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Recreation Passes & Permits
Many recreational activities in Superior National Forest are free to the public. Local permits and passes related to recreating on the forest and wilderness.
Hiking and dispersed camping on the Forest is free, and no permit is required, except for in the Boundary waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Some developed recreation areas do have day use fees which help us maintain the sites. We offer a variety of recreational passes and permits.
How to Buy
For your convenience, there are three ways to purchase a recreation pass.
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Order Interagency Passes through the U.S. Geological Survey online or by phone (888) 275-8747.
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Order any pass by calling any Superior National Forest office.
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Interagency Passes can be purchased from other federal agencies. Find one near you.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Permits are required year-round for all day and overnight visits to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Different types of permits and related fees may apply, depending on the date, point of entry, mode of travel, and nature of your group. From May 1 through September 30 there is a quota on the number of permits issued for each entry point.
For information on Research Permits for Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness visit the "Other Permits" section of the website.
A permit is always required to enter the BWCA Wilderness. Permits are not transferrable - permit holder, alternates, entry date and entry point cannot be changed once the permit reservation is made.
Fees
- Adult(18 and older) per trip fee: $16.00
- Youth (Ages 0 - 17 years) per trip fee: $8.00
Information to Know
DatesMay 1 to September 30
Visitors taking an overnight trip (paddle, motor, or hiking) or a motorized day trip into the BWCAW from May 1 – September 30 are required to obtain a quota permit. For information about reserving quota permits, please visit recreation.gov.
October 1 to April 30
Self-issued permits are required for non-motorized day use visitors year-round and for all overnight visitors entering the BWCAW from October 1 – April 30. Self-issued permits are available from kiosks at BWCAW entry points and Forest Service offices (no reservation required and no recreation fees).
Walk-up Permits
Walk-up permits may be obtained at any open permit issue station on the entry date or one day prior when available, however, reservations are recommended since there are a limited number of quota permits for each entry point.
For the most current, comprehensive information on planning a trip to the BWCAW, please review the BWCAW Trip Planning Guide and BWCAW Regulations and Rules.
Quota
The quota limits the number of groups entering the BWCAW at a particular entry point each day
Group Size
Nine people and four watercraft are the maximum allowed together in the wilderness. You may not exceed the limit as a group at any time or anywhere (on water, portages and campsites) in the BWCAW. Smaller groups enhance the wilderness experience, chances of seeing wildlife, and decrease resource impacts.
More Information
Fees and hours for motorized Prairie Portage use have changed.
Visit the Boundary Waters Canoe Area page for information on the Wilderness, trip planning, and more.
A non-profit organization (NPO) may reserve a maximum of three permits per season under the organization's name, allowing any member of the organization to become the Group Leader at the time of permit pickup. A NPO using this option must be prepared to show evidence of legal non-profit status when picking up the permit.
If a non-profit requires more than three (3) reservations per season, any additional reservations (beyond the maximum of three) must be made in the Group Leader’s name and not the name of the organization. To ensure everyone has the opportunity to make a reservation, when a visitor makes more than three (3) reservations per season under the organization's name, all but three (3) permits will automatically be cancelled by the Forest Service. Cancelled permits will be returned to the inventory and notification prior to cancellation will not be provided.
The purpose of the BWCAW Cooperator Program is to supplement services provided at Forest Service Offices by establishing alternative locations from which Wilderness visitors may obtain travel permits. BWCAW cooperator applications will be reviewed annually following the BWCAW Permit Cooperator Application deadline of August 1. All applicants will be notified by November 1 for the following quota permit season. Please call 218-626-4300 to request an application.
Special Recreation Permits (Wilderness permits) are issued as a means to ensure extra measures are required for natural and cultural resource protection, the health and safety of visitors, or to allocate capacity and/or disperse recreation use. Permits may be required for places like wilderness areas, shooting ranges and specialized trail systems.
Special Recreation Permits are noncommercial and issued as a means to disperse use, protect natural and cultural resources, provide for the health and safety of visitors, allocate capacity, and/or to help cover the higher costs for providing specialized services. To address these needs, specialized services and/or additional management actions are required.
