A Minnesota Wilderness Sanctuary: Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
One does not simply enter the BWCA.
There is a lot to know prior to entering the BWCA. Don’t let that deter you! I think going to the BWCA is something you training for all year long. The best time to plan your BWCA trip for 2024? Start right now!
We bring 50 women to the edge of the BWCA every summer at our retreat at Birchwood Wilderness Camp. The women are there right now learning many of the skills necessary for a successful Boundary Waters Trip! This retreat is a great way to dip your toe into the BWCA world without diving in head first!
While the women are in the BWCA, we thought, what better time to share some information about this incredibly special place.
If you are ready to take on a trip, but don’t have your own canoe and need a bit of support, we recommend is Women’s Wilderness Discovery out of Ely, MN.
Quick Facts about the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW)
Anishinaabe (aka Ojibwe or Chippewa) people are the original stewards & protectors of this area. 1854 Treaty Authority upholds the ability for tribes to harvest wild rice, hunt, fish, and gather in the Boundary Waters region.
This designated wilderness area is more than 1 million acres. It spans a large area of the Northern parts of the US and Canada. The area contains more than 1,200 miles of canoe routes, 12 hiking trails and more than 2,000 designated campsites!
The land was set aside in 1926 to preserve its primitive character and made a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System in 1964. The USFS changed the name of the Superior Roadless Primitive Area to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in 1958.
The BWCA is designated as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, which is defined as a section of public or private land that has an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is protected for its scientific, natural, or educational value, its cultural heritage and/or public enjoyment. There are a little over 60 in the U.S.
The BWCA is one of National Geographic’s 50 “Destinations of a Lifetime.”
Leave No Trace Principles
Plan Ahead and Prepare. Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces.
Dispose of Waste Properly.
Leave What You Find.
Minimize Campfire Impacts.
Respect Wildlife.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors.
A recommended packing list (and gear you might want to purchase)
There are many items that are essential to a successful BWCA trip. Acquiring all these items can be an investment. Start small and expand over time! Start your birthday wish-list now!
Clothing
1-2 light-weight long-sleeve shirts for layering
1 warm long sleeve (wool is great)
2-3 pants that can be layered (wool base layer is great). Lightweight material works best, especially quick dry.
underwear (you decide how many, lol)
2 bras
wool socks 2-3 pairs (1 pair of sacred socks that must never, ever get wet!)
water proof hiking shoes
rain pants
rain jacket
swimsuit
1 pair shorts
1-2 lightweight shirts (tank or t-shirt)
packable camp towel
Kula cloth (pee cloth)
chacos or keens (optional)
Gear
Jet Boil -Essential item
some means of getting water (Katadyn pump or base camp both work well)
For your pack, you’ll need a nice large pack that fits in the bottom of the canoe and can carry just about anything. We love Granite Gear based in Two Harbors!
Sleeping pad- we like this insulated pad with option for “wide and tall” for extra room!
Lightweight tent
head lamp
hammock (optional)
lightweight, packable chair (optional)
dry bags to pack in
extra rope
duct tape (can fix anything!)
tarp in case of rain. While the classic big blue tarps work great, this lightweight tarp is a nice option too.
garbage bag/ziploc bags for packing out garbage
sleeping bag
camp pillow
hat for sun protection
beanie for warmth
bug net
sunglasses
buff
knife
utensils
coffee mugs
water bottles
hatchet
packable saw
extra paddle
fishing pole
fishing license
bait (Dump bait bucket water before every portage and refill on the other side. Dispose of fish remains at least 200 feet from shorelines, campsites, trails, and portages. MN state law prohibits dumping unused bait into water, pack it out.)
toilet paper
menstrual cup (if you will need it)
toothbrush and tooth paste
hand sanitizer
lip balm
sunscreen
bugspray
anti-itch cream like topical Benadryl
first-aid kid
This camp sink is pretty helpful
Luxury Items
Allow yourself a few luxury items!
deck of cards
a good book
journal
watercolor set or sketch book
Food ideas
tortillas + peanut butter and/or nutella (tortillas pack smaller than bread and don’t get smooshed)
instant oatmeal
dried fruit
beef jerky of some sort
trail mix
protein or breakfast bars
apples
hard salami that doesn’t require refrigeration
spam (doesn’t require refrigeration)
Freeze-dried meals. We recommend Camp Chow made on the edge of the BWCA and with about half the salt of some of the other name brands. You can buy Camp Chow in local outfitters in Ely, Grand Marais, and Duluth.
For your coffee needs, I prefer to make instant coffee because it’s less muss and fuss.
Bringing in tiny condiments (like what you would find at a restaurant) is a fun hack to bring in things like hot sauce, coffee creamer, salt and pepper, mustard, ketchup, etc.
Some Additional BWCAW Quick Info!
A full list of rules can be found here. You will be quizzed on these rules when you pick up your permit.
In the BWCAW, only 9 people, and/or 4 canoes max are allowed to travel together/congregate.
Official BWCAW campsites are visible via fire grate (typically near the lake) and latrine (a trail leading into the woods!).
You cannot bring fireworks into the BWCA.
Dishes must be washed at least 200 ft from shore.
No cans or bottles in the BWCA except for bug repellent, medicine, and fuel containers.
Portage ettiquette: Wait on the water until the group in front of you has proceeded down the trail. Make sure to preserve the 9 people or 4 canoe rule at all times, including portages.
**Portage is French, meaning “to carry”. To travel from one lake to the next, you portage a canoe. (This is not on the quiz, haha)
Overnight Permits
Overnight permits for the year open the last Wednesday of January at 9:00 a.m. CT.
Visitors taking an overnight paddle, motor or hiking trip, or a motorized day trip into the BWCAW from May 1 – September 30 are required to obtain a quota permit through Recreation.gov. Walk-up permits may be obtained at any permit issuing station on the entry date or one day prior when available, however, reservations are recommended since there are a limited number of quota permits for each entry point.
Day Permits
Self Issued permits are required for non-motorized day use visitors year-round and for all overnight visitors entering the BWCAW from October 1 – April 30. Self Issued permits are also required for Day Use Motor visitors from October 1 - April 30. Self Issued permits are available from kiosks at BWCAW entry points and Forest Service offices (no reservation required and no recreation fees).
Threats to the BWCA
Two proposed copper-sulfide mines risk contaminating some of the cleanest water on earth and permanently polluting the BWCA. If these mines open, they would produce acid mine drainage and cause irreparable harm to our beloved wilderness. The Minnesota Court of Appeals recently overturned three key state permits that were issued to PolyMet Mining Corp, which proposed building the state’s first copper-nickel mine. This decision does not completely end the project but poses a significant delay in what has been a hotly debated issue. The federal government also recently ordered a study that could lead to a 20-year ban on mining upstream from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a serious blow to the proposed mine.
In 2018, a Harvard study showed that a healthy Boundary Waters creates a healthy economy for a long-term outlook. See: Stock, J.H. & Bradt, J.T. Analysis of proposed 20-year mineral leasing withdrawal in Superior National Forest, Ecological Economics 174 (March 2020). There are an estimated 4,500 direct jobs that rely on a healthy wilderness in the Boundary Waters Canoe area.
For more info on protecting the BWCA, see the links below!
Sources & Resources
Do you like our vibe?
Retreat with us!
We have 9 spots remaining for our Art, Movement, Nature retreat at Camp Olson September 15-17. The schedule is a bit intense, read all the options here. Bring your Professor Trelawney/ Frankie Bergstein Vibes.
Our Vitality Retreat at Deep Portage is nearly full, only four spots remain!
