Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Know Before You Go

• Use a lightweight stove for cooking.
• When fires are permitted, use an established fire grate and keep fires small.
• Burn all wood and coals to ash, and make sure the fire is completely out.
• Even after forest fires, you may see an ample supply of burned wood near your site. Collect firewood well away from campsites to prevent enlarging and defacing the area and depriving the soil of nutrients.
• Use only dead and downed wood easily broken by hand and smaller than your wrist.
• Damaging any living plant is illegal. Peeling birch bark, carving, nailing or chopping roots kills the trees. Never cut live vegetation!

• Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.
• Keep campsites small — stay in area where vegetation is absent and don’t enlarge the campsites.
• Walk in single file in the middle of the trail even when the trail is muddy.
• Select thick-barked trees that have a trunk diameter of at least 8 inches.
• Do not use birch trees for hammocks. It harms the bark.
• Hang from flat straps which are 1" or greater in width or manufactured for hammock use. Never use rope even if it came with the hammock.
• Only use the trunk of the tree, do not hang straps from branches. Never remove branches from a live or dead standing tree!
• Protect vegetation by hanging your hammock in a place that has already been impacted or has a durable surface such as bedrock below.

• Use 1" wide, or greater, flat straps. NEVER use rope
• Use the trunk, NEVER hang straps from branches
• DO NOT use birch trees, straps will harm the bark

• Pack out all trash, leftover food & litter.
• Latrines are not garbage cans! Trash in the latrine harms wildlife. Deposit only human or dog waste in the latrine.
• Preserve water quality, wash at least 200 feet from shore — soil filters dirty water and breaks down bacteria. Use soap and other products sparingly, they are not biodegradable.
• Burning trash in fire grates is illegal and it pollutes the air and soil.
• Personal waste items such as cigarettes, cotton swabs, grease, wipes, paper towels, bandages, diapers, condoms, plastic baggies and female products (tampons and pads), should always be packed out.

• Contact your local liquid propane (LP) supplier about refilling and recycling empty LP cylinders.
• To prevent waste, consider a stove that uses refillable liquid fuel canisters.

• Let nature’s sounds prevail. Human noise has a significant effect on solitude, especially in water-based wilderness areas where sound carries long distances over water. When noise squelches natural sounds, animals and humans suffer.
• Avoid playing music, yelling, banging pots, dragging canoes over rocks, and singing loudly especially in the morning and evening.
• Take breaks away from trails, portages and other visitors.
• Do not take campsites for day use.

• Do not follow or approach wildlife.
• Never feed animals. It can damage their health and alters wild behaviors.
• Protect wildlife. Store rations properly.
• Use lead-free tackle.

• Use minimal lighting while camping.
• Refrain from using perimeter, flood lights or hanging string lights.

• Always wear a life jacket.
• Minnesota state law requires all watercraft, including canoes, to have one wearable U.S. Coast Guard- approved personal flotation device (PFD) on board and readily accessible for each person in the watercraft.

Mandatory Child Life Jacket Law

• Minnesota law requires a life jacket to be worn by children less than 10 years old when aboard any watercraft while underway. For more on Minnesota state law visit the Minnesota State website.

• Running rapids in the BWCAW is not safe! Always use provided portages.
• Powerful currents can trap swimmers under water or sweep them towards dangerous waterfalls.
• Fast moving water can push swimmers and boats into rocks and logs.
• Even with life jackets on, rapids are dangerous.

• Giardia lambia is a parasite that can cause an internal illness that will need medical attention.
• All drinking water should be treated by one of the following methods:
  • Bring water to a full boil for 1 minute — then let stand until cool enough to drink.
  • Purify with a filter specifically designed to remove Giardia lambia.
  • Treat water with a chemical specifically designed to kill Giardia lambia.

• Chemicals such as mercury, PCBs and dioxin have been found in some fish from certain waters.
• Eat more pan fish and fewer predator fish, and trim the skin and fat to reduce your risk.
• Check with the Minnesota Department of Public Health for current information on limits of fish consumption at 651-201-4911.

