BWCAW info/ideas

[Jahvette20]

A few friends and I are thinking about a 5-7 day trip into the boundary waters. So far I’ve been hands off on research/planning due to some personal stuff but I’m considering jumping on board. Sounds like they want to fly out and use an outfitter all included package type deal. I may do that for the sake of the group even though I have all the necessary gear other than a light boat and portage pack. If anyone has any experience that they’d like to share, routes, lessons learned, outfitters used, etc. I’m all ears. Thanks

 

[caesAR15]

I've used Sawbill Outfitters twice. Family operation, super friendly, allows you to go a la carte on gear rental if I remember correctly or things haven't changed. I'll likely go through them again when my family gets to a point that the BWCA is doable.

Not a ton of info, but it's something... enjoy your trip, it's an incredible area!

 

[mwebs]

Using lightweight backpacking gear saves portaging times, there’s a good forum for the BWCA that was helpful to me in planning our route, I would plan a trip where I portaged a bunch in the first day then set up a sweet base camp and do day trips from there and plan that around lakes with walleye next time. Can’t comment on the outfitters only rented boats. Bring stuff for fresh fish tacos. We went before bug season and it was amazing. Stop and get some smoked trout on your drive out after the trip, there’s a shop off the old highway that’s incredible.

 

[handwerk]

It's my backyard...happy to help, just PM me any questions you may have.

 

[Backyard]

It's my backyard...happy to help, just PM me any questions you may have.

As is mine, and if I can help also, I'd be more than willing. Made ton's of trips up there, figured out my gear fairly well.

 

[timberland]

decide if you want to get in a ways and concentrate on fishing, or if you would like to cover ground/water. this will help clarify gear needs and a route. we usually go through Seagull Outfitters at the end of the gunflint trail. They can ferry you across the big water, too.

 

[Voyageur]

I have taken at least one summer trip to the BW each of the last 5 or 6 years as well as two winter trips. If you own the necessary camping gear I would definitely use your own rather than rent. Personally I don't think a fly-in excursion would add much to your trip other than additional expense.
In choosing an outfitter, tell them what you want out of your trip, and they will be able to give you a suggested route or two that fits your parameters. I can whole-heartedly recommend Way to Go Outfitters. They are a family run operation and provide everything from fully guided and outfitted trips to basic canoe rental, to route planning, and everything in between. Best part of their service is they are interested in you as a person and care about how your trip goes.
Hope this helps. You will love the BWCAW.

 

[rayporter]

i have went up twice and we took our own gear and rented a light canoe. the lighter the better. the outfitter had a bunk house we could crash at and that helped as we drove a long way and got there ar dusk. the same happened when we came out, it was handy.

i glanced at the gear the outfitter had for packages and it looked acceptable.

 

[Pezboat]

Piragis Outfitters out of Ely, MN is great to work with. Highly recommend. There’s a nice loop you can take up to Lac la Croix. I believe you launch out of BWCA entry point 16 and take the Moose River up. There are falls, pictographs, and endless fishing.

 

[Antarctica]

A second vote for sawbill. More for the convenience of not having to go all the way to Ely and the congestion it brings. They are also the closest to my favorite and only put in I've used. PM me for details.

 

[Smallie]

I used Piragis outfitters out of Ely and Adam there was extremely helpful in setting up our route and planning our trip. We did a cast and blast in October and he set us up on where he thought ducks would be working rice fields as well as being able to grouse hunt some of the portage trails. We went a little late and the ducks had moved south by the time we got there but we still had a blast. Absolutely gorgeous part of the country and going later in the year there were no bugs and no people. Only saw one other camp in 4 days. Weather can be extreme that time of year we paddled in and it was 65 degrees and the next night we woke up to 4 inches of snow and upper 20s

 

[gilby]

I've use Pac Sac when I've gone through Ely and Seagull Outfitters when going through the gunflint, both offer showers at the end of the trip too. I would recommend renting the three person Kevlar canoes if you really want to cover ground. We're able to cover 15+ miles in half a day leaving plenty of time for fishing and exploring.

The canoe is the only item I would rent, as others have said bring your own camping gear and a tarp to hang up when it rains. Lots of really fun lakes, I would highly recommend going to lakes that have lake trout

 

[DJB]

I have been going to the BWCAW/Quetico since I was 10 and have been doing a 10 to 14 day trip every year for the last 25 years. I also do a 5 day winter camping/lake trout fishing trip every year. Lots of fun and great country, you will love it!

Check out this forum for the BWCA it has a ton of information that will be useful in planning a trip. If your going with an outfitter be sure to be honest with them about your canoeing skills and plan for the least skilled person of you group. Also plan on traveling early and start looking for a camp site midday. Camp sites seem to start opening up then and if your looking late in the day you probably will have to do some extra traveling to find a camp site.

If you have any question send me a PM

BWCA.com Messageboard Home, Forum, BWCA, BWCAW, Quetico Park

BWCA.com is a great resource to aid in your planning and enjoyment of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness(BWCA) and Quetico Park.

bwca.com

 

[rayporter]

when we were in high skool -yea skool- we got the big idea to go from ohio to the BW. heck we had only had a drivers license for a few months. any how our parents sort of steered us away from that trip. they done it carefully.

we ended up taking a canoe trip in ohio down a small river for a week. we had a blast and learned a lot about camping and living off what we caught and stole. i shot a duck and we caught frogs and fish and had corn we picked out of the corn fields daily. no tent just some visqueen. not a care in da world.

 

[mobilefamily]

Go!

My wife, daughter, and I did a 35 mile one way trip summer 2018. It was a freaking blast! We used Ely Outfitters and had no problems.

Everyone that knew me (and my love for fishing) played down the fishing...wrong time of year...blah blah blah. We took rods anyway and crushed the pike and smallmouth on lures. Never figured out the walleye.

Bugs were only bad at sunset, and even then not intolerable.

We camped in a different spot every night and the one problem we had was the limited number of camp sites because you can't reserve a site. Fortunately, we get moving early. So we'd dash off to the next stop each morning, stake our claim, then set up camp and spend the rest of the day enjoying ourselves. Around sunset we'd see the parade of those that didn't plan so well, cruising the shores looking for open spots.