Border Route Trail

Superior National Forest and BWCAW (Gunflint Trail to the Swamp River)

The Border Route Trail follows the cliffs and lakes along the Minnesota-Ontario border from the end of the Gunflint Trail east toward the Pigeon River. The Duluth News Tribune puts it at about 65 miles, about half inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and says most hikers take five to six days. It links the Kekekabic Trail to the west and the Superior Hiking Trail to the east, and all three are now part of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

The Border Route Trail Association (BRTA) is blunt: the trail is “very remote and should only be attempted by experienced backpackers.”

The hike

At the west end, near the top of the Gunflint Trail, Midwest Weekends describes a 1.5-mile walk to Magnetic Rock, which “disrupts compasses,” through the Ham Lake fire burn, and mentions the Paulsen Mine shaft and the old Gunflint tower site. The BRTA’s first designated campsite is at Loon Lake, and the News Tribune lists the Gunflint High Cliffs among the trail’s landmarks.

The middle third, inside the wilderness, is the heart of the trail. The Duluth News Tribune lists Bridal Veil Falls, Rose Cliffs, Stairway Falls and the Stairway Portage, Rose Lake, and Duncan Lake among the landmarks, and the BRTA lists seven designated campsites between the Crab Lake Cutoff and the Daniels Lake spur, including Partridge Lake, South Lake, and Rose Lake East and West. Midwest Weekends says the side trail to Stairway Falls from the Caribou Rock Trail “offers fantastic views but is one of the more difficult trails in the Boundary Waters.” Farther east, the BRTA lists campsites at Daniels, Clearwater, Gogebic, and Pine Lakes.

Past McFarland Lake, the trail leaves the wilderness and heads toward the Pigeon River. Its eastern miles pass the 270 Degree Overlook, the official northern end of the Superior Hiking Trail, and end on the Swamp River, near Fort Charlotte at the end of the Grand Portage (Midwest Weekends). The News Tribune suggests a 12.5-mile hike from the SHT junction west to McFarland Lake for a shorter trip.

Hikers interviewed by the News Tribune stress experience: roads are often 10 to 15 miles apart, and “If there’s a windfall, it can completely disappear,” as one put it. The BRTA says most backpackers average about a mile an hour. Its 2026 reports describe spring clearing on all 30 non-wilderness miles and on the Rose Lake stretch, where crews also rerouted a section near Duncan Lake.

For the trail that continues west, see the Kekekabic Trail.

Tips

Buy the guidebook and map set. The BRTA says they show mileage, campsites, and water.
Carry a map and compass, even with GPS (Forest Service).
Plan a shuttle. Trailheads are far apart.
Pine Ridge campsite has no water access (BRTA).

Camping

Inside the BWCAW, overnight backpackers need a quota permit from Recreation.gov between May 1 and Sept. 30 for any trip between Crab Lake and McFarland Lake (entry points 81, 82, and 83); from Oct. 1 to April 30, they self-register at a trailhead kiosk (BRTA). A permit covers up to nine people. The Forest Service’s guide says nine people and four watercraft is the maximum together in the wilderness, and that during the ice-free season you must camp at designated sites with steel fire grates and wilderness latrines, for up to 14 consecutive days on one site. Fires go only in the grates; cans and glass bottles are banned except for fuel, insect repellent, and medicine. From April 1 to Nov. 30, food and scented items must be hung at least 12 feet up and 6 feet from a trunk, or kept in a certified bear-resistant container. Dogs must be on a 6-foot or shorter leash.

The BRTA lists 19 designated campsites, plus the fee campground at McFarland Lake.

Inside Intel: No camper accounts recommending a specific Border Route site were found. The Duluth News Tribune describes reaching the Rose Lake East campsite by the 3-mile Daniels Lake access trail and a 2-mile walk west.

Trail facts

Distance: About 65 miles (BRTA); 53 miles (Forest Service)
Route type: Point to point
Difficulty: Strenuous
Campsites: 19 designated sites (BRTA), from Loon Lake to the Swamp River
Water: Lakes and streams near most sites; none at Pine Ridge; treat all water
Permits: BWCAW quota permit May 1-Sept. 30 (Recreation.gov); self-issued Oct. 1-April 30
Group size: Nine people
Food storage: Hang or certified container, April 1-Nov. 30
Dogs: 6-foot leash
Trailheads: Western terminus near the end of the Gunflint Trail; eastern terminus near the Swamp River off the Arrowhead Trail; Daniels Lake and South Lake access trails
Last verified: October 8, 2026

The Lowdown

Cooking at a steel fire grate on Rose Lake:

Border Route sites inside the BWCAW come with a steel grate, but fire bans can leave you stove-only. See the camp stoves reviewers trust for a week on the border.

Read the full guide →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.