Voyageurs National Park vs. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area (B.W.C.A.) in the Superior National Forest
Both Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) are renowned for their stunning backcountry lakes, endless fishing opportunities, and wilderness campsites that are among the most pristine and least-visited in the country.
However, when you’re trying to decide about a trip between the two, the differences can seem obscure. By this, I mean that both Voyageurs and the BWCA offer similar backcountry experiences, but each takes a very different planning approach, which is even more true for out-of-state residents.
Therefore, as a born and raised Minnesotan, I wanted to write this article to not only compare the two but also to talk about how to prepare for each respective trip beyond normal camping gear, so that anyone visiting from out of state can enjoy fishing in these beautiful pristine lakes!
All said, the backcountry in either is all about isolated lakes, no motorized boats, and seemingly endless fishing opportunities! For this reason, I have been to both Voyageurs National Park and the BWCA backcountry many times and, hopefully, many more!
Voyageurs National Park
If you are an out-of-state resident and are just learning about the BWCA for the first time because you wanted to read about Voyageurs, I’d say stick with Voyageurs.
The National Park is by far easier to plan for than the BWCA.
While in the long run, a trip to the BWCA for a Minnesota resident can be much cheaper, the convenience of how the National Park operates tends to be much less of a hassle beyond the initial planning.
What I mean by this is that the National Park Service pre-stages canoes on the interior backcountry lakes in order to keep out invasive species. Therefore, Voyageurs National Park completely takes out the need to bring your own canoe, whether it be your own or rented, which is something that can’t be said about the BWCA. Trust me, even after a quarter mile, a heavy canoe gets old quick!
The last major advantage for Voyageurs compared to the BWCA is that each backcountry campsite in Voyageurs has only one per lake, meaning that your party will be the only group staying on a specific lake for as long as your reservation.
Therefore, in Voyageurs National Park, you essentially reserve your desired backcountry campsite, choose the appropriate amount of canoes for your group size (one is included in the initial reservation), and schedule an appropriate water taxi to get you to the trailhead for your hike.
All backcountry reservations can be made directly through Recreation.gov below, or by clicking the link.
Book Here: Voyageurs Camping Permits
No information is collected by this website when using the provided Recreation.gov booking widget. All reservations made here are secure through the official website.
Voyageurs Water Taxi
As for choosing a water taxi, my group had a bit of a runaround with one guide, but I could not recommend Phil Hart any higher!
Phil’s Number: (218) 240-1092
I recommend giving this number a call before any other operator to see if Phil might be able to help you out.
When I said we had a bit of a runaround, we first booked with Larry’s Voyageurs Tour and Taxi, who at first told me $30 per person two weeks prior to the trip.
Then, the night before the trip, he changed it to $50 per person, but thankfully, when we arrived at the Lake Kabetogama Visitor Center the day prior to pick up our canoe key, I found a guide to get some advice from who ended up giving me Phil’s number. He also said, “Yup! That sounds like Larry!”
In all, Phil only charged $125 for both ways for our entire group of 4 to get to the Locator Lake Trailhead after only scheduling with him the evening before.
All others on the National Park list for commercial services didn’t quote anything for under $200, many times $250. To learn more, you can check out the list below, but you likely won’t see Phil on there.
Voyageurs NP: List of Commercial Operators
If Phil’s number no longer works in the future, I would appreciate it if you could comment below, so I can update this article.
Hiking & Canoeing to Quill Lake
Locator Lake Trail
Quill Lake is the backcountry site that our group chose, specifically because it was an island campsite, which seemed great for nearby fishing opportunities. On top of this, the island gave us a somewhat, perhaps false, sense of security from bears, but obviously, that isn't foolproof.
In any case, our mid-July trip began by picking up the key for our canoes and paddles the day before at the Lake Kabetogama Visitor Center, which will be coordinated by your designated group leader and a park ranger via email.
From here, we stayed in International Falls, only 30 minutes away from the visitor center.
