Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
Sunset over Pose Lake, a small lake accessible only by foot.
Location	Cook, Lake, Saint Louis counties, Minnesota, United States
Nearest city	Ely, Minnesota Grand Marais, Minnesota
Coordinates	48°N 91°W / 48°N 91°W / 48; -91
Area	1,090,000 acres (4,400 km2)[1]
Established	1978
Visitors	105,000 (in 2015)
Governing body	U.S. Forest Service

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW or BWCA) comprises 1,090,000 acres (440,000 ha) of pristine forests, glacial lakes, and streams in the Superior National Forest. Located entirely within the U.S. state of Minnesota at the Boundary Waters, the wilderness area is under the administration of the United States Forest Service. Efforts to preserve the primitive landscape began in the 1900s and culminated in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act of 1978. The area is a popular destination for canoeing, hiking, and fishing, and is the most visited wilderness in the United States.^[2]: 10