that way on time and distance. Generally you might paddle 3 mph, portage 2 mph, but these can be affected by wind and portage difficulty. I have generally used 2 mph average in my personal planning, which is not rushing, but not dallying much either.

I would generally plan to travel about 5 hours, give or take, so about 8-12 miles. Most people look for a campsite by mid-day since they are first-come, first-served and limited. That also leaves a little wiggle room for weather, etc. I might plan a weather/rest day every few days on a longer trip.

I will send you an email with some additional information, resources, and suggestions. BWCA and my screen name in the subject.

Click on" maps and entry points " at the top of the forum home page, it is a great help when choosing an EP. See what EPs are available on your entry date first, it doesn't matter what day you leave on.
Remote is mostly a state of mind in the BWCA, most any lake (except motor permitted) offers nearly complete solitude. Check the maps, most sites are well away from other camp sites. The BW is big, many of the lakes are big, " BUSY" mean maybe seeing a few canoes out on the lake or you may have canoes pass by looking if the site is open. Some times you can run into other groups at portages.
The bugs will be out in force in June.
Weather is always a guessing game so be prepared for anything ,30s one night 70s the next, blistering hot or a high in the 40s. Decent rain gear is a must.
Us the maps and entry points section to read up on the ports and camp sites.
I believe there is a lake guide available that will show you info on fish species per lake

Without taking one thing away from all the great advice that you have already received here, there is one piece of advice I have not seen:

Call an outfitter.

I know, I know. You have all this back country experience. That is great, but there are some things that are just unique to this place. They can put you on the right track the first time. Getting a permit, Food storage, route planning, specialized gear, Rules and LNT for the BWCAW, maps, etc.

While you mention that you have back country experience, you don't mention how much watercraft (paddling) experience you have. This will definitely impact the mileage you can expect in a day and the weather you can safely be expected to be out paddling in.

Again, outfitters can help you plan a safe trip. Use their expertise.

Michwall2: "Without taking one thing away from all the great advice that you have already received here, there is one piece of advice I have not seen:


Call an outfitter."

+1

This is great advice. If nothing else, they give you a home base for picking up your permit (pretty much a necessity with budget cutbacks to the USFS), fishing permits, last minute gear, and - most importantly - the most current information on bear activity, portage conditions, campsite recommendations, water levels, crowds, and fire bans / wildfires, etc.

We pack our own food and gear but rent Kevlar canoes and use our favorite outfitter's lodging/showers after the trip. Worth every penny to get the information I listed above.

Have a great trip!

Amen. An outfitter can help you match your trip to your abilities and what kind of trip you want. They will have the latest info and know where are the best campsites and fishing spots. Given that this year you will need to pick up your permit at an outfitter why not take advantage of that opportunity. Finally many outfitters have bunkhouses you can use before a trip. You will have a better trip with an outfitter.