Forest Service proposes BWCAW permit fee increases beginning in 2027
The U.S. Forest Service announced a proposal Monday that would more than double individual entry fees for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness starting in 2027.
The fee change is designed to enhance education, maintenance, and the visitor experience. “Visitors to the BWCAW will see portage, entry point, and campsite improvements to degraded amenities such as fire rings, latrines, and many other improvements,” the press release said.
An individual adult overnight fee is currently $16. The proposal would increase the fee to $40 per person. The current youth overnight fee is $8. The proposal would increase the fee to $20.
The agency stated that the money collected from the increased fees would be returned to the national forest by enhancing public access and safety while helping to preserve the unique character of the wilderness.
Joy VanDrie, the public affairs officer, said some examples of how the fees will be used would be to hire additional wilderness rangers who would address deferred maintenance at portages and campsites while in the field. The additional wilderness rangers would create a safer experience for visitors through the work they accomplish and their physical presence. “Less funding means fewer wilderness rangers since 2003, thus reducing the number of interactions between the rangers and visitors while in the BWCAW.”
The increased interaction between visitors and wilderness rangers and law enforcement in the field provides safety to visitors and offers more educational opportunities for ongoing wilderness character protection, as required by the Wilderness Act, VanDrie said.
The Forest Service is accepting public comments regarding the BWCAW recreation fee proposal through Sept. 2, 2025. Starting next month, the agency will host three open houses for the public to review and submit feedback.
The first open house will take place on July 14 from 4-6 p.m. at the Kawishiwi District Office in Ely, Minn. The second open house will take place virtually on July 15 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. via Microsoft Teams. The final open house will be at the Gunflint District Office in Grand Marais on July 22 from 4-6 p.m.
Check the Superior National Forest’s website for links and location details. The public can also submit public comments here.
Once comments are reviewed and integrated into the proposal, it will be submitted for review and recommendation to the Regional Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (RRAC). Implementation of the proposed action is anticipated to begin in January 2027.