The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) covers 1 million acres with over 1,100 lakes along 150 miles of the Minnesota-Canada border. Get the latest news on BWCA regulations, the mining debate, wildlife, trail conditions, camping permits and more.
Boundary Waters created out of conflict and compromise 40 years ago today
Watch an award-winning student film about how the BWCAW Act of 1978 came to pass, and learn more about the long road to wilderness protection.
What is Wilderness? Examining tree rings, researchers reconsider the history of human influence in the Boundary Waters
“By examining annual growth rings in increment cores taken from tree trunks, we found that many pines at this site were more than 250 years old. Distinct injuries recorded within their rings denoted the passage of multiple low-severity surface fires that damaged but did not kill many of these trees…”
Boundary Waters canoe trip provides courage, strength, and starry nights to young East African women
Minneapolis entrepreneurship program takes group of women from immigrant community to the wilderness in search of canoe country’s unique challenges and rewards.
Painter captures forest regeneration after the Ham Lake Fire
“Painting that blackened landscape really taught me how to find beauty in an otherwise not so beautiful environment. The shiny silver patterns on a charred tree or stump against a green back ground were fascinating to me….”
Honoring Veterans with a Boundary Waters wilderness experience
In July, five veterans of our US armed forces gathered to celebrate Independence Day in the BWCAW. The group had never met and most had never paddled before, but they were all ready to leave civilization behind to enjoy peace and serenity, and hopefully some good fishing.
The State of the Boundary Waters Report
How healthy is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness really? Will the Boundary Waters survive climate change, mining, invasive species and the myriad of issues faced today? The Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness released an extensive and revealing report…
Watch the Boundary Waters video made by teenage essay winner
Teenagers who enjoyed a free trip to the Boundary Waters with no parents share glimpses of their trip — and celebrate recovery from cancer.
Three lawsuits filed to defend rejection of mineral leases near the Boundary Waters
Boundary Waters businesses, environmental groups challenge the Trump administration’s effort to restore leases to Twin Metals which are critical for its mine proposal.
Boundary Waters Expo to offer exhibitors and expert advice on wilderness canoeing
Annual two-day event on the Gunflint Trail will offer presentations and exhibitors to help beginners and experienced canoeists make the most of their adventures.
Threat of mining pollution puts Boundary Waters on annual list of threatened rivers
American Rivers has named the wilderness waters to its list for a second time in five years as critical decisions loom.
Sharing the wilderness with women—of any age
“There is a measurable amount of growth with every trip and every person I take out… And it really is empowering, especially for mature women who think that, physically, they aren’t capable anymore,” wilderness guide Peta Barrett says.
Boundary Waters lake trout season opens this weekend
Anglers can start going after the coldwater fish in wilderness waters two weeks earlier than the rest of the state.
Meet Amy Freeman, Wilderness Guide
One winter day in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, an otter ran across the path of a dogsled team on Basswood Lake. Excited, the dogs picked up the pace, then Amy saw something else out on the ice: wolves…
‘Before and After’ Leave No Trace
Researcher warns of increasing impacts and urges end of axe and saw culture in Boundary Waters camping.
State of the Boundary Waters
The Quetico-Superior region of Minnesota and Canada bring to mind lake country—a landscape characterized by glacier carved lakes filled with clear, cold and clean water. Yet the list of possible impacts on northern Minnesota water quality is long: proposed mining, climate change, invasive species, nutrient loading, and algal blooms to name just a few. In some places, like Lake of the Woods, evidence suggests that changes are already under way.
Paddle to D.C. Ely Adventurers’ Latest Expedition Carries Concerns About Mining
This epic expedition was inspired by what the Freemans see as an existential threat to a national treasure: mining. “The Boundary Waters is our nation’s most popular wilderness area, it receives a quarter million visitors per year. Every year I guide people in the Boundary Waters from Texas and California and all across the country. We need to make sure people all across the country understand how special the Boundary Waters is and understand the threats it faces.
Reflecting on the Wilderness Act
By Alissa Johnson When I was a kid, paddling the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness with my family, I didn’t realize that the final word in its name had only been …
Reconstructing the Past
By Rob Kesselring Archaeologists are painting a picture of Quetico-Superior’s first people and what the land looked like 12,000 years ago. Crouched behind a granite boulder we wait. A damp northwest …
The 1999 Blowdown and Forest Management Practices Impacts the Pagami Creek Fire
By Charlie Mahler Natural fires in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness – those started by lightning rather than, say, by careless campers – provide opportunities and risks for the managers …
Proposed Legislation Could Undermine the Wilderness Act and the Protection of Wilderness
On the surface, two proposed pieces of legislation appear unrelated to wilderness protection. The Sportsmen’s Heritage Act seeks “to protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing and shooting.” The National …
Discovering the Birds of the Boundary Waters
By Julie Neitzel Carr Trekking the Boundary Waters, my portages followed a predictable path; I would double-check the distance on my map, hoist up a heavy Duluth pack, or if it …
Fostering Wilderness Advocacy – Wilderness News Spring Issue
The Quetico Superior Foundation launches a new look for the print edition of Wilderness News with the Spring 2012 Issue.
Pagami Creek Fire in the BWCAW
The Pagami Creek Fire burns 93,000 acres, blazes into the largest naturally occurring wildfire in a century. By Charlie Mahler In the heat of summer, with the Boundary Waters Canoe Area …
Basswood Beach Resort and Canoe Trips
Travel back in time with an historic family fishing lodge that thrived in what is now the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness…
Mining Update
By Charlie Mahler While industry leaders, environmental activists, and northeastern Minnesota stakeholders await publication of the revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement for PolyMet Mining’s proposed copper-nickel and precious metals mine, mining …
Building Wooden Canoes for a Rite of Passage
Picture yourself venturing out for the first time into the wilderness of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Imagine the combination of serenity and wonderment you experience as you ply these pristine lakes and rivers, knowing that you are carrying all you need to survive in a sleek, seventeen-foot, skin-on-frame canoe. Now imagine that you just built that canoe with your own hands over the course of eight days. For six teenage apprentices with Urban Boatbuilders, this was the culminating event in the summer of 2010.
Photo Gallery: Superior National Forest Boundary Waters Historical Photos
These photographs were found in a U.S. Forest Service photo album, circa 1920. At the time the region was known as the roadless area of the Superior National Forest. Each photo …
Andy and Sue Ahrendt
What it truly means to be a ‘Boundary Waters Family’ The Ahrendt’s personal histories are steeped in the Boundary Waters experience. Having spent summers as staff at a local camp, they …
Women in the Wilderness
“We can do it. We can do it without a guide.” By Rob Kesselring Wilderness News Contributor It started with a dare in 1986. Seven female volunteers at a nature center …
Moments of Clarity
By Andy Wright All I’m saying is, you would just never expect to find jellyfish in the Boundary Waters. Sure, you always hope to spot wildlife on a trip; wolves, …