Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota

The BWCAW covers over 1 million acres of lake and forest along the Minnesota-Canada border, with more than 1,200 lakes connected by a maze of canoe routes and portage trails. No motorboats are permitted in most of the area. No roads lead to the interior. Entry requires a permit. That’s the appeal: genuine wilderness that takes actual effort to reach, populated by moose, wolves, loons, and bald eagles, and largely empty of other people once you’re more than a day’s paddle from an entry point.

This is not a casual day trip destination. The BWCAW rewards planning, and it punishes the under-prepared.

Permits – The Critical Detail

A permit is required for all visits during peak season (May 1 through September 30). For 2026, reservation permits went on sale January 28, 2026 at 9am CST on recreation.gov on a first-come, first-served basis. Popular entry points – particularly those near Ely – fill within hours of that opening. If you missed January, check for cancellations regularly through spring and summer; they do appear.

The permit specifies your entry point and entry date and cannot be changed once made. One permit covers a group of up to 9 people with 4 watercraft. The permit is void if you enter at a different point or on a different date than specified.

Getting There

The gateway town is Ely, Minnesota, about 3.5 hours from Minneapolis by car. Ely has outfitters, canoe rental, and permit assistance. Popular entry points include Moose Lake (Entry Point 25), Fall Lake (Entry Point 24), and Lake One (Entry Point 30). The entry point determines what routes are accessible and how much portaging your itinerary requires.

Equipment

Most visitors rent canoes and camping gear from Ely outfitters. A standard outfitter package includes a Kevlar canoe, paddles, PFDs, camping gear, and a route consultation; expect around USD 60-100 per person per day. This makes more sense than bringing your own unless you live nearby and paddle regularly.

Planning the route matters. The main variables are portage frequency and length (some portages are 100 metres; some are over a mile), your group’s paddling fitness, and days available. First-time visitors consistently underestimate portages, which involve carrying the canoe and all gear overland between lakes.

What to Expect

The interior is genuinely remote. Cell service is absent. Water is clean enough to drink with a filter. Campsites are designated permitted sites with fire grates; dispersed camping is not allowed. Fishing is excellent for walleye, northern pike, and smallmouth bass. A Minnesota fishing licence is required.

Wildlife sightings depend on patience and timing. Moose appear in boggy areas at dawn and dusk. Common loons call across the lakes at night – one of the defining sounds of the wilderness. Wolves are present but rarely seen. Bald eagles are regular.

Best months: June through early September. Black flies are intense in late May and early June. July is peak season and peak prices. September has fewer insects, smaller crowds, and early autumn colour change beginning in the birch and maple.

Eating and Staying in Ely

Blue Heron Coffee Roasters is the morning-before-departure stop for coffee and breakfast. Northwoods Pub & Grill is where most paddlers end up the evening after returning from the wilderness. Ely has cabins, lodges, and outfitter-recommended options for most group sizes and budgets.

One Honest Warning

Portaging with a full pack and canoe is physically demanding. If you’ve never done it, talk honestly with your outfitter about the right entry point for your group’s fitness level. Choosing a route with too many or too long portages is the most common mistake first-time visitors make, and it turns a memorable trip into a miserable one.