Boundary Waters Advisory Committee - BWAC

Boundary Waters Advisory Committee - BWAC We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving BWCA trails.

Get ready for cool crisp air, fall colors, and rewarding time on the trail! The Boundary Waters Advisory Committee (BWAC...
08/21/2026

Get ready for cool crisp air, fall colors, and rewarding time on the trail!

The Boundary Waters Advisory Committee (BWAC) has a great lineup of fall volunteer trips planned to keep our wilderness trails open and accessible. Whether you’re looking to clear downed trees, restore tread, or spend a few days immersed in the backwoods, there's a trip for you.

Safety First in the BWCAW We are keeping a close eye on current fire activity across the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and are following all guidance and recommendations from the US Forest Service. Trip leaders will keep participants updated on any potential safety adjustments or route changes as dates approach.

How to Join Us Hope you can join us out on the trail this season! To see current trip schedules, read detailed itineraries, contact trip leaders with questions, and reserve your spot, head over to our Meetup page:

👉 https://www.meetup.com/boundarywatersadvisorycommittee/events/

See you on the trail! 🌲🪓

“Duluth, MN, July 23, 2026) – Superior National Forest temporarily closed public access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Are...
07/23/2026

“Duluth, MN, July 23, 2026) – Superior National Forest temporarily closed public access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) on July 14 at 12:01 a.m. after a lightning storm created a surge of wildfires across the forest. In an effort to re-open select areas of the BWCAW (as fire activity, weather and resources allows) the Forest Service continues to evaluate BWCAW quota permit points daily. The following areas, as depicted in detail in the Forest Order Exhibits A & B, are updated:

Day Use Access - Permits for select points of entry in Cook County starting Monday, July 27 are open for visitor use. Day use at other entry points in the BWCAW remains closed.

Overnight Access – Permits for all points of entry for overnight use are cancelled through Wednesday July 29; no overnight camping is currently allowed.

Visitor Advisory – Due to the varied wildfire activity and weather, the Forest Service advises visitors to be diligent in planning trips into the area. Ensure a travel plan is in place and it’s shared with family or friends, know weather and fire conditions before you go, and understand you are entering a Wilderness area with associated risks due to weather, access and wildfire activity.”

It’s Summer Picnic Time! Everyone is Welcome! Join BWAC and friends for our annual summer gathering to celebrate an amaz...
07/03/2026

It’s Summer Picnic Time! Everyone is Welcome!

Join BWAC and friends for our annual summer gathering to celebrate an amazing spring season of trail work. Whether you're a seasoned volunteer looking to reconnect with your crew or completely new to the wilderness and curious about how to get involved, we want to see you there! 🌲

📅 When: Wednesday, July 15th | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

📍 Where: Wabun Picnic Area (Minnehaha Falls area)

🍔 Food: BYO food and anything you want to grill. BWAC will provide the charcoal, cold drinks, plates, and utensils!

Come swap stories of soggy boots, epic sunsets, and trail triumphs with a community that's been stewarding wilderness trails since 2002.

👉 RSVP on meetup!(https://www.meetup.com/boundarywatersadvisorycommittee/events/315216965/)

Meet BWAC Crew #12: "The BWAC Pounders"! This incredible crew of six—Lucas, Valentin, Zach, Lynn, Jon, and Alana—just w...
06/29/2026

Meet BWAC Crew #12: "The BWAC Pounders"!

This incredible crew of six—Lucas, Valentin, Zach, Lynn, Jon, and Alana—just wrapped up a massive, muddy, and wildly successful mission on the Eagle Mountain Trail.

The goal? Replace the badly deteriorated and flooded Eagle Mountain Boardwalk. The result? 300 feet of brand-new, rock-solid boardwalk stretching safely across the bog!

⏱️ 26 total hours of hard labor (6 hours of intense clearing/prep on 5/1 + 20 hours of building from 6/26-28)

🔨 1,600+ nails pounded by hand

🪚 120 foundation boards custom-cut on-site

🛠️ The Arsenal: 4 sledgehammers, 4 pry bars, 2 Silky saws, one 10-lb maul, 1 Pulaski, and 1 Root Slayer shovel (and zero power tools!).

🏕️ Basecamp & Backcountry Perks
A massive thank you to the US Forest Service (USFS) for providing our basecamp at the Two Island Lake Campground! After long days of heavy swinging, those beautiful lakeside sites and refreshing swims were pure heaven.

Nature also put on a spectacular show for the crew: the drive-in featured a breathtaking, solid half-mile stretch of millions of purple lupines in full bloom!

Perfect Trail Conditions
The weather absolutely cooperated, keeping us cool with crisp 55°F mornings, beautiful 72°F days, and wonderfully low humidity.

The crew also got to chat with plenty of folks eager to try out the new wood—sharing smiles and trail updates with 40 day hikers and two groups of backpackers keeping us company over the weekend.

Next time you head up to Minnesota's highest point, enjoy the dry socks and stable footing courtesy of Crew 12!

