Last year, 12,096 BWCA quota permits were canceled — a record high — and another 3,674 groups never showed up at all. Together, that’s nearly 16,000 entry opportunities lost. Now the Superior National Forest is proposing a tiered refund policy designed to push permit holders to cancel earlier, getting those permits back into the system faster. The public has until July 22 to comment.
Change may increase permit availability
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is the most visited wilderness in the country. Around 150,000 people come to enjoy the serene beauty of sky-blue waters and quiet campsites scattered across numerous lakes. It’s a wild landscape, where moose, bear, and elusive gray timberwolves roam. Many visit more than once, bringing grandchildren, family, and friends. It’s a place where people create lasting memories and where stories of the biggest catches grow with each retelling.
For trips taken between Mar 1 and Sept 30, quota permits become available on the last Wednesday of January. It’s known as the “go-live” day and is a topic of great discussion on social media forums. Particularly since 2020, there has been a growing sense that permits are scarce. As a result, people tend to “panic-book” permits when they become available at the end of January, before they have firm summer plans. Once plans are finalized, people often cancel permits weeks before a trip. This makes it extremely difficult for anyone else to book that permit and plan a trip.
The Forest Service is now proposing to switch to a “modified cancellation policy” to encourage earlier cancellations and get newly available permits back into the reservations system sooner.
“Our aim is simple: Cancel early so others can go,” said Drew Stroberg, Forest Supervisor. “By returning permits sooner, we give families, school groups, and first‑time paddlers the lead time they need to plan a safe, meaningful trip—while giving outfitters, lodges, and guides the certainty they need to serve their communities.”
Proposed policy update
Visitors must currently pay a minimum deposit of $32 when they make a permit reservation. This is equal to two adult recreation fees. The policy update would apply to overnight paddle, overnight motor, and overnight hiking permits.
The updated cancellation policy would include the following terms:
- Anyone who cancels 28 days before their permit entry date will receive 50% of their deposit back.
- Anyone who cancels 28-3 days before their permit entry date will receive 25% of their deposit back.
- Anyone who cancels within 2 days of their permit entry date will receive no deposit back.
The goal of this change is to improve ongoing challenges with the reservation policy. By offering an incremental, time-based refund, the agency believes that quota permits will become available more quickly. It also gives people more time to plan a trip. This system should also help businesses in communities whose livelihoods depend on tourism by making permits more readily available to their customers. “The goal is expanded access and planning certainty—not revenue,” the Forest Service said.
The report indicates that nearly 40% of permits reserved during the January on-sale were ultimately not used, either because they were canceled or became no-shows. Nearly 70% of cancellations occurred fewer than 30 days before entry.
The agency worked with the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Collaborative (Collaborative) to gain insight and a range of feedback when preparing the proposal. The group comprises a diverse mix of individuals and groups representing the recreation industry, conservation, and environmental advocacy.
Jason Zabokrtsky, owner of Ely Outfitting Company and a member of the Collaborative, explained that the current system gives permit holders little reason to cancel early. He said, “The current system provides almost no incentive for permit holders to cancel their permits until immediately before their trip entry date. The proposal changes the situation so that a permit holder will always forfeit a portion of their quota entry permit deposit if they cancel it, and has financial incentives to cancel their permit sooner rather than later.”
He added, “I like that this deposit provides a reasonable balance that deters people from reserving permits they don’t intend to use while also not being overly financially burdensome for people who need to cancel a permit they fully intended to use but needed to cancel due to circumstances beyond their control.”
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Cancellations and no-shows an ongoing problem
Last year, there were 12,096 quota permit cancellations. 4,593 of those were canceled 5-30 days before a trip. 3,517 of those were canceled more than 30 days before a trip, and 3,986 were canceled only 0-4 days before the trip. Additionally, the USFS hopes the changes will reduce quota permit “no-shows,” which totaled 3,674 last year.
Quota permits limit the number of groups that can begin at a trailhead entry point each day. For example, some entry points allow only two groups per day, while others allow ten or more. These help reduce the impact on ecologically important areas while preserving the wilderness experience.
People are encouraged to submit their comments regarding the proposed cancellation policy changes to the USFS between June 22 and July 22, 2026. After that, the input and the proposal are forwarded to leadership. If the proposal is approved, the updated cancellation policy will go into effect next January 2027.
Comments can be made by visiting the proposal page, by emailing sm.fs.bwcawsurvey@usda.gov, or by mail to Superior National Forest, Attn: BWCAW Cancellation Policy, 8901 Grand Ave Place, Duluth, MN 55808.
More info:
- Sharing the Wilderness: Cancel early so others can go – USFS-Superior National Forest
- 2025 Permit and Visitor Use Report – USFS-Superior National Forest