The BWCA Closure of 2026 - Boundary Waters & Wildfires

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is temporarily closing. As an active heatwave and wildfires impact the most visited wilderness area in the nation, the U.S. Forest Service announced the closure, which starts Tuesday, July 14. This closure includes all entry points and access to the BWCA Wilderness. The Paddle & Portage Podcast visited Ram Lake in the BWCA July 13 to check the conditions and file this report before the closure takes effect. Find more information and updates here: https://paddleandportage.com/ #bwca #fires #boundarywaters #closure #minnesota