DULUTH — Off-season visitation to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness increased 13% last year, according to a new report from the Superior National Forest.
The notable shift in traffic from Oct. 1 to April 30 coincided with an overall decrease in visitor use of 3% from 2022.
The new numbers come from the annual update to the BWCA Permit and Visitor Use Report, which added 2023 data.
According to the report, non-motorized day-use travel during the quota season of May 1 to Sept. 30 decreased by 19%. In a news release, forest officials said shifting visitor use to the off-season is beneficial for wilderness restorations, following a surge of visitors during the pandemic that escalated resource damage.
The report also shows visitors who obtained a permit for the quota season and didn’t visit the wilderness decreased by 11%, and canceled reservations reached an all-time high at 10,245 permits. The Forest said cancellations have more than doubled since 2019, suggesting visitors are reserving more permits than they can use.
The Forest Service has a one permit per day, per permit holder rule to allow others the opportunity to experience the wilderness. The Forest can cancel multiple same-day, overlapping and consecutive reservations under the same name to prevent the stockpiling and hoarding of permits.
Officials encourage visitors to start planning now for the 2025 season, with quota permits on sale beginning Jan. 29.
- Chastity Brown brings music, meaning and community to Bemidji
- After 2+ weeks in a coma and near-fatal injuries, this young woman is a survivor
- Heintzeman earns 60%, but margin narrows compared to recent elections
- What's for Breakfast: Mushroom coffee with a side of Riverfest
- Area Voices: Jesse Dermody's sculptures to be featured in Park Rapids