Reserve a Boundary Waters Canoe Area Permit On Jan 25

On January 25th at 9am CST, reservations for Boundary Waters Canoe Area permit system opens. Popular permits for busy weekends will go quickly. If you’re looking to get a permit for the BWCAW for a specific time and location, you best get your permit at 9am.

You can reserve your permit at Recreation.gov.

The background on the reservation system is that Boundary Waters’ permits work on an entry point and quota system. The area is divided up into entry points and those are the only locations you can enter. Each day the US Forest Service only allows so many groups into each entry point.

Last year, they reduced the quotas on many popular entry points which makes it harder to get into those spots. If it’s like that last few years, permits will be in high demand.

Permits are required from May 1 to September 30th.

Pro Tips

Pro Tip: To make this system work for you, you should be ready with three different options. You can vary those options by dates or entry points. Ideally, you have multiple entry points decided ahead of time for each set of dates. If an entry point sells out on the dates you want, you might be able to switch dates and get that entry point. If you are locked into dates due to vacation, you should have multiple entry points ready to go.

As long as you get an entry point near the one you originally wanted, you can likely portage into the same lakes. Personally, I wouldn’t worry about it because all the parts of the Boundary Waters are beautiful.

Pro Tip: Lakes might not be ice-out on May 1.

Keep in Mind

Keep in mind a few things that will be helpful:

• You are required to pick up your permit up to one day ahead of your entry date. You’ll need to watch a video when you pick up the permit. You should select a ranger station near your entry point. For example, if your entry point is Sawbill select the Tofte ranger station instead of the Grand Marais station. If you select the Grand Marais station, you’d have to drive an hour round-trip out of your way to get your permit.
• Create an account on Recreation.gov before the 25th. You don’t want to mess around trying to create an account on the morning the Boundary Waters Canoe Area permit system opens for reservation.
• You can only make a reservation for one permit on a day. You also must stay with your group as long as that permit is in use.
• Add alternative group leaders in case you can’t make the trip.
• Group sizes are limited. You can only have up to 9 people and 4 watercraft in your group.

I hope you have good luck getting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area permit that you want. Even if you miss getting the one you wanted don’t feel bad, it’s all beautiful.

To learn more about the Boundary Waters experience read our Boundary Waters Primer.