BWCA Entry Points
71 entry points across the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Reserve permits through recreation.gov.
| Entry | Name | Quota/Day | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trout Lake | 12 | Access from LakeVermilion via 60-rod canoe portage or 180-rod portage that allows the use of portage wheels. |
| 4 | Crab Lake and Cummings from Burntside Lake | 3 | Access from Burntside Lake with a 320-rod portage to Crab Lake. |
| 6 | Slim Lake | 2 | Access is a 90-rod portage to Slim Lake Portages to three additional lakes. |
| 7 | Big Lake | 2 | Access La Pond Lake with a 160-rod portage from outside the BWCAW on Big Lake. |
| 8 | Moose River (south) | 1 | Access is a canoe landing heading South from the Echo Trail. Three portages to enter Big Moose Lake. |
| 9 | Little Indian Sioux River (south) | 1 | Heading South from the Echo Trail. Difficult route. Four portages to Bootleg Lake. |
| 12 | Little Vermilion Lake (Crane Lake) | 6 | — |
| 14 | Little Indian Sioux River (north) | 6 | Access is a 40-rod portage heading North from the Echo Trail. |
| 16 | Moose/Portage River (north) | 5 | Access is a 160-rod portage heading North from the Echo Trail. |
| 19 | Stuart River | 1 | Access is a 480-rod portage to the Stuart River. |
| 20 | Angleworm Lake | 2 | Access is a 640-rod portage to Angleworm Lake. |
| 22 | Mudro Lake (restricted--no camping on Horse Lake) | 2 | Three accesses into Mudro Lake involve portages ranging from 20–185 rods. Easiest access is fro m private land with parking fee.Restriction is no camping on Horse Lake. |
| 23 | Mudro Lake | 5 | Three accesses into Mudro Lake involve portages ranging from 20–185 rods.Easiest access is from private la nd with parking fee. |
| 24 | Fall Lake | 14 | "Access is a boat landing at Fall Lake. Several trip options to Newton, Basswood, & Mud Lakes with additionalportages." |
| 25 | Moose Lake | 27 | Access is an boat landing or canoe launch at Moose Lake. Many trip options for paddlers with additional portages. |
| 26 | Wood Lake | 2 | Access to Wood Lake is a 180-rod portage. |
| 27 | Snowbank Lake | 8 | Access is a boat landing or canoe launch at Snowbank Lake. Many trip options for paddlers. |
| 28 | Snowbank Lake Only | 1 | Access is a boat landing or canoe launch at Snowbank Lake. Must camp all nights on Snowbank Lake. Paddle day trips to other lakes are permitted. |
| 29 | North Kawishiwi River | 1 | Access the North Kawishiwi River through Ojibway Lake and Triangle Lake using two portages. |
| 30 | Lake One | 13 | — |
| 31 | Farm Lake | 3 | Access is a boat landing on Farm Lake with access to South Farm Lake. Paddlers access North Kawishiwi River from Farm Lake. Some trip options available for paddlers with additional portages. |
| 32 | South Kawishiwi River | 2 | Access is a 140-rod portage to the river. |
| 33 | Little Gabbro Lake | 1 | Access is a 200-rod portage from the parking lot to Little Gabbro Lake. |
| 34 | Island River | 2 | Two small portages leading to Isabella River. No portages on Island River. |
| 35 | Isabella Lake | 2 | Access is a 35-rod portage to Isabella Lake. |
| 36 | Hog Creek | 4 | Access is a 15-rod portage to Hog Creek leading into Perent Lake. |
| 37 | Kawishiwi Lake | 7 | Access is a boat landing at Kawishiwi Lake. |
| 38 | Sawbill Lake | 11 | Access is a boat landing at Sawbill Lake. |
| 39 | Baker Lake | 2 | Access is a boat landing at Baker Lake with a 10-rod portage into Peterson Lake to reach first campsite. |
| 40 | Homer Lake | 2 | Access is a boat landing at Homer Lake. |
| 41 | Brule Lake | 7 | Access is a boat landing at Brule Lake. Large lake with several campsites. |
| 43 | Bower Trout Lake | 1 | Access is a 72-rod portage from small parking area into Bower Trout. |
