BWCA Wilderness Permits: Opening Day Analysis

More people canceled a permit to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in 2023 than ever before, according to a recent report from the U.S. Forest Service. “Cancellations have more than doubled in five years, suggesting that BWCAW visitors continue to reserve more permits than they can use,” the report states. Some outfitters and paddlers say the process the Forest Service uses for people to book permits is to blame, at least in part, for the record number of cancellations. The quota permit season runs from May 1 to Sept. 30. The permits are required for overnight trips only. Day-use permits do not need to be booked in advance. The permits are available in late January each year for the quota season ahead. Permits go live at 9 a.m. on Jan. 29 this year, for example. Most visitors to the BWCA Wilderness book their early reservations online. In this episode of the podcast, we hear from John Schiefelbein at North Country Outfitters near Ely about his take on the “go live” format for opening day of permit availability. John submitted a document to the Forest Service in 2023 making suggestions on how to potentially improve the rollout and distribution of permits for the nation’s most visited wilderness. This episode is sponsored by: Tuscarora Lodge and Canoe Outfitters Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness Borderland Lodge