It’s Permit Time
For those of you who like to get things done and checked off of your list you can reserve your Boundary Waters Permit tomorrow on December 1, 2007. The lottery opens up so you can request your reservation and have it be one of the first to be processed at the end of the lottery. For most entry points on the Eastern edge of the BWCA it isn’t necessary to reserve permits this far in advance. If you are looking to camp overnight with a boat and motor then you will for sure want to get your reservation in during the lottery period. Feel free to email Voyageur or call us toll-free at 1-888-CANOE IT and we can help you or reserve your permit for you. Here’s a press release from the USFS.
Beginning December 1, 2007 applications will be accepted for the 2008 lottery for Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) permits. The lottery provides the first opportunity for visitors to obtain a BWCAW permit. To be included in the lottery, applications submitted by mail or fax must be received by 5 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST) on January 10, 2008. This deadline has been set for the manual entry of applications received by fax and mail. Applications submitted online at www.recreation.gov must be received by 5 p.m. CST on January 15, 2008. All applications submitted by these deadlines, regardless of the method sent, will be processed by the lottery. Those who submit lottery applications online will be able to view results online following the lottery. Applications received after the lottery deadlines will not be processed until January 20. Checks and money orders will no longer be accepted to secure your reservation through the lottery. Beginning January 20, 2008, first-come first-served wilderness permit reservations can be made online at www.recreation.gov, faxed, or mailed.
Reservations may be made by phone beginning February 1, 2008 by calling the National Recreation Reservation Service toll free at (877) 550-6777. Please visit www.recreation.gov for additional information and to submit BWCAW permit applications online. Faxed applications should be sent to (518) 884-9951. Applications submitted by mail should be sent to: BWCAW Reservation Center, P.O. Box 462, Ballston Spa, NY, 12020. A BWCAW Trip Planning Guide and the 2008 BWCAW Wilderness Permit Reservation Application are available on the Forest web site at www.fs.fed.us/r9/superior, from any Superior National Forest Service office, or by calling (218) 626-4300.
Additional Information: The BWCAW lottery was initiated well over a decade ago in order to fairly distribute available quotas for entry dates and entry points where demand exceeds availability. For those who know their desired entry date and location well in advance, the lottery offers an early opportunity to make a reservation. In the lottery process, permits are awarded through a computer-generated, random selection.
Beginning in 2008, permit fees for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will be:
Adult per trip fee: $16.00 Youth per trip fee: $8.00 Adult Seasonal Fee Card: $64.00
Youth Seasonal Fee Card: $32.00
The fee increase was approved by the Regional Forester, acting upon the recommendation of the Eastern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee. This is the first increase in Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) user fees in the 10 years since fees were put into effect. The basis for the increase is an adjustment for inflation (using the Consumer Price index) over the past ten years with forward projections over the next five to ten years.
User fees generated through this program come directly back to the Forest and help to fund the wilderness management program, including staffing with wilderness rangers, and funding campsite and portage maintenance, permit issuance, and wilderness education programs.