Boundary Waters Canoe Trip

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Overview:

Our trips typically include five days in the wilderness, capped off with a relaxing stay in Grand Marais, Minnesota, named one of America’s coolest small towns! Once we’re back to civilization, you can enjoy a hot shower, unwind in the pool or hot tub, and pick up a few souvenirs before heading home. With travel time included, the full experience lasts about eight days.

*Customized advanced trips are available for experienced paddlers.

Details:

Every year, we take a group of participants to experience this amazing unplugged wilderness for themselves. Interested in heading out on this awesome adventure with us? Canoeing, backpacking, hiking and more … what could be better?

When: Dates TBD

Where: BWCAW

Participants: Individuals, Families, or Groups. Up to 8 participants (9 total with guides) for each team.

Average Cost: *Approximately $675 per participant

Sample Itinerary:

Day 1: Leave AFSC/Wisconsin
Day 2: Wisconsin/Gunflint Trail Minnesota
Day 3: Wilderness Entry/Locate Base Camp
Day 4: Fishing/Exploring/Relaxing Day
Day 5: Fishing/Day Trip Loop
Day 6: Break Base Camp/Locate Second Campsite
Day 7: Break Second Campsite/Return to Civilization
Day 8: Return to AFSC/Unload Vehicle and Sleep

*Price is subject to change.

Expedition Highlights

Explore the wilds of the BWCAW - Paddle across the vast Saganaga Lake, truly the “land of sky-blue waters.”
Encounter incredible wildlife - Watch for moose, bald eagles, and even black bears! Drift off to sleep to the hauntingly peaceful call of the loon. The silence here is extraordinary.
Face the elements - Grit your teeth through rough waters and glide effortlessly across glass-smooth lakes. Out here, the weather sets the pace.
Discover the story of the landscape - Learn how the Ice Age and the Genesis Flood shaped this breathtaking wilderness.
Get ready for adventure - Experience the thrill of wilderness travel and cast your line for some serious game fishing.
Behold the heavens - Like the psalmist, marvel under a canopy of stars—millions of brilliant points of light that will take your breath away.
Unplug and reconnect - Leave your cell phone behind; it won’t work out here anyway. In the Boundary Waters, you’ll find something far better, peace.

Your Wilderness Guides

Bill Sanderson, AFSC’s founder, grew up spending his summers in the Boundary Waters, first vacationing there with his family and later working in the area. For more than 60 years, Bill has led groups through this pristine wilderness, carrying on a legacy passed down from his mentor, Rolf Skrein, who learned the ways of the land from the Indigenous peoples of the region in the 1940s. His lifelong experience and love for the North Woods have shaped him into a seasoned guide and outfitter for our wilderness expeditions.

Bill Heidinger began his outdoor adventures early, taking up backpacking in seventh grade and completing his first canoe trip to Algonquin Park by tenth grade. At 18, shortly after graduating high school, he became a certified SCUBA instructor and soon opened his own business, where he taught classes, sold equipment, and led dive trips. Since then, Bill has dedicated his life to outdoor education, leading programs that span SCUBA diving, backpacking, canoeing, and youth wilderness experiences. His decades of hands-on experience and deep passion for the outdoors make him an outstanding guide and a perfect fit for our BW wilderness trips.