• A low body temperature can be serious, even fatal.
• Early warning signs are uncontrolled shivering, slurred speech, bluish tinge to lips, lack of coordination and poor concentration.
• To prevent hypothermia, layer clothing and get adequate food and water.
• To treat hypothermia, seek shelter from the wind, replace any wet clothing & share body heat if necessary.
• Give warm fluids if the person is conscious and have them rest until thoroughly warmed.

• Each permitted group should carry a well stocked first aid kit and have group members that know how to provide first aid.
• Note the location of the lake, campsite, trail or portage on a map to help emergency people locate any seriously injured group members.
• Document the extent of the injury and a basic physical description of the injured person.
• Send all of this information with visitors able to exit the BWCAW for help.
• Do not rely on a cell phone. Having a cell phone cannot substitute for knowing how to handle an emergency in wilderness. Many areas of the BWCAW lack cell phone coverage.
• In the event of serious injury or illness, the standard SOS call is a series of three signals of any kind, either audible or visible.
• For summoning help from an aircraft in an emergency, signal them by paddling in small circles or waving a brightly colored cloth tied to the canoe paddle.

• There are no directional signs in wilderness.
• A compass and accurate map are essential.
• Bring reliable maps. Maps can be purchased at some Forest Service offices, area businesses and outfitters, or directly from the map companies.
• If you get lost, don’t panic. Sit down, relax and think. Chances are that you will figure out your location in a few minutes.
• If you plan to use a Global Positioning System (GPS) for navigating, be sure you also bring a map and compass as a back up in case your GPS unit fails

• Canoe close to shore. It lessens the chance of being endangered by sudden changes of weather. If a storm threatens, get off the water.
• Dress in layers and be prepared for every kind of weather situation.
• If in a lightning storm on the water, get to shore. If on land among trees of similar height, put yourself an equal distance between two trees. Avoid the tallest trees.
• Avoid being a bridge between an object and the ground. For example, do not lean against tent poles or trees.
• Avoid potential paths of conduction such as wet, lichen-covered rocks, cracks and crevices (wet or dry) and areas subject to the “spark gap” such as overhangs, wet ropes and tree roots.
• If your skin tingles, or your hair stands on end, stand on a life jacket or sleeping bag, squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet.
• Place your hands on your knees with your head between them. Make yourself the smallest target possible, and minimize your contact with the ground.
• When camping, hiking or paddling in high winds, be mindful of safety concerns including worsening weather, high waves, possible blowdown, etc.

• The body becomes dehydrated when more fluids are lost than replaced.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
• Signs of dehydration include headache, cold and flu symptoms, and infrequent urination.

• Never leave food unattended on portage trails or in camp, or other scented items in your tent at any time. Doing so attracts bears and encourages unnatural populations of some species.
• Some bears overcome their fear of humans and approach campsites looking for food. This includes island sites since bears are good swimmers.
• If you do encounter a bear, most will be scared off if you make noise (shout, bang pots or throw fist-sized rocks at the bear, etc.).
• A very persistent bear may be discouraged by spraying pepper spray into its eyes.
• Use a bear resistant container or ropes to hang food packs. Learn about approved bear resistant products visit Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.

Most tick bites do not result in disease, but it is a good idea to recognize and watch for the early symptoms of some of the more commonly encountered tick-transmitted diseases.

Where can I be infected? Ticks are found in wooded or brushy areas, on the edge of hiking or animal trails, or on the edge of a field where it meets a wooded or brushy area. They are in the BWCAW.

Protect yourself:

• Use insect repellent that contains 20 – 30% DEET. Natural oils such as geranium, lavender, lemongrass, citronella, eucalyptus and cedar wood can repel ticks as well. No campsite insect foggers.
• Wear clothing that has been treated with permethrin.
• Look for ticks on your body. Ticks can hide under the armpits, behind the knees, in the hair and in the groin.
• See a doctor if you develop a fever, rash, severe fatigue, facial paralysis or joint pain. For more information visit the Center for Disease Control website or Minnesota State website.

