The Superior National Forest continues to reopen Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) entry points that were temporarily closed from wildfires. The following areas will reopen on Wednesday, August 5, 2026: Additional overnight entry points on the Kawishiwi and LaCroix Ranger Districts including in the Trout Lake Unit, off the Fernberg Road and more.
Kawishiwi Ranger District Entry points listed below are open to overnight use as of August 5:
• 6 Slim Lake
• 25 Moose Lake (No paddle travel beyond Lewis Narrows and Upper Basswood Falls)
• 27 Snowbank Lake
• 28 Snowbank Lake Only
• 29 North Kawishiwi River
• 30 Lake One
• 31 Farm Lake
• 32 South Kawishiwi River
Open to overnight use as of July 30:
• 33 Little Gabbro Lake
LaCroix Ranger District Open to overnight use as of August 5:
• 1 Trout Lake
• 4 Crab Lake and Cummings Lake
While some portions of the BWCAW are reopened, other areas remain impacted by suppression efforts and continued wildfire activity from the Bear Trap, Sioux, and Thumb Fires–permit reservations for entry points not listed in Exhibit A or B are cancelled through August 10, 2026.
Entry points 11-Blandin Trail, 14-Little Indian Sioux River North, 15-Sioux-Hustler Trail, and 19-Stuart River, will be cancelled through the end of the quota permit season on September 30. These areas were directly impacted by the wildfires and need maintenance and rehabilitation to ensure they are accessible to visitors.
The Forest Service reminds visitors to be diligent in planning trips into newly reopened and all parts of the BWCAW. Plan to be self-sufficient, ensure a travel plan is in place and shared with family or friends, know weather forecasts and fire conditions before your trip, travel with multiple means of communication, and understand that you are entering a remote Wilderness area with risks due to weather, access, and potential wildfire activity. Tips on Wilderness trip planning, rules and regulations, and the official BWCAW Trip Planning Guide can be found on this BWCAW website.
The Forest Service continues to work with partners, along with evaluating current and forecasted fire activity, available firefighting resources and progress of fire suppression activities in reopening recreation areas impacted by the wildfires.
For maps and more information on the Phase 5 partial reopening and fire restrictions please visit: https://fs.usda.gov/r09/superior/alerts