The next day started with a pick-up from Phil at the Lake Kabetogama Visitor Center at 9 a.m. This time is as per request, but you can expect to make it to the campsite at Quill Lake in less than 3 hours, not including the boat ride which is maybe only 20 minutes to the Locator Lake Trailhead.
Once Phil dropped us off at the Locator Lake Trailhead, we began the roughly 2-mile (3.2 km) hike into Locator Lake.
That being said, we were immediately swarmed by the mid-summer mosquitoes and deer flies after leaving the dock, which didn’t improve until we started paddling on the lake. Be this as it may, I have to imagine that every trail during the summer season is pretty unbearable.
Therefore, don’t leave an inch of your skin exposed, and even then, the flies will still painfully bite through your clothes. This is why I recommend packing this cheap bug net for your head.
Locator Lake to Quill Lake
Once at Locator Lake or any other lake in the backcountry, you can expect a number of staged canoes, as well as a box full of oars. Don’t forget your key at the visitor center!
From Locator to War Club Lake, you will paddle through the narrow Cranberry Creek, which shouldn’t require getting out of the canoes. However, during these creek sections, the bugs will get bad again, but it was from War Club to Quill Lake where they were really at their worst.
Three separate times, we had to get out of the canoes, while getting swarmed by flies, to take our bags out and move the canoes around something! Sometimes it was a narrowing, once a beaver dam, and the biggest being a roughly 400 ft. (122 m) carry, which is the last one right before Quill Lake.
In all of this, Cranberry Creek was brutal in terms of bugs, but at this point, you’re only minutes away from the campsite, where they will be much less of a problem!
Quill Lake
Once you’re past Cranberry Creek, the island campsite is a five-minute paddle away. However, if your destination is Loiten Lake, I estimate that the carry to be the same or worse, which is why our group never went to explore there, even for the day.
Quill Lake was beautiful, and our four-day, three-night reservation was the perfect amount of time for our trip!
Quill Lake to the Locator Lake Trailhead
The only thing worth noting on the return trip is that leaving early helped with the bugs significantly!
We left the Quill Lake campsite at about 6 a.m., and the flies and mosquitoes were still bad in the creek and on the trail, but not nearly as bad as when we started at the trailhead at about 10 a.m. on the hike in.
Furthermore, if you end up waiting on the Locator Lake Trailhead dock for your water taxi, there’s not any bugs that should bother you, as opposed to waiting in the trees.
Personally, my next trip to Voyageurs will be in the fall time when I can be sure that it’s too cold for bugs but not too cold for fishing. I would prefer cooler nights to see the fall colors, while still having some great fall fishing, as opposed to the swarms of biting insects that we dealt with.
Additionally, if you’re considering an early-summer trip, perhaps the end of May/ early June, be sure to contact one of the visitor centers to make sure the lakes are open from the winter freeze.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area (B.W.C.A)
The BWCA in the Superior National Forest offers a similar—some may even consider an identical—experience, but the BWCA requires an entirely different method to plan.
By this, I mean that in the BWCA, you choose dates and a launch point for your trip, but you aren’t restricted to just one lake/ campsite, like in Voyageurs. Therefore, you aren’t reserving a specific campsite, meaning campsites are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Book Here: B.W.C.A. Camping Permits
I’ve taken two trips to the BWCA. One trip was a roughly 30-mile loop (48.3 km), and the other where we went into one specific campsite and spent the entire trip. Either way, you can’t go wrong. It’s just personal preference.
It must be noted that, unlike Voyageurs, the BWCA has multiple campsites per lake, so don’t be surprised to run into more groups than just your own.
However, for Minnesota residents specifically, the BWCA can be a really cheap trip, granted that you already have your own Minnesota-registered canoes, fishing gear, and an in-state fishing license. These may be just some of the reasons why the BWCA is more accessible for in-state residents than for those coming from out of state.
Additionally, there’s also no key to pick up the day prior, so you don’t have to worry about lodging a day before, as you can just drive to the launch point the day of and begin!
