Experience stillness, silence, and solitude, paddling the pristine waters of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). Paddle among towering red and white pines, tamarack bogs, and beautiful white paper birches in this home to moose, lynx, and the eastern timber wolf. Hear the call of the loon and watch the rising sun burn mist off of a mirror-still lake at daybreak. Unwind around an evening campfire and, if you're lucky, see the northern lights streaking across the sky. Endless variations of Boundary Waters routes await you, each as spectacular as the next. Wilderness Inquiry is one of the only organizations that provides two professional staff on its Boundary Waters trips.
Sample Itinerary
Please note: While the itinerary presented is an accurate depiction of what your trip will be like, it is only an example. Our trips are real adventures in the outdoors--not pre-packaged tours that happen on a schedule.
Note: There are many different routes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). The route described below is for Brule Lake. You may use this route or any of about a dozen Boundary Waters routes we use.
DAY 1: Your trip starts in the afternoon at Brule Lake access point. Unload the trailer, load the canoes and paddle to the first campsite at Jock Mock Bay on the southern shore of Brule Lake. Discuss trip expectations as a group around the campfire after dinner.
DAY 2: Get up early to make breakfast, review canoeing skills and other details necessary for a safe and fun trip. Break camp after breakfast and get underway. Paddle north to Cone Bay and traverse two short portages into Middle Cone Lake. Settle in at a beautiful campsite for an evening around the fire.
DAY 3: After breakfast, cross a very short portage into North Cone Lake, then take another easy 1/4 mile portage into Cliff Lake. Paddle through Wanihigan Lake and up into Winchell Lake. Find a nice camp site on the north shore of Winchell. As the group learns to work together, more time is set aside for fishing, bird watching, exploring and learning camp crafts.
DAY 4: You'll spend a layover day on Winchell Lake. The southern shore of Winchell has steep cliffs and palisades. If the group is feeling ambitious, you may climb up for a spectacular view. Otherwise, take a day trip to the east end of the lake or visit the nearby lakes of Omega and Gaskin.
DAY 5: Rise with the sun and paddle across Brule Lake. Pack up the van for the ride home. The trip officially ends after lunch in the early afternoon. Those who use WI's van transportation can expect to return to Minneapolis in the evening.
Travel, Terrain, Etc...
TERRAIN/ROUTE CHOICES: The BWCAW lies on the Canadian Shield, and is characterized by exposed granite with a thin layer of topsoil. The lakes and trails make this wilderness area one of the most accessible in the country. The BWCAW offers a wide range of route options from very easy to very difficult. Wilderness Inquiry runs trips all over the wilderness area, on all kinds of routes. Your trail leaders will determine the route you will take, based on wilderness conditions and your group's interests.
TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: You will travel in 17-foot ultra lightweight Kevlar canoes, which hold two to three paddlers, plus all necessary gear. An average day's travel consists of 3-6 hours of paddling, and you can expect 2-4 portages (short trail crossings) per day. The portages tend to be hilly and range from 20 feet to 1/4 mile. Travel distances vary from 6-12 miles per day with the exception of scheduled layover days. To protect the environment, WI uses "minimum impact" camping techniques.
WEATHER: Temperatures in the summer months range from 40 F to 95 F. Rainfall can vary, but you should expect at least a day or two of rain.
LODGING/BATHROOM FACILITIES: This is a camping trip. At night you will sleep in a comfortable Eureka tent. Typically, there are 3 people per 4 person tent (although other arrangements can be made). We recommend that you bring your own personal sleeping bag and "camprest" foam core inflatable mattress (a limited number of sleeping bags and mattresses are available as loaners for individuals who need them). Bathroom facilities consist of a foldable commode chair set up over the provided facility, with a privacy tent if necessary. We make every effort to ensure privacy and cleanliness.
GROUP SIZE: The group size for this trip is limited to 7 people, plus 2 Wilderness Inquiry staff. Most groups consists of people of various ages, backgrounds and abilities, including people with disabilities.
CAMP CHORES: Our trips are cooperative in nature. WI staff will assist you in whatever areas you need, however most people pitch in where they can. Part of the adventure involves learning about daily camp activities.
EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: If you are new to outdoor activities, you need not spend a lot of money on gear. Wilderness Inquiry will provide all necessary canoeing and camping equipment. All you need to provide is your personal gear, such as clothing and a sleeping bag. A detailed equipment list will be sent to you upon confirmation of your participation. If you need to borrow personal gear, that can usually be arranged.
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: No previous experience is needed to complete this trip.
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Wilderness Inquiry is proud to serve Caribou Coffee on all our trips. Great food, great coffee, and great company are just some of the ingredients that make Wilderness Inquiry trips special.
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[ Dates & Fees ]
In 1964, the BWCA was designated as one of the first federally protected wilderness areas in the United States as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness lies on the boundary between northern Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. These waters are a chain interconnected of lakes, formed by glaciation. This country is part of the Canadian Shield, a geological formation that comprises portions of the earth's most ancient exposed rock, some of which is 3 billion years old!
Two forests, the Boreal and Laurentian forests, converge to create a unique ecosystem with diversified plant and animal life in the Boundary Waters. Animals that would not normally be seen together, such as the white-tailed deer and the moose, have made the BWCA their homes. Many birds, such as bald eagles, loons and over 20 species of wood warblers use the Boundary Waters as their nesting grounds.
Humans have left their mark on the area as well. Natives inhabited the Boundary Waters area for thousands of years, with some human relics dating back to 10,000 BC. The Ojibwe and Dakotas used the intricate waterways of the BWCA for hundreds of years. Many of the portages (paths between lakes) were first used by native peoples. Artifacts from that period still turn up on the portages. European fur traders and missionaries first came into the area in the early 1700s. A merger developed between the European Voyageurs and the Ojibwe, based on trade of European goods for native knowledge and furs. This partnership ended in the mid 19th century due to the near total extinction of the beaver population and declining interest in furs as fashion.
Fur trading and logging of the Boundary Waters began taking its toll on the fragile ecosystem. People decided to act, setting aside this pristine wilderness area and working to protect it from further harm. In 1909, this area was designated as the Superior National Forest, with 1,000 acres of roadless land set aside in 1926. The current borders of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area were established in 1964 when the Wilderness Act was passed, designating 1,075,000 acres of forest to be preserved in a natural state, where the mark of humans is impermanent.
This is just the beginning of your adventure to the Boundary Waters. We will continue to provide you with more history and details as you canoe through the lakes with our trip leaders. Hope to see you on the trail!
For more information, visit these links:
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness
Check out the Explore Minnesota website for Wilderness Inquiry.
BWCA in Wikipedia
Wintergreen Clothing and Dogsled adventures
Wilderness Inquiry and other Boundary Water outfitters at CanoeCountry.com
Superior National Forest
Minnesota DNR Fishing Regulations
[ Dates & Fees ]
