BWCA Permit Reservation being signed. BWCAW/BWCA Permits are required to camp in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

As your Boundary Waters canoe outfitter, we will order your BWCA permit for you if desired; however, early reservations are a must to ensure that you may travel in the area that is best for you.

We are now taking Boundary Waters reservations for trips this summer. Call us today to book your canoe trip and order your Boundary Waters permits!  Permit Office opens January 25, 2023.

BWCA Permits – Reserve Online

  • There are user fees you must pay to the Forest Service to camp in the BWCA, they’re called BWCAW Permits formerly known as BWCA permits. There is a $6.00 per party BWCAW permit reservation fee, as well as, a $16.00 per adult fee per trip ($8.00 per child under 18). Both the BWCA reservation fee and the user fees must be paid at the time you make a BWCA permit reservation and will go directly on your credit card. We can update the party size/makeup until the moment of issuance, but there has to be two adults minimum booked on the permit at the time of the permit reservation. You may check the Forest Service website for BWCAW permit availability. The permit system for the following summer opens in late January of each year; be sure to book early for best availability. There are only a certain number of BWCA permits available for each lake on each given day. Please note that ONE entry permit can accommodate up to nine people and four watercraft. If you have more people than that in your group, you will need to reserve an additional entry permit. The groups will also have to travel and camp separately per USFS regulations.
  • Party size is limited to nine (9) persons and four (4) canoes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).

RABC (Remote Area Border Crossing) Permit for Quetico Trips Only

  • RABC (Remote Area Border Crossing) Permits are only available in advance, by mail. You cannot get one locally. Download the mail-in form from the Canadian customs website. Note: some guests have reported problems accessing this site.  You’ll need the free Acrobat plug-in; if you don’t have it, click here to go to the Adobe Acrobat site. We recommend applying for this permit at least 45 days prior to your trip. The RABC will cost about $30.00 Canadian and covers your spouse and any dependent children under 18 and is good for 1 year.

Saganaga Lake Customs Station – Permanently Closed

  • As of 1998 the Customs Station on Saganaga Lake was permanently closed. To cross the border into the Quetico Provincial Park, you must have an RABC Permit in your possession.

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