REGIONAL— Campers in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness can expect to see less maintenance of portages and campsites this summer as the Forest Service cuts back on seasonal wilderness hires. In many cases, they’ll need to pick up entry permits from outfitters, rather than some of the most heavily visited ranger stations, such as the Kawishiwi District office in Ely.
But even as visitor services and wilderness maintenance are being trimmed, the Superior National Forest is proposing the largest increase in overnight camping fees in its history—an increase that would push the cost of a four-person (two adults, two children) overnight visit from the current $48 to a whopping $120.
That hefty increase should eventually provide the Forest Service with more funding for wilderness maintenance and services and allow the agency to restore some of the cuts that the Trump administration has implemented this year.
That additional funding, however, won’t arrive immediately. The plan calls for the increase to take effect in 2027, and how much new funding the higher fees will generate will depend on the final numbers adopted by the agency. Before that happens, the Forest Service is asking to hear from the public in a comment period that lasts through Sept. 2. The agency will host two in-person public meetings on the subject next month, including a Monday, July 14 meeting at the Kawishiwi Ranger District in Ely, from 4-6 p.m. A virtual meeting is set for 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15 and anyone wishing to participate can go to https://www.facebook.com/SuperiorNF for a digital link.
A second in-person meeting is set for Tuesday, July 22, from 4-6 p.m. at the Gunflint Ranger District office in Grand Marais.
Once comments are reviewed and integrated into the proposal, the plan will go for review and recommendation to the Regional Recreation Resource Advisory Committee before a final decision is made.  See the proposal with maps and additional detailed information at:  https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/superior/passes/proposed-boundary-waters-canoe-area-wilderness-fee-changes.
USFS says rising costs necessitate fee increase
The potential increase in fees would mark the first fee increase since 2008, when the trip fee was hiked to $16 for adults and $8 for youth. Forest Service officials say the proposed fee increase, to $40 for adults and $20 for youth, is necessary to cover the rising costs of managing the 1.1-million-acre BWCAW. Forest Service officials say the wilderness currently has an $11 million maintenance backlog, one that is likely to grow even larger this year as a result of staffing and budget cuts.
Forest Service officials said that at least 80 percent of the funds raised by the fee increase will go back to the Superior National Forest to help pay for the recreational program. “Visitors to the area will see improved public services such as portages, latrines, and fire grates, as well as additional wilderness rangers and law enforcement,” according to a Forest Service Q&A available on the Superior National Forest website.
The Timberjay requested comparable wilderness management budget data from the Superior, but officials did not respond to the request as of press time, nor did they respond when asked whether the fee hike proposal originated with the Superior National Forest or at the regional or national offices.
An increase in fees is consistent with a push by the Trump administration to increase user fees for visitors to some public lands, such as national parks, to offset the impact of budget cuts implemented by the administration.

Reaction mixed
While the higher fees could discourage some visitors to the wilderness, at least some outfitters see higher fees as inevitable and still well worth it for the type of experience visitors can enjoy in the Boundary Waters.
“I think it’s still a good bargain,” said Steve Nelson, who operates Spirit of the Wilderness Outfitters in Ely.
Jason Zabokrtsky, who operates the Ely Outfitting Company, agrees, saying he considers the current fees to be nearly free. “You can’t get anything for $16 these days in most cases,” he said. “But here you can get an incredible wilderness experience.”
Given the nearly 20 years that have elapsed since the last fee increase, both Nelson and Zabokrtsky, say they agree on the need, yet both expressed surprise at the size of the proposed increase.
“In general, as a marketing person, I think that’s a big jump all at one time,” said Nelson.
“I’d rather see them take it in smaller bites. I think that would be a little more palatable. I suspect some people are going to have some sticker shock.”
The higher fees are unlikely to have much impact on wilderness users who utilize the services of outfitters, since those visitors are already spending hundreds and even thousands of dollars for full-service outfitting. Zabokrtsky said he worries that the fee increase will fall hardest on local folks, especially those who own their own gear and like the flexibility to head into the wilderness on a nice weekend to fish or just enjoy the wilderness with their family. “I think that could really be an impediment to those folks, which is unfortunate,” he said. “I wonder if the Forest Service would consider something like a season pass, aimed at local folks who might do lots of shorter trips.”
Since the fee is per trip, rather than per night, the cost per night drops considerably the longer one stays in the wilderness.
Zabokrtsky said he’s convinced the Forest Service needs the additional funding for wilderness maintenance, but he’s still wondering how to reach the right balance to ensure the wilderness remains accessible to everyone. “The wilderness does need the support. But what the right dollar amount is, I don’t know the answer to that. I do know their budget has taken a hit.”
Fewer no-shows?
If there’s one thing that outfitters agree on, it’s that higher fees might discourage wilderness users from reserving permits they may not use. That’s become a problem in recent years, one that keeps some folks from being able to use the wilderness due to the quota system in place during the summer months.
Given the relatively low trip fees currently in place, many users aren’t bothering to cancel their permit reservations even when it’s clear they won’t be able to use them. By canceling ahead of their trip, permit holders can receive a refund of most of the fees they would otherwise pay. The higher those fees, outfitters figure, the more likely it is that permit holders will make the effort to log back onto recreation.gov to cancel their reservations and free up permits that currently go unused.