Permits for the 2025 paddling season in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness go on sale Jan. 29. The hype and process of “opening day” for permits remains an area of concern for some outfitters who rent gear and canoes, and offer various services for people hoping to paddle in the most visited wilderness area in the nation.

According to multiple business owners who spoke with Paddle and Portage in 2024 and again this month, the current methods to reserve permits to enter the wilderness are not working well and offer too much risk in terms of people (or businesses) not being able to book permits before they sell out.

“The system needs to be improved,” said John Schiefelbein, owner of Pine Point Lodge & North Country Canoe Outfitters, a resort and outfitter on White Iron Lake near Ely.

After cuts to some entry point permit quotas in 2022, concerns grew about permit “hoarding” and groups double-booking permits that are preventing some people from visiting the BWCA Wilderness.

Schiefelbein prepared a document in 2023 that recommends, among other things, officials on Superior National Forest follow the example of other popular wilderness areas across the country (and Quetico) by implementing a rolling reservation system rather than the current setup in which all permits are available to reserve at 9 a.m. on a specific day in late January.

In the document he prepared and shared with leadership at Superior National Forest and various media outlets (including Paddle and Portage), Schiefelbein points out that few other popular wilderness areas around the country make all permits available at the same time. In a hypothetical four-month rolling system, permits for Fishing Opener 2025 would be available Jan. 10, but a trip starting July 4 would first be available March 4.

Schiefelbein said in a recent episode of the Paddle and Portage Podcast that making all permits available on a single day, the current system is vulnerable to technical issues and inequitable access. Some wilderness outfitters reserve their guests’ permits for them, but if an internet outage in the remote area were to occur on the first day of reservations, the businesses and their customers could lose out, he explained in the podcast.

The notion is not without precedent. In 2019, a technical issue resulted in a stressful and failed effort on the “opening day” for BWCA Wilderness permits. The reservation system did not re-open that year until March.

Meanwhile, more people canceled a permit to the BWCA Wilderness in 2023 than ever before, according to a recent report from the U.S. Forest Service.

“Cancellations have more than doubled in five years, suggesting that BWCAW visitors continue to reserve more permits than they can use,” the report states.

Some outfitters and paddlers say the process the Forest Service uses for people to book permits is to blame, at least in part, for the record number of cancellations.

We asked officials from Superior National Forest (including Cathy Quinn and Joy Vandrie) a number of questions specific to the reservation system for BWCA Wilderness permits and the upcoming “go live” day the quota season. Below is a Q&A with the Forest Service from Jan. 13.

Paddle and Portage: Can you confirm that officials from Superior National Forest received a document in 2023 from John Schiefelbein specific to the permit and reservation system (recreation.gov) used for the BWCAW?

Superior National Forest officials: Yes, we received a letter from John Schiefelbein of North Country Outfitters in late 2023.

P&P: What was the general reaction to the document and recommendations within? 

SNF: Many, if not all, of the suggestions that were presented in the 2023 letter have been discussed before both by internal staff as well as other members of the public.

P&P: Is there any chance the Forest Service would adjust to what is described as “Alternative 2” in the document, using a rolling window date four months in advance of a starting date? (Example: Jan. 1 permits available for May 1, March 15 for permits available for July 15, etc.)

SNF: The Superior National Forest continues to assess the effectiveness of the current reservation system. This topic is a high priority for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Collaborative. The Collaborative offers a diverse perspective on BWCAW management issues through its broad representation of stakeholders and is actively reviewing and discussing the reservation system amongst the larger body and within a smaller working group.

The Forest Service anticipates that the work of the BWCAW Collaborative will help provide guidance on how the reservation system can best serve all members of the public. In addition to our work with the BWCAW Collaborative, our Washington Office team, which manages the Recreation.gov platform for all U.S. Forest Service facilities across the country, continues to provide expertise and support to our staff, and worked in tandem with the contractor who provides Rec.gov with 20+ other government agencies who permit their recreation areas. This team has direct insight into the variety of reservation system models and their effectiveness for each unique facility and can help advise as needed.

