The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota protects 1.09 million acres of Boreal forest and lakes under the Wilderness Act of 1964 and the 1978 BWCA Act. The U.S. set aside the area to provide a place “where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” It is one of two protected [...]
Since I moved near to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, I’ve spent less time exploring it on extended trips than before I moved here. At first, I tried to continue doing one-week solo Fall trips, a few long distance longer trips, like when I paddled theVoyager’s Route, but most my Boundary Waters trips since [...]
There’s a new player in town for Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness maps, and it’s National Geographic’s excellent Trails Illustrated Maps. The current players in the BWCA map field include McKenzie Maps, Fisher Maps, and Voyageur Maps. Each of the current vendors follows the philosophy that more detail is better. To cover the entire BWCA, [...]
![5[1]](http://www.paddlinglight.com/pl/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/51-150x150.jpg "Permalink to Last Day in Paradise: a Boundary Waters trip report by Richard “Doc” Gams")
When the Ham Lake Fire of 2007 closed all the entry points on the eastern side of the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness, Richard Doc Gams and his crew were forced to change their plans. Some quick last minute planning and their trip to the BWCA turned out heavenly.
![lisr[1]](http://www.paddlinglight.com/pl/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/lisr1-150x150.jpg "Permalink to Up a Lazy River: A solo canoe trip in the Boundary Waters")
This is an account of Shipp Webb’s solo six-day trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a trip that covered 13 lakes, 4 rivers and 28 portages totaling about 72 miles. Thirty-one hours quickly passed paddling and portaging. It was a trip with varied weather and an abundance of wildlife sightings including eagles, moose, deer, and most importantly a wolf.
The 8.5 mile day trip from Bearskin Lake to the Stairway portage is a classic day trip in the Boundary Waters. The reward at the portage is a beautiful waterfall and one of the best views in the Wilderness Area.
![060428-35[1]](http://www.paddlinglight.com/pl/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/060428-351-150x150.jpg "Permalink to Vern River Loop")
Route Name: Brule Vern River Loop Route: Brule, Juno, Vern, Vern River, Weird Lake, South Temperance Lake, and Brule Distance: 21 miles Total Days: 2 Description of Boundary Waters Route Five hours of bush whacking, route forging, and pulling your canoe up and over miles of blow downs await the brave canoeist that tackles this [...]
![050921-70[1]](http://www.paddlinglight.com/pl/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/050921-701-150x150.jpg "Permalink to Interview With a Solo Canoeist: Part Two")
During a 9 day, 200-mile solo canoe trip, solo canoeist, Bryan Hansel, interviewed himself. His trip started in Voyager National park and ended on Lake Superior. Since Bryan didn’t get enough out of himself, he decided to interview himself again. Here is the follow up interview.
A Journal by Bryan Hansel 9-22 Day One Baker Lake, Peterson Lake, Kelly Lake, Jack Lake, Weird Lake, S. Temperance Lake, N. Temperance Lake, Sitka Lake, end on Cherokee Lake (site west of last portage) approximately 11 miles. Put in today at 10:00 AM after driving threw the night and only stopping at a rest [...]
September 19th, Sunday Portaged into the Boundary Waters today using the 320-rod Skipper/Portage Lake entry point. Because I double portaged it, total 15,390 feet of hiking. Now that’s a long portage. The leaves on the portage were turning colors as most of them were younger bushes and trees; the tallest pines and birch were all [...]
For several years a debate has raged between two camps of people: Those who feel cell phones should be left home, and those who feel they should come on wilderness trips. People in the anti-phone camp cite everything from distraction from the trip, to a simple annoyance, or even a lack of respect and common [...]
Three tips that will make your next couple of trips to the BWCAW easier on the wallet and then mind.
This page is down until further notice. [ptviewer parameters imagewidth="1700" imageheight="850" horizon="425" hfov="360" href="http://www.paddlinglight.com/pl/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/bwca5.jpg" /] Click and move the mouse to pan and tilt. The “˜< >“˜ keys zoom. About the BWCA The Boundary Waters Canoe Area preserves as wilderness almost 200 miles of lakes and forestland running along the border of the U.S. and [...]
Boundary Waters Day Trip: Bower Trout Lake BWCA
The eastern side of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area has many great day trips, but one of the best starts at the Bower Trout Lake BWCA entry point. This route is an out and back paddle, so you decide how long of a trip you want. The fishing is good on several of the lakes, [...]