• Keep a heads up! Weakened trees (even when green) can still pose a hazard during high winds. Avoid camping around or under damaged or leaning trees. Root wads above ground may also be unstable and dangerous.

• Restrictions are implemented during high fire danger to decrease the threat of unwanted wildfires. Fire restrictions are put in place for your safety and the safety of firefighters. Always check for potential restrictions just prior to your trip. Camp stoves may be required if restrictions are implemented. For current fire restriction information contact any Superior National Forest Office or check our website for Fire Alerts

• If an entry point is closed and alternates are not available, reservation and user fees will be refunded. If the entry point is not closed and you choose not to use your reservation because there is a fire, you will not be refunded the reservation fee and user fees may be retained if inside the cancellation window

Do pay attention! Steps may be taken to reduce your risk.

1. Watch The Weather Wind — Most fires travel with the prevailing wind in our area.
   1. Have a safe route to follow if wind direction changes.
   2. Keep in mind that strong winds can carry fire embers causing spot fires ahead of the original fire.
   3. Evening Humidity — Consider that humidity typically increases in the early morning and late evening. Fire activity may decrease with higher humidity.
   4. Tall Smoke Plumes — If you see or experience a large smoke plume close to you, take precaution; seek a point of refuge such as a lake, and be prepared for resulting high wind and waves.
2. Make A New Plan - Look at alternate travel routes staying close to larger bodies of water.
   1. If it is safe, consider traveling out of the fire area.
   2. If you must travel through burned areas, watch for burned snags and hot stump holes which could be hazardous.
3. Find A Safe Place - If you feel threatened find a large lake. Keep away from the fire’s path. If the fire is upon you, don’t panic.
   1. Put on your life jacket and take your canoe into the water.
   2. Paddle to the middle of the lake, tip your canoe and go under it.
   3. You can breathe the cool trapped air under your canoe until the fire passes.

• Be prepared for extreme cold, windy or wet conditions. Dress in layers to remain comfortable by adding or removing clothing depending on conditions and your energy level. Change into dry clothing as needed.
• Drink plenty of water and eat often. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Alcohol causes the body to lose heat more rapidly, even though one may feel warmer after drinking.
• Avoid open water and thin ice. Never walk on ice less than four inches thick.
• Hypothermia is a dangerous lowering of the body temperature. Warning signs include uncontrollable shivering, disorientation, slurred speech and drowsiness. Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and a white or pale appearance in extremities such as fingers, toes, tip of the nose and ear lobes. If symptoms of either condition are detected, get medical care immediately!

Permits are required year-round for all visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. For day or overnight travel from October 1–April 30, it’s easy! Self Issued permits are available from kiosks at BWCAW entry points and Forest Service offices. No reservation required and no recreation fees for winter permits.

• When lakes are open, camp at designated sites using fire grates and latrines.
• When lakes are frozen, camp on ice, in a sheltered bay or in a natural forest opening. Locate camp at least 200 feet from trails or summer campsites and out of sight of other groups.
• Make just one trail connecting the shoreline to camp.
• Bury human waste in snow 200 feet from water, campsites, summer trails and portages (pack out toilet paper and all personal waste items).

It is preferable to make a campfire on the ice to minimize fire scars on rocks and shorelines. Use base logs or a portable fire pan for your campfire on the ice. Use a camp stove or fire pan for a campfire on land to avoid leaving fire scars on vegetation or rocks.

• Collect firewood far from shorelines, trails and campsites. Use only dead and downed wood easily broken by hand and smaller than your wrist. Never cut a live tree!
• Damaging any living plant is illegal. Peeling birch bark, carving, nailing or chopping roots kills the trees. Never cut live vegetation!
• Make sure your fire is out cold to the touch when you leave.
• Scatter ashes in the woods away from the shoreline and cover the campfire scar with snow.