As a unit within the larger National Forest and National Wilderness Preservation system, the BWCAW does not have the option of developing a customized reservation system separate from the Recreation.gov platform. Thus, we will continue to utilize Recreation.gov to the best of our abilities despite the many nuances associated with managing the BWCAW.

P&P: Is the Forest Service hesitant or reluctant to change the permit system as it currently operates for the BWCAW? If yes, what are some of the reasons the Forest Service is reluctant/hesitant to change the permit system specific to Go Live day?  

SNF: Making any changes to the way BWCAW visitors obtain their permits is something that we take very seriously. Ensuring that all members of the public have equitable access to the BWCAW is a high priority. Our work with the BWCAW Collaborative will help us weigh the pros and cons of the existing and any future reservation system models. Additionally, the public will be invited to share feedback directly to the Forest Service if significant changes to the BWCAW reservation system are proposed.

P&P: Does the Forest Service actively promote Go Live day when permits for the BWCAW are first available? If yes, why does the Forest Service promote (or at least remind people of) Go Live day for permits for the quota season?

SNF: It’s no secret that BWCAW permits go on sale the last week in January. The Superior National Forest releases information about the annual January on-sale of BWCAW permits to promote best practices related to BWCAW trip planning. Our first reminder is issued in mid-December, along with several notices via press release and social media posts on the SNF pages, as well as coordinated outreach through Rec.gov to current subscribers and past permitees.

As the manager of one of the most heavily used Wilderness areas in the country, we have an obligation to relay information that will help protect the wilderness resource while providing access to the American public. You’ll notice that we frequently share messaging around the January on-sale focused on only reserving permits that you intend to use and refraining from stockpiling permits.

In addition, this is an opportune time to remind visitors of a variety of topics, including the need to properly plan ahead and prepare trips that are appropriate [to the] skill set of your group, Leave No Trace practices, and much more. We recognize that there is a lot of excitement centered around the January on-sale of BWCAW permits and we want to make sure that the public is provided with the best possible information available.  Additionally, we offer reminders throughout the season regarding cancellations.

P&P: What is the general reaction from the Forest Service regarding the record number of permits cancelled for the 2023 quota season? Are the cancelled permits an area of concern, for example?

SNF: The increase in cancellations indicates multiple things. First, visitors are reserving more permits than they intend to use. A significant number of cancelled permits are reserved during Go Live. We encourage the public to only reserve permits that they can reasonably use. On a positive note, cancelled permits are returned to the inventory within 24 hours and become available for purchase by someone else.

In addition, the number of cancellations in 2023 increased while the number of no-shows decreased. The decrease in no-shows demonstrates that visitors are improving at cancelling their permits in advance of their entry date, which means those permits become available in the inventory for resale. No-show permits go unused. However, cancellations and no-shows are still high and indicative of the stockpiling of permits that is occurring in the BWCAW. Cancellations and no-shows are another topic that the BWCAW Collaborative is actively looking into.

P&P: Is there any other information the public should know about the BWCAW reservation system, Go Live Day 2025, or any other topics relevant to this discussion?

SNF: We can’t state often enough how important it is to only book permits that you intend to use. There is no shortage of available quota. We understand that visitors are excited about making plans for their summer BWCAW trip, but permits are available for reservation beginning Jan. 29, and through Sept. 30. There is no rush to reserve a permit during the January on-sale. Waiting to make a reservation closer to the ice-free season will ensure that your travel plans are more solidified, and you’ll be less likely to cancel your trip.

The more flexible you can be with your travel plans and itineraries the more successful you’ll be obtaining a permit. In the meantime, keep an eye on our website, social media, and forthcoming press releases to receive the most up-to-date and accurate information available regarding all things BWCAW.

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In the BWCA Wilderness, the quota permit season runs from May 1 to Sept. 30. The permits are required for overnight trips only. Day-use permits do not need to be booked in advance.

The permits are available in late January each year for the quota season ahead. Permits go live at 9 a.m. on Jan. 29 this year, for example. Most visitors to the BWCA Wilderness book their early reservations online.

Listen to the podcast on this topic in the audio below.