BWCA Entry Points

These entry points must be used to enter the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. You cannot enter the BWCA legally except from these official entry points.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is a roadless and unmotorized area.  Therefore, the entry points into the BWCA surround it, along its edges.  Many roads leading to the entry points are forest roads and of packed gravel; some are paved however.  Once at the entry point, there is often a portage of some sort to move your gear from the parking lot down to the water’s edge.  These portages can be trivial to really long.  You must have a permit from the U.S. Forest Service to enter the BWCA and you must enter on the day shown on your permit.  Also, you must enter at one of these entry points.  Note that if you just want to visit for the day (no overnight), you can find a day permit box at each entry point.  Fill out the day permit and carry it with you.  This is all you need to do if you just plan to be here for the day.  Day permits are free.  The permit system is in effect to reduce impact to the wilderness, limit the number of people competing for campsites and to allow for some solitude. Visit the U.S. Forest Service Reservation website to reserve your entry point date.

Click on the active areas of the map above, or click a link in the table below.

Table below shows BWCA Entry Points sorted by Entry Point Number

(Click this link to see BWCA Entry Points sorted by name. Click this link for Quetico Provincial Park Entry Points.)

Note that permit quotas are sometimes revised (permanently or temporarily) depending on conditions in the BWCA.