Boundary Waters Wildfire Closures: What's Open Right Now
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The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota has been closed to overnight camping since mid-July due to wildfire activity, but the Forest Service has been reopening it in phases as containment improves. If you had a Boundary Waters trip planned, here’s where things actually stand.
What's Reopened So Far
The wilderness closed entirely on July 14 after a lightning-sparked outbreak of fires. Since then, the Forest Service has been reopening entry points in phases — day-use access came first, followed by overnight camping in the central and eastern portions of the wilderness. As of early August, roughly 39% of the BWCAW’s acreage is accessible again, with more entry points continuing to open as crews make progress on containment.
Not everything is back, though. Some areas remain closed while suppression efforts continue on the active fires, and a forest-wide campfire ban has been in effect since mid-July.
What This Means If You Had a Trip Planned
If your permitted entry point falls within a still-closed zone, it’s worth checking the Superior National Forest’s own alerts page directly before you head up — the closure map has been updated in phases and specific entry points matter here. If you’re flexible, the Forest Service has pointed out that Superior National Forest has plenty of drive-up alternatives outside the BWCAW itself: 23 developed campgrounds and 18 rustic campgrounds that were never part of the closure.
Local resorts, cabins, and campgrounds around Ely and the Gunflint Trail have also remained open throughout, even while the wilderness itself was closed.
Looking for a Minnesota Backup Plan?
If you want a sure thing while the Boundary Waters keeps recovering, our Minnesota picks are all outside the affected wilderness area.
Source: U.S. Forest Service, Superior National Forest.