North-central and northeastern Minnesota boast the most extensive public lands for wilderness camping in the state, which transpires in both primitive campgrounds and dispersed sites. Two of the premier destinations are the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the Superior National Forest and Voyageurs National Park. The Boundary Waters adjoin Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario in a massive, lake-studded wildland best explored with a paddle. The Chippewa National Forest is another large site rife with wilderness-camping opportunities.
Unlike in many wilderness areas in the lower 48 states, boats are primary modes of travel in parts of northern Minnesota. The most extensive opportunities for wilderness exploration in the Boundary Waters and the Voyageurs backcountry come by canoe or kayak. Hikers certainly have hundreds of miles of trails to explore, and the most ambitious -- those willing to bushwhack -- can explore vast roadless woods and wetlands where solitude is virtually guaranteed.
Northern Minnesota’s winters are long, cold and snowy; hardy backpackers have plenty of white wilderness to satisfy them this time of year, but they must be well-versed in cold-weather recreation. Summer and early autumn are fine times for backcountry exploration, although biting insects can be a headache. Black flies and mosquitoes become troublesome in late spring to early summer, and deer and horse flies, as well as the midges aptly labeled "no-see-ums," can plague mid- to late-summer campers. Autumn wilderness trekkers should keep track of the state hunting seasons and take appropriate precautions.
Biting insects can be tortuous, but more threatening are wilderness disorientation and terrain hazards, such as shallow rocks and rapids for canoe-campers or deadfall-stacked swamps for the backpacker. Severe thunderstorms, more commonplace in central and southern Minnesota, can occasionally be a threat in the region -- whether via lightning or gusty, tree-toppling winds. Boil or purify water before drinking, even in the remotest country. Large mammals mostly avoid humans, but campers should follow bear-safety procedures for stowing food -- black bears are numerous and widespread here -- and steer well clear of moose, particularly cows defending calves in spring and early summer.