Do not cut green vegetation for tent poles, bedding for humans or dogs, or to create new dogsled trails.

• Keep dogs under control at all times.
• To avoid damaging or “girdling” trees with rope when staking out dogs, use webbing straps around trees and attach dog picket line to webbing.
• Tether teams out on the ice with ice screws to avoid damaging shoreline vegetation.
• Never bring hay or straw for bedding because they introduce non-native plants.
• Scatter dog waste in the woods at least 200 feet from the water’s edge. Keep the entry points clean for others by picking up dog waste before and after hitting the trail.

The Superior National Forest has 695 square miles of surface water and more than 2,250 linear miles of streams that offer a wide range of fishing opportunities in all seasons.

Coldwater game species include lake trout, walleye, brook trout, pike and smallmouth bass. Some lakes and streams within the Superior National Forest have special regulations, so always check the Minnesota DNR fishing regulations when you plan your trip.

The Forest works in collaboration with several agencies to accomplish management objectives and discusses employing the minimum tool necessary to administer the area as wilderness. This effort maintains healthy aquatic resources on the Superior National.

Stocking

Limited stocking occurs in BWCAW lakes and they are stocked primarily with brook trout, lake trout and walleye. Lake trout and brook trout populations can be very susceptible to overfishing. They may require regular stocking to maintain a fishable population.

What You Can Do

Care for the fish, their aquatic habitat and their terrestrial neighbors. Regulations are meant to ensure sustainable fish populations and healthy lakes and rivers.

• Practice catch and release, even when you are within the allowable catch.
• Handle fish gently, quickly and in the water.
• To prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, obey AIS laws (see page 20) and use artificial bait.
• Keep fish horizontal for pictures.
• If you plan to keep a fish, kill it right away and be prepared to keep the gutted fish on ice.
• Choose lead-free tackle to prevent adverse effects on aquatic ecosystems and ultimately humans.
• Leaving fish remains along shore can alter natural behaviors, expose animals to predators, cause stress, and even cause unnatural fluctuations in numbers, as with increased gulls in some areas. Scatter remains back in the woods at least 200 feet away from the shore or camping areas.

If you are planning a trip for a non-profit organization, there is a limit of no more than 3 permits in a season to be reserved using the non-profit organization name as the group leader. Please contact any Superior National Forest office for more information, or visit Recreation.gov under general rules for the BWCAW.

Keep these tips in mind when planning for large groups to reduce environmental and social impacts

• If your group is more than nine people, regardless of the age, you may not enter the BWCAW. Consider other options, such as camping at a primitive or developed campground and boating on lakes outside the designated wilderness area (see page 2).
• If your group of more than the maximum size wishes to break into smaller groups to enter the BWCAW, each smaller group must have its own permit.
• Each group must travel and camp separately. This means each should have its own food, first aid kit and essential gear. To make it easier for the groups to travel separately, reserve different entry points and plan separate routes.
• Each group should have an adult who will be responsible for the leadership and safety of the group.
• And if you do know other visitors in the area, don’t purposely congregate in a group larger than 9 while traveling, visiting a destination area or camping.
• Portages and waterways can become very congested. Wait for another group to cross the portage before you begin, portage your gear efficiently and find another place for your break. Keep your distance from other groups on the waterways.
• Begin looking for campsites early in the day and share tents since many wilderness sites only have one or two good tent pads.
• Encourage your group members to use campsite areas that have already been hardened rather than trampling vegetation and causing erosion.

Being considerate of other wilderness visitors is one of the 7 Leave No Trace Principles. A courteous group can do wonders to minimize the impact of noise. Sound carries a long distance over water, mostly in the evening when people are listening more than moving. Try to avoid banging pots and pans, dragging canoes over rocks, shooting guns, singing loudly and screaming, especially in the morning and evening. If your group is rambunctious, consider staying in a more isolated area such as a lake with only one campsite. When you keep noise down, your group and others will have a better chance of experiencing wildlife and a sense of solitude.