Annual Passes
Good at any Forest Service, National Park, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and US Fish and Wildlife Service sites that charge an entrance or standard amenity fee. Concessionaires may or may not honor any of the Interagency Passes, according to the terms of their current permit.
| Who Can Buy | Price | How Long is it Good for? |
|---|---|---|
| Anyone | $80.00 | 1 year from date of purchase |
For More Information
Visit the National Website for information on what the pass covers, what it doesn't cover and what types of sites it can be used at.
| Who Can Buy | Price | How Long is it Good for? |
|---|---|---|
| Anyone 62 or older | $80.00 | for pass holders lifetime |
| Anyone 62 or older | $20.00 | 1 year from date of purchase |
For More Information
Visit the National Website for information on what the pass covers, what it doesn't cover and what types of sites it can be used at.
| Who Can Buy | Price | How Long is it Good for? |
|---|---|---|
| Active Military and their dependents | $0.00 | 1 year from date of purchase |
| Veterans and Gold Star Families | $0.00 | Indefinetly |
More Information
Visit the National Website for information on what the pass covers, what it doesn't cover and what types of sites it can be used at.
Active Military must show a Common Access Card/Geneva Conventions ID Card. Dependents must show a Uniformed Services ID Card - DD Form 1173.
- Veterans: Provide serial number from ID card on the fee payment envelope
- Gold Star Families: Download and print a voucher from the National Park Service website.
Gold Star Families as defined by DoD are next of kin of a member of the United States Armed Forces who lost his or her life in a “qualifying situation,” such as a war, an international terrorist attack, or a military operation outside of the United States while serving with the United States Armed Forces. The paper voucher itself can serve as the pass.
| Who Can Buy | Price | How Long is it Good for? |
|---|---|---|
| 4th Graders/4th Grade Teachers/Home school and free-choice learners 10 years of age | $0.00 | Sept. to Aug. of 4th Grade school year |
More Information
Visit the Ever Kid Outdoors website for information on what the pass covers, what it doesn't cover and what types of sites it can be used at.
Digital versions of the paper pass (such as on smart phones or tablets) will not be accepted.
Lifetime Passes
Available passes that are good for the lifetime of the passholder.
| Who Can Buy | Price | How Long is it Good for? |
|---|---|---|
| Anyone 62 or older | $80.00 | for pass holders lifetime |
| Anyone 62 or older | $20.00 | 1 year from date of purchase |
For More Information
Visit the National Website for information on what the pass covers, what it doesn't cover and what types of sites it can be used at.
| Who Can Buy | Price | How Long is it Good for? |
|---|---|---|
| Anyone with a disability | $10.00 | for pass holders lifetime |
More Information
Visit the National Website for information on what the pass covers, what it doesn't cover and what types of sites it can be used at.
| Who Can Buy | Price | How Long is it Good for? |
|---|---|---|
| Active Military and their dependents | $0.00 | 1 year from date of purchase |
| Veterans and Gold Star Families | $0.00 | Indefinitely |
More Information
Visit the National Website for information on what the pass covers, what it doesn't cover and what types of sites it can be used at.
Active Military must show a Common Access Card/Geneva Conventions ID Card. Dependents must show a Uniformed Services ID Card - DD Form 1173.
- Veterans: Provide serial number from ID card on the fee payment envelope
- Gold Star Families: Download and print a voucher from the National Park Service website.
Gold Star Families as defined by DoD are next of kin of a member of the United States Armed Forces who lost his or her life in a “qualifying situation,” such as a war, an international terrorist attack, or a military operation outside of the United States while serving with the United States Armed Forces. The paper voucher itself can serve as the pass.
Must provide documentation of disability from a licensed physician or a Federal Agency such as the VA to receive this pass
REA Benefits Visitors to Federal Public Lands by:
- increased field patrols by wilderness rangers/portage crews; wilderness maintenance for trails, portages, campsites; increased visitor contact by interpreters and other education projects;
- area-specific maps, brochures, travel planners, etc.; specific campsite cleanup and human waste removal; special field projects like boardwalks, weed removal, campsite restoration;
- volunteers supporting the wilderness program;
- administration of outfitter guides and cooperators;
- wilderness character monitoring and possible mitigation actions;
- safety advisories & training (blow down events, fires, etc.);
- maintenance of entry point facilities (kiosks) and access to entry points (ramps);
- permit reservation system support;
- support of emergency medical and rescue services; and special orders, like fire, or other emergency closures.
