Portagr

Permit Finder

BWCA permit availability

Pick the day you want to paddle in and see which entry points still have permits — live from Recreation.gov.

How BWCA permits work

What to know before you book an overnight paddle permit.

Do I need a BWCA permit for every night of my trip?

No. An overnight permit covers the day you paddle in and the entry point you start from. Stay up to 14 nights and paddle out wherever you like — no permit needed for the nights after the first.

How do BWCA entry point quotas work?

Each entry point releases a fixed number of overnight permits per day. Moose Lake hands out dozens; some entry points hand out one. When a day fills, it is full.

When are BWCA quota permits required?

Overnight trips need a quota permit from May 1 through September 30. Outside those dates you self-issue a free permit at the entry point, and the numbers on this page do not apply.

When do BWCA permits go on sale?

Reservations open on Recreation.gov in late January. The popular entry points go that morning, but cancellations release permits all summer, so check your dates again.

What happens if my entry point is full?

Each entry point has its own daily quota, so a full day at one says nothing about the one next to it. Shifting your entry date by a day or two, or putting in at a neighbouring entry point, usually finds an opening.

Availability comes straight from Recreation.gov and can move minute to minute. Book there to hold a permit — this page only tells you where to look.

Permits by entry point

Each entry point has its own page with a month of permit availability, the lakes it opens onto and routes that start there.