Firewood needs to be dead and down wood that was collected far from shorelines, trails or camp- sites.

Over 1,200 wildlife species in the United States rely on dead, dying or hollow trees for dens, roosts and feeding sites. Even fish benefit from trees that have fallen into streams and lakes. Trees that demonstrate disease or have defects or other features are most often those that provide excellent habitat for a variety of wildlife species.

One species of high importance is the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis). This bat species was recently listed as Federally Threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This designation is a result of the devastation that this bat has experienced from a fungal disease called White nose Syndrome. White nose Syndrome affects hibernating bats by causing them to wake up more frequently. This increase in activity depletes the bats’ energy stores needed to survive winter, causing them to eventually die from starvation, dehydration and exposure. Researchers estimate that over 5.5 million bats have died as a result of being infected with White nose Syndrome.

Leave No Trace wilderness principles apply not only to the natural environment but also to archaeological resources. Over 1,200 archaeological sites have been identified within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. These sites include Native American rock art, stone tools and pottery sherds, glass beads and fur-trade artifacts, and mining and logging camps. These sites provide us with a fascinating window into the history of human use of the Boundary Waters over the past 10,000 years. However archaeological materials are a non-renewable resource and must be protected.

Once an artifact is removed from its context within a site we lose much of the valuable information it can provide us about who was using the site, when, and for what.

Respect cultural resources as you would natural resources. If you come across an archaeological site do not remove or disturb artifacts. Excavating, defacing or removing an archaeological resource from federal lands without a permit is a crime punishable by fines or imprisonment. Write down a description of what you found, including the location, and report it to Forest Service personnel. Photos, sketches, maps or GPS information are all useful information to include when describing archaeological finds.

Non-native invasive species (NNIS) are plants, animals, insects or other organisms whose introduction to an area cause or are likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Other names for NNIS include exotic species, noxious weeds, pests, etc. Invasive species can occur on land or in the water. Some examples in Minnesota include purple loosestrife, gypsy moth, emerald ash borer, Eurasian water milfoil, earthworms, spiny water flea, rusty crayfish and orange hawkweed. If you see these species on the Forest report their known locations if possible.

Because invasive species do not respect property lines, we are working with other agencies, non-governmental organizations, and citizens like you to increase awareness of this resource management issue and take action to stop the spread of NNIS in our area. For more information about invasive species in Minnesota, go to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website

Prevention

• Clean your gear/boat before entering and leaving the wilderness or recreation site.
• Remove mud and seeds from clothes, pets, boots, gear and vehicles.
• Burn only local or certified firewood.
• Do not pick wildflowers and transport them from one location to another.

The introduction of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), such as spiny water flea and rusty crayfish, to new water bodies negatively impact native organisms in some lakes and rivers. To prevent the spread of AIS, visitors should inspect their equipment, remove mud and aquatic vegetation, and lay their equipment out to dry when possible. In accordance with Minnesota law, bait containers and other water containing devices must be drained before leaving a water body (this excludes devices such as water bottles).

Unlike much of the U.S., the Arrowhead Region and the Superior National Forest are fortunate because many of the species that are a problem in the upper Midwest are not well established here yet. However, terrestrial and aquatic NNIS* can quickly spread once introduced into the environment. NNIS can spread via air, water and on watercraft, equipment, firewood and even the mud on your boots. Some NNIS seem harmless, like earthworms, but can alter an entire forest floor changing the vegetation.

The following are prohibited:

• Moving fish from lake to lake by releasing fish off of stringers (many common species, such as walleye and smallmouth bass are themselves not native to large areas of the BWCAW). • Using live minnows on designated stream trout lakes, including those in the BWCAW.
• Disposing of earthworms in the Forest. A person must not dispose of bait in waters of the state. (84 D.10, subd. 4.). Pack out all unused bait.