| 44 | Ram Lake | 1 | Access is a 90-rod portage from the parking area. |
| 45 | Morgan Lake | 1 | Access is a 320-rod portage to Morgan Lake. No campsites on Morgan Lake—short portages to further lakes for campsites. |
| 47 | Lizz and Swamp Lakes | 3 | Access from Poplar Lake by 51-rod portage to Lizz Lake and 100-rod portage into Swamp Lake only. |
| 48 | Meeds Lake | 2 | Access from Poplar Lake into Meeds Lake with a 320-rod portage. |
| 49 | Skipper and Portage Lakes | 2 | Access is a 320-rod portage from Poplar Lake or a 230-rod portage from Iron Lake. |
| 50 | Cross Bay Lake | 3 | Access is thru the Cross River with two portages to Ham Lake and a 24-rod portage to Cross Bay Lake. |
| 51 | Missing Link Lake | 5 | Access is a canoe landing at Round Lake with a 142-rod portage to Missing Link Lake. |
| 52 | Brant Lake | 4 | Access is a canoe landing at Round Lake with an 85- and a 35-rod portage to Brant Lake. |
| 54 | Seagull Lake | 8 | — |
| 55 | Saganaga Lake | 15 | — |
| 57 | Magnetic Lake | 3 | — |
| 58 | South Lake | 2 | Access is from Gunflint Lake with a 10-mile paddle and two short portages to South Lake. |
| 60 | Duncan Lake | 2 | Access is from W. Bearskin Lake with a 75-rod portage to Duncan Lake and Stairway Portage. |
| 61 | Daniels Lake | 1 | Access is from W. Bearskin Lake with a 60-rod portage to Daniels Lake and 460-rod portage to Rose Lake. |
| 62 | Clearwater Lake | 2 | — |
| 64 | East Bearskin Lake | 3 | — |
| 66 | Crocodile River | 1 | — |
| 67 | Bog Lake | 1 | Access is a 232-rod portage into Bog Lake. Four campsites. Dead end lake with no trip options. |
| 68 | Pine Lake | 1 | — |
| 69 | John Lake | 1 | Access from Little John Lake. |
| 70 | North Fowl Lake | 2 | Access from Little John Lake with a 78- and a 160-rod portage to get to North Fowl Lake. Border lake between U.S. & Canada. |
| 75 | Little Isabella River | 1 | Access is a 20-rod portage to the Little Isabella River. Several short portages before you reach th e Isabella River. |
| 77 | South Hegman Lake | 1 | Access is a 80-rod portage to South Hegman Lake. |
| 80 | Larch Creek | 1 | Access from the canoe landing at Larch Creek. |
| 84 | Snake River | 1 | Access is a 160-rod portage to Snake River & several short portages before reaching Bald Eagle Lake. |
| 12A | Lac LaCroix Only | 6 | Enter from Crane Lake. Must camp all nights on Lac La Croix. Day trips to other lakes permitted. Use only after Entry Point 12 is full. Very difficult to reach Lac La Croix by paddle in one day. Commercial shuttle service available. |
| 54A | Seagull Lake Only | 0 | Access is a boat landing at Seagull Lake. Large lake with several campsites. Must camp all nights on Seagull Lake. Use only after Entry Point 54 is full. Day trips to other lakes permitted. |
| 55A | Saganaga Lake Only | 0 | — |
| A | Trout Lake | 2 | Access from LakeVermilion via a 180-rod portage suitable for portage wheels. Commercial portage service available. |
| C | Fall Lake Only | — | Valid only on Fall Lake not Newton or Basswood. Access is a boat landing at Fall Lake. |
| D | Fall Lake and Beyond | — | "Access is a boat landing at Fall Lake. Valid on Fall, Newton & Basswood." |
| F | Moose Lake Chain Only | — | — |
| G | Moose Lake to Prairie Portage | — | "Commercial portage service available. Valid on Moose, Newfound, Sucker and Basswood Lakes (except paddle only areas)." |
| H | Snowbank Lake | 2 | — |
| I | South Farm Lake | 2 | — |
| J | Saganaga Lake | 2 | — |
| K | Seagull Lake | 2 | — |
| L | Clearwater Lake | — | — |
| M | East Bearskin Lake | — | — |
Overnight paddlers need a BWCA permit reserved through recreation.gov, which manages the entry point quota system.