🛶 Trip Report: Canoe-in to Hustler Lake (Sioux-Hustler Trail) 🌲The "Done @ 2 crew" just wrapped up an incredible (and sw...
06/18/2026

🛶 Trip Report: Canoe-in to Hustler Lake (Sioux-Hustler Trail) 🌲

The "Done @ 2 crew" just wrapped up an incredible (and sweaty!) 5-day volunteer trip clearing the Sioux-Hustler Trail!

Four dedicated volunteers put in a massive 432 total service hours, tackling everything from heavy brush to intense humidity to keep our trails beautiful and accessible.

Here is how the trip broke down:

🛠️ Trail Work Accomplished
Cleared 0.42 miles of trail to standard, picking up where the October 2025 crew left off and working north toward the North Hustler Lake campsite.

Cleared out thick regrowth of aspen, birch, alder, and maple saplings, pulled conifer seedlings by hand, and dug out stubborn oak rootballs.

Cleared 3 major treefalls blocking the path.

🏕️ The Journey & Conditions
The Route: An 11-mile trek in (9 miles of canoeing, 2 miles of portaging) to the East Hustler Lake campsite. The LIS beaver dam was submerged enough to paddle right over!

Weather: Highs reached the 80s with thick humidity. A massive Thursday night thunderstorm dropped heavy rain and sparked three area wildfires, leading to a fire ban by Saturday.

The Bugs: The crew battled three different species of biting flies that laughed in the face of DEET and permethrin—but spirits remained high!

Nature's Rewards: The crew was treated to the sight of eagles, swans, beavers, and thousands of yellow orchids and lady slippers in full bloom along the trail.

🍔 The trip wrapped up the best way possible on Sunday: breaking camp early, paddling out, and stopping for a well-deserved group lunch at Gordy’s in Cloquet!

🙏 A Huge Thank You to the US Forest Service (Superior National Forest - LaCroix District) for lending and delivering the canoes, paddles, and PFDs that made this volunteer mission possible.

Note for future crews: There is about 0.28 miles of moderate-to-heavy brushing left before the North Hustler Spur trail. Pack your root-slayers!

This Saturday, June 13, 2026, is GO Day—the perfect excuse to disconnect and celebrate the public lands we fight to prot...
06/13/2026

This Saturday, June 13, 2026, is GO Day—the perfect excuse to disconnect and celebrate the public lands we fight to protect.

While the Minnesota DNR is celebrating by waiving all vehicle permit fees across all 73 state parks today, our hearts at the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee (BWAC) are always in the rugged wilderness of the BWCAW.

Getting outdoors into pristine spaces is only possible because of dedicated hands keeping the paths clear. If today inspires you to give back to the wild places you love, skip the standard park loops and join a future BWAC trail-clearing crew to keep the Powwow, Eagle Mountain, or Sioux-Hustler trails open for everyone.

How are you hitting the trails today? Let us know below! 👇

06/06/2026

Today, the American Hiking Society hosts National Trails Day—the largest annual celebration of public trails in the United States. At the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee (BWAC), we believe the best way to celebrate trails is to protect them.

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness holds some of the most remote backpacking terrain in the country. Keeping routes like the Powwow Trail, Sioux Hustler Trail, and Brule Lake Trails safe and navigable requires thousands of hours of dedicated volunteer service every year.

Our crews volunteer their time clearing downfall and brush, ensuring these historic paths remain open for future generations.

How you can support our mission today:
We rely entirely on the generosity and grit of our community to keep these trails alive.

🌐 Support Our Work: Visit our website to donate to our cause and fund future clearing expeditions.

🤝 Get Involved: Join us on Meetup to stay informed on our upcoming events and clearing trips. https://www.meetup.com/boundarywatersadvisorycommittee

JOIN US in preserving the wilderness!

475 hours of hard work, muddy boots, and unforgettable views!Huge congratulations to Crew 8 for crushing Trip #8! Six i...
06/03/2026

475 hours of hard work, muddy boots, and unforgettable views!

Huge congratulations to Crew 8 for crushing Trip #8! Six incredible volunteers stepped up to clear and maintain our backcountry trails, pushing through everything from chilly rain to mid-80s heat.

What a week looks like on the trail:

The Impact: 475 total volunteer service hours dedicated to keeping public lands open and accessible.

The Hustle: Clearing brush and downed trees with saws, loppers, and root slayers.

The Reward: Setting up camp right on the water at Pageant Lake, spotting eagles at Devil’s Cascade, and swapping stories after a long day's work.

From dealing with thick ticks to pushing through minor trail injuries, this crew showed what true grit looks like. Shoutout to Leaders Sara and Brianna, and crew members Kait, Lon, Alana, and Logan. You all are rockstars!

A massive thank you to the US Forest Service - Superior National Forest (Tofte District) for supporting our crews with essential gear and permits.

Want to be part of the next adventure?
If you’re ready to work hard, camp in beautiful places, and give back to the trails you love, we want you on the team. Comment below or send us a DM to learn how to join a future crew!

Address

Minneapolis, MN

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Boundary Waters Advisory Committee - BWAC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Boundary Waters Advisory Committee - BWAC:

Shortcuts

Share

Category