As for out-of-state residents, everything listed above would have to be considered in order to make a BWCA trip possible. The Superior National Forest does not provide canoes, so you would have to go through a private outfitter to find rentals and possibly any other gear you wouldn’t normally have. Rentals can commonly be found in Ely, MN through a variety of different outfitters.
B.W.C.A Check-in
Prior to any BWCA trip, all permitted groups are required to check in.
This can be done at a few different locations on the same day as your trip, such as the Kawishiwi Ranger District office in Ely or one of the local outfitters up there. Call ahead if you plan on checking in with a private outfitter.
B.W.C.A. Summary
All said, there’s truly too much—meaning too many lakes—to talk about when considering a BWCA trip. But, for an insider tip, the best lake/ campsite and fishing experience I’ve ever had in the BWCA was the island campsite on Wind Lake!
There’s great fishing around the entire island, so you don’t have to go far. However, keep in mind that this site is first-come, first-serve, so don’t be disappointed if you arrive and it’s taken. Arrive with a backup plan!
Voyageurs & B.W.C.A. Packing
Whenever I’m taking a Voyageurs or BWCA trip, I always pack heavy, meaning a fishing rod, lures, a fishing net, a fillet knife, Shore Lunch, coconut oil, an anchor (bear bag with a rock), and a pan to clean and fry the fish!
This is where being from Minnesota or an area with similar fish species comes in handy because knowing what fish are good to eat, how to clean them, and the best fishing techniques cannot be understated for a trip to either.
In any case, if you don’t like to fish, I have to say that is one thing that makes Voyageurs and the BWCA so unique. Therefore, I highly recommend giving it a try! You could camp, read books, or play cards, but nothing compares to enjoying the amazing fishing in the backcountry lakes that have not, and never will, see a motor!
On Quill Lake, we caught entirely Largemouth Bass, which I do not prefer to eat, but you can check out the Minnesota DNR lake finder tool to search any lake and find out what species are in there.
Camping Checklist - Voyageurs & BWCA
Obviously, for camping, you will need general backpacking gear. I wrote a separate post about what backpacking gear is worth the money from my experience and what are the best alternatives to save you money.
Read My Separate Post: Best Ultralight Backpacking Gear
In addition, here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any backcountry trip in Voyageurs National Park.
Is Voyageurs National Park or the BWCA Better?
In my opinion, the answer is easy: Voyageurs! And I’m not just saying that because all the photos on here are from Voyageurs. The truth is that I did both of my BWCA trips before I ever picked up a camera.
Nevertheless, I’ve the adventurous trips to pack up camp every night or every other night in the B.W.C.A. to canoe one long loop, but the convenience that Voyageurs National Park provides is second to none!
Not portaging with a canoe, minus the little carries that I talked about earlier, was huge!
On average, in the BWCA, we would do anything from a quarter-mile to one-mile portages multiple times throughout a trip, which takes a toll, depending on your destination. However, you could be as adventurous or as lazy as you want in the BWCA. That being said, I would always, at all costs, get off of a front-country lake that has motors!
Between four people, the portaging was manageable, so I recommend considering the BWCA, but make the choice based on the fitness of your group.
In all, Voyageurs is more expensive when considering a hotel the night before, extra canoe rentals from the Park Service, and the water taxi, but personally, I think the higher cost is worth every penny!
Voyageurs vs. Isle Royale National Park
Regardless of my opinions below, do not let my thoughts steer you away from visiting one park over another. They are both incredible National Parks if you get into the backcountry.
That being said, if you are looking to hike or backpack, visit Isle Royale. Voyageurs National Park is much more renowned for its beautiful, secluded backcountry lakes than its trails. However, backpacking across Isle Royale is just one of the many adventures that you could choose.
While it’s very popular to hike from visitor center to visitor center on Isle Royale, you can see from our trip on the Chain of Lakes that we chose just one of countless different combinations for a trip.
In any case, if backcountry fishing interests you more, then Voyageurs National Park is more of the park for you. Even though we did a lot of backcountry fishing on Isle Royale, I believe that Voyageurs is better suited for it because on the inland lakes in Voyageurs, portaging a canoe is not required, whereas we had to portage across the Chain of Lakes on Isle Royale.
