Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) & Quetico Park Information

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) spans over a million acres of glaciated bedrock, lush pine forests, and thousands of island-dotted pristine lakes just south of the Canadian border in northeastern Minnesota. Extending nearly 150 miles along the international boundary adjacent to Quetico Provincial Park, wilderness travelers find solitude, adventure, exceptional fishing, and a special connection with nature.

The hallmark of this region is a network of primarily small and medium size lakes and rivers connected by portage paths. Great glaciers left behind these lakes, and a rugged topography of exposed bedrock, granite cliffs, rocky shorelines and sand beaches.

The 1,200 miles of BWCAW canoe routes are historic travel routes. You will step back in time traveling the historic canoe routes of Indigenous people, including the Dakotah and Anishinaabe people, as well as early explorers, French Voyageurs, trappers, and prospectors. The BWCAW appears mostly untouched by human hands – there are no roads, signs, docks, cabins, or lodges. Motors are prohibited in the interior of the BWCAW.

The US Forest Service manages the BWCAW, and visitors must obtain an entry permit and follow certain rules and regulations.