Image:  Superior National Forest

From Superior National Forest - November 23, 2024

The Superior National Forest has published an update to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Permit and Visitor Use Report.

The report is updated annually, reporting in 5-year increments, and includes information such as annual visitors, permits issued and visitor group size and demographics. The 2019-2023 report is available online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/superior/recreation/?cid=fseprd756192.

Highlights from the latest report include a modest decrease in overall visitor use of 3% from 2022 to 2023 and a notable shift in visitor use to the non-quota season:

• Travel between October 1 and April 30 increased by 13%, while non-motorized day use decreased by 19% during the mandatory quota season (May 1-September 30). Shifting visitor use to the off-season is beneficial for wilderness restoration efforts; following the surge in visitors that escalated resource damage inflicted during the pandemic.
• In 2023, visitors who obtained a quota permit and didn’t visit the wilderness decreased by 11%, while cancelled reservations reached an all-time high at 10,245 permits. Cancellations have more than doubled in the past five years suggesting visitors continue to reserve more permits than they can use.

 

The Forest Service encourages visitors to start planning now for the 2025 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Quota Permit On-Sale to be held on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Planning ahead and reserving only the permits needed for a visit to the wilderness allows others the opportunity to experience it.

The following wilderness rule and best practice applies to all wilderness reservations:

• One permit per day, per permit holder. The Forest Service reserves the right to cancel multiple same day, overlapping, and consecutive reservations under the same permit holder name. This best practice exists to prevent permit holders from stockpiling and hoarding permits. Remember that a trip leader can only lead one trip at a time, because the group leader must stay with their group for the duration of the trip or the permit is void. (https://www.recreation.gov/permits/233396)

 

Questions regarding BWCAW visitor use data and policy should be directed to Superior National Forest’s Assistant Wilderness Ranger, Cathy Quinn, at 218-387-3240.