Read My Separate Post: Chain of Lakes (Isle Royale)
Between Voyageurs & Isle Royale, Which Do I Prefer?
If you’re looking for a direct comparison and my honest thoughts about which park I prefer over the other, my overall recommendation is Voyageurs for a number of reasons—mainly related to the Isle Royale ferry, how each park operates their permitting, and how busy each park gets.
First, the Isle Royale ferry is a pain. The ferry to Isle Royale is very slow, annoying, and it makes visiting Isle Royale one of the most expensive National Parks in the lower 48!
For three people transporting and renting 1 canoe, it cost us $889 (2022 prices), and we were lucky to not have to cover the park entrance fee. That’s a massive barrier to entry over many other national parks, and the cost only goes up from here if you choose to fly in by seaplane.
The second reason I choose Voyageurs over Isle Royale is because Isle Royale is busy! They like to tell you that visiting a secluded, hard-to-get-to island on Lake Superior is its own barrier to entry, but Isle Royale’s backcountry was by far more crowded than Voyageurs.
Voyageurs may have more visitors overall, but that is mainly because of the large lakes surrounding the backcountry. However, the backcountry in Voyageurs National Park is by and large less visited than the backcountry on Isle Royale.
As I mentioned earlier, when you reserve a backcountry site in Voyageurs, it’s yours and you will be the only group on that lake because there is only one campsite per lake. It was a little annoying to arrive at what you’d think would be a quiet backcountry site on Isle Royale, only to be hunting to find a spot to camp—like our experience at West Chickenbone Lake. And keep in mind that we weren’t even visiting during the busy season.
All said, it seems that as long as you pay for your way to Isle Royale, they will issue any number of backcountry permits needed, which is what I meant by how the park operates. I don’t believe that Isle Royale should be restricting visitors, but finding a way to prevent overcrowding in the backcountry at popular spots should be a priority.
Voyageurs & B.W.C.A. Notes
With whatever type of trip you decide on, don’t skip out on bringing a fishing net. A net really isn’t all that heavy to carry or strap onto a bag. It’s just a little awkward.
While it entirely depends on your setup and what species you’re fishing for, you may not be able to bring certain fish into a canoe without one, especially a big Northern Pike, and the fish are bigger in these lakes than lakes you might be familiar with.
Furthermore, don’t fish without a license! The National Park Service and the National Forest Service have been known to patrol even the most remote areas, doing random checks.
The following is straight from the Minnesota Legislature: 97A.301
“…a person convicted of violating a provision of the game and fish laws that is defined as a gross misdemeanor is subject to a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $3,000 and imprisonment in the county jail for not less than 90 days or more than one year.”
I can imagine this also means a court appearance and lawyer fees.
Furthermore, while Minnesota residents are allowed to fish in certain state parks without a license, this doesn’t apply to any of the areas within Voyageurs National Park or the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
I’ve personally been asked to present my license to an officer multiple times, so it’s not really that uncommon. It also wouldn't surprise me if certain water taxi services asked to see your license prior to heading into the backcountry with fishing gear. However, I couldn’t say for sure.
Safety
Most importantly, Voyageurs National Park and the BWCA is black bear territory.
While hiking/ camping in black bear territory usually presents less danger compared to grizzlies, carrying bear spray is never a bad idea.
In any case, you need to know what to do in the event of an encounter, how to properly store your food at night, and if you bring bear spray, always carry the appropriate amount for your group size.
On another note, something I haven’t yet mentioned is the ticks! We found countless ticks crawling on us in both Voyageurs and the BWCA, and unfortunately, we brought some of them home in our gear.
Therefore, check yourself over and over, and check your gear as best you can when you’re packing. We think that they might have been in the canoes that we picked up at Locator Lake, but it’s hard to say for sure.
Finally, wear sunscreen, and I highly recommend packing a hooded long-sleeve shirt for those long days on the lake, especially for fishing!
As always, find the most-up to-date information and conditions on the official National Forest and National Park websites.
