This book was written for the peripatetic paddler—the canoeist who wants to explore the BWCA Wilderness. Base-campers and easy-going anglers, however, should also find a good deal of useful information herein to help them plan their trips.

My introduction to canoeing in the Boundary Waters occurred in 1967, along with 14 other members of my Explorer Post from Indianola, Iowa, and I’ve dipped my paddle in the cool, clear waters of “canoe country” every summer since then. While guiding BWCA canoe trips for Camp Northland from 1969 through 1977, I saw the need for a published trail guide. None existed at that time. My trail notes at Camp Northland became the foundation for this book.

The BWCAW, with over 200,000 visitors each year, is the most heavily used wilderness in the nation. With over a million pristine acres of lakes, rivers, and forests within its borders, however, the Boundary Waters should be large enough to accommodate its visitors. In 1976, less than one-third of the available quotas were actually used. Unfortunately, however, over two-thirds of the visitors to the Wilderness used less than 14 percent of the designated entry points. The result was (and still is) congestion at some of the most popular entry points. My book was written to help you discover the entry points and routes that may suit your desires and will result in the highest quality wilderness experience possible.