Worst BWCAW Reviews – The Wilderness is NOT for Everyone

This time of the year, the itch for that perfect summer canoe trip begins to intensify as permits are pulled, routes are planned, gear is cleaned, and the days begin to lengthen! It's also time to remember that for every person who lives and breathes their wilderness trips, there is another who writes theirs off as an ill-advised nightmare. For this piece, we've scoured the internet for the top 10 bad reviews of the BW. Just as there's an odd person out who doesn't appreciate the grand views of Yosemite or can't come to grips with the social schedules of Yellowstone Bison, some folks just weren't cut out for the Boundary Waters Wilderness Experience I suppose.

Here it's good to note that these are not meant to offend; we don't believe in calling out individual people or outfitters for the experiences that were had. It's all in good-natured fun. With that note, here are the top 10:

review 1

"The lakes were frozen. Seems like a money grab."

review 2

"WHY?!!!! Would anyone deliberately go here and exhaust yourself canoeing only to set up camp and deal with bugs and rodents. Discovery Channel is cheaper and comes with a couch"

review 3

"Too much paddling.  Too much portaging.  Too many bugs.  No fish were caught.  Dogs were miserable.  Do not recommend."

review 6

"We had a 260 rod portage with two large downed trees directly across the steep path, which was incredibly overgrown to begin with. The wood planks that were used had rotted away in other areas of the same portage. Not what I expect when carrying the pack and canoe. Ridiculously unsafe in a remote area."

review 4

"They really need to do something about the mosquitoes"

review 5

"We encountered a beaver dam across the river in a dangerous place that we had to line the (kevlar) Canoe over. As much as I like to see nature untouched, something needs to be done about that before someone gets hurt. And there’s a landing on the Northside of one of the portages that’s nothing but ankle breaking rocks and mud that’ll suck your boots off. Again, more dangerous than it should be."

review 7

"The winds were high that day. Made fishing difficult."

review 8

"Mosquitoes were horrendous. Make sure you have a head to toe airtight system, with no gaps, not even one square millimeter, or they will get in, and ruin your experience."

review 9

"boring the only thing there is trees and rocks."

review 10

"Little management leaves lots of dead trees."

Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates about new articles, great deals, and information about the activities you love and the gear that makes them possible:


Have You Read Our Other Content?

The Comprehensive Guide to Portaging Like a Pro

By Riley Smith | June 14, 2023

We all took our first portage somewhere. From those first tender rods on wobbly legs, we each struggled to carry all our gear from lake to lake. For many of us, this was also a time of questions: “Why did I bring so much gear?”, “Why is my canoe so heavy?”, “Am I in good…

Gear Features: We’ve got your back(straps)!

By Riley Smith | August 2, 2022

  At Portage North and Sundog Sport, we sell gear that we would want to use and that we can trust. In that pursuit, we are constantly improving our gear so that it can be more enjoyable to use, more trustworthy, and easier to make to a high standard. Much has changed since Portage North…

The BWCAW Permit and Visitor Use Report

By Riley Smith | August 30, 2023

At the end of July, last year’s visitor use report was published by the USFS. It notes current statistics and trends in visitor numbers and activities. It also provides a unique benchmark which, along with past visitor surveys (and more major studies from 2007, 1992, and 1969) gives a glimpse into the people utilizing the…

Map Mondays – Week 9 – Trout to Moose River South

By Riley Smith | August 30, 2023

As part of our continuing series on the “route planning game,” we are creating routes using randomly selected entry points, exit points, and number of days to create unique and fun BWCA routes. This route highlights a route across the rugged western section of the BWCA. Check it out: Total Mileage: 35.2 milesNights: 5Paddle Distance:…

How to Start Wilderness Winter Camping on a Budget

By Riley Smith | December 7, 2022

The wind howls around the steep rocky palisade displacing snow which softly blanketed the lichen-speckled crag the night before. The cold wind bites the face as the eyes turn upwards towards brilliant hues of pink and orange igniting the morning sky. The evening dark and long makes the dawn all the more magical. And with…

The 12 Longest Portages in Canoe Country

By Riley Smith | September 22, 2023

The act of portaging between two waterways is usually, understandably, an intentionally short affair. Paddle to the closest point between two water bodies and then portage. This doesn’t make it easy or “type 1 fun” every time, but it’s the burden we bear for wilderness travel. Some portages stick with us whether they are steep…

Is it possible to visit EVERY lake in the BWCA?

By Riley Smith | July 26, 2023

This is one of those funny questions. I don’t know if other major BWCA trip enthusiasts have had to encounter it, but I certainly have. It usually comes from someone that isn’t that familiar with the Boundary Waters who, upon hearing of your adventures and how much time you’ve spent, wonders if you’ve been to…

A History of the Humble BWCAW Fire Grate

By Riley Smith | September 29, 2023

Across the BWCAW there are campsites big and small. Some have shallow water and sandy beaches, others sit perched high upon rocky outcroppings. Some sit close to shore while others are tucked back into the forest. Some are perfectly suited for a single tent while others could easily accommodate the maximum 9-person group and then…

How to Name Over 1000 Different Lakes: Part 2

By Riley Smith | October 27, 2023

Last year, we published an article about Boundary Waters lake names, their inspirations, their backgrounds, and which themes and names are common or often repeated. Among 1100 different lakes in the BWCAW alone, there are quite a variety of names! In this sequel article, we are visiting the BWCAW, Quetico, and Voyageurs National Park to…

Map Mondays – Week 1 – Hog Creek to Skipper/Portage

By Riley Smith | June 26, 2023

As part of our continuing series on the “route planning game,” we are creating routes using randomly selected entry points, exit points, and number of days to create unique and fun BWCA routes. This week is a big trip of nine nights from Hog Creek to Skipper/Portage. It’s certainly a big and challenging route, but…

Author Bio:

Riley Smith

Riley is the Director of Community Engagement and Public Relations for Portage North and Sundog Sport. He comes from a background in wilderness programing and environmental education with four years of BWCA outfitting and guiding before taking this role. In his free time, he can be found out canoeing, hiking, snowshoeing, capturing photography, and writing.
Posted in ,

Leave a Comment