Heading up north on the 12th without a permit or plan. I have several permits for the year, but I wanted to do a trip without planning. So I'm going to wait until the afternoon that I leave on. I'll drive up on the 12th, and enter somewhere on the 13th, I'll figure out where to stay on the 12th once I figure out where my permit is. Planning on grabbing whatever permit might be available.

It's kind of fun looking at recreation.gov everyday just to see what's available for my entry day. Have you ever done a trip without a plan? I think it's probably easier to do solo than if I had to plan with somebody for a tandem trip.

That is my favorite kind of trip! I'll bring all the maps and just walk into the ranger station with a line like "I'd like to go camping around here somewhere, I hear there's a few opportunities." I guess the ranger stations aren't issuing permits anymore so you'd have to mess with an outfitter.

The first time I did this kind of trip, I showed up to Piragis (because they were open the latest) around 6 or 7pm , booked a permit on my phone as soon as I parked and then walked in. I didn't purposefully try and mess with the guy working, but asking for a permit for that day at 7pm threw him through a loop. "Today? Are you sure?" A friend and I entered Angleworm that evening, hiking to the lake and calling it a day before the sun went down. We had a great trip.

My last long solo was similar, I had an E Bearskin permit from January but work had just opened up so I was going for ten days instead of three and I wanted somewhere with a little more area to explore. I brought all of the maps, walked into the ranger station and started asking about permits and looking at their big map. I changed my permit to Brant and had a great trip.

I'm an obsessive planner, so the very idea of doing that makes me break into a cold sweat, lol. But to each their own!

80% of my trips are without an entry point plan. I like it and its a great way to see new areas. I do usually get a permit a couple days before I go in, I'm from Duluth so it is easy, but I see no reason why people living farther out could not do the same. Seems like there are always permits available a few days before you go in.

There is no change in packing for me, I will pack nearly the same no matter where I am going. When I worked volunteered for the FS with the BW rangers often times I did not know where I was spending a week until I arrived at Tofte that morning. My packing was always the same, light but with a few comfort necessities like a chair.

I head in the day after. I have already booked an entry point, but the thought has crossed my mind to change last minute to an area I haven’t explored before.

The only complication would be maps I don’t have - but that should be as easy as buying at an outfitter?

Z4K: "That is my favorite kind of trip! I'll bring all the maps and just walk into the ranger station with a line like "I'd like to go camping around here somewhere, I hear there's a few opportunities." I guess the ranger stations aren't issuing permits anymore so you'd have to mess with an outfitter.

The first time I did this kind of trip, I showed up to Piragis (because they were open the latest) around 6 or 7pm , booked a permit on my phone as soon as I parked and then walked in. I didn't purposefully try and mess with the guy working, but asking for a permit for that day at 7pm threw him through a loop. "Today? Are you sure?" A friend and I entered Angleworm that evening, hiking to the lake and calling it a day before the sun went down. We had a great trip.

My last long solo was similar, I had an E Bearskin permit from January but work had just opened up so I was going for ten days instead of three and I wanted somewhere with a little more area to explore. I brought all of the maps, walked into the ranger station and started asking about permits and looking at their big map. I changed my permit to Brant and had a great trip. "

. Pretty sure I might do this. I don't even know which side of the Wilderness I'm going to enter on. Looks like there's a few more permits open on the GF side right now, but who knows what a week will bring... One thing I'm learning is that lots of permits are opening up everyday in the month of May. So I'm starting to think I'll have my choice by the time the 12th rolls around

Exo: "I head in the day after. I have already booked an entry point, but the thought has crossed my mind to change last minute to an area I haven’t explored before..."

One of my first trips I showed up at the ranger station and said, "I've got two kids 9 and 11 and a homemade plywood canoe. I need small water. Tell me where to go..." We ended up with a story we still talk about 20 years later, a fantastic trip through East Bearskin.

Another trip that was last minute happened because of a fire on Fourtown. They cancelled Mudro entries. So we snagged a Missing Link entry and did an amazing loop that we will never forget!

As a result of these unexpected trip gems, I now plan 75% of my trips to areas I've never been to. I realized that seeing new lakes I've never been to keeps the magic alive!

Taking trips without any plans are awesome. Once a couple of friends and I drove down to Daytona Beach from Illinois in the 70s with no plans and no place to stay. just clothes and minimal money. Had a blast met some people that let us share their hotel room right on the beach.

I'm heading in on the 11th with a Kawishiwi Lake permit. This is my first time in this part of the BWCA, and also my first solo this early in the season. I'm expecting an adventure and am hoping to catch a few fish along the way. Happy paddling to everyone venturing out and stay warm and dry.

No plan trips are fun. It’s definitely easier to do that during the self issue season and solo. For a few solos during April and October I’ve made my decision on where to enter during my drive to Ely. Then I text my wife and let her know my final plans. Once in May I walked into the Tofte Ranger station and asked what was available. The Ranger thought that was pretty cool.

I go to Quetico mainly so the map is always the same. I just text my location to my wife on the In-Reach every night with the following days plans. Don't know if I have ever followed an agenda completely.