Boundary Waters Canoe Area planning
Boundary Waters Canoe Area permits & access
What you need before you go, straight from the managing agency — with the verification date on every claim.
A permit or reservation is required
A quota permit is required for every overnight trip from May 1 through September 30, reserved in advance through Recreation.gov — popular entry points sell out the day the season opens. Day use and off-season overnights use self-issued permits at the entry point.
Official permit source: Recreation.gov — BWCAW permits ↗ · Verified 2026-09-15
Closures & advisories: Superior National Forest alerts & notices ↗
Access points
- Moose Lake, Entry Point 25
- Fall Lake, Entry Point 24
- Mudro Lake, Entry Point 23
- Lake Isabella, Entry Point 34