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Guided Boundary Waters Canoe Trips

Guided Boundary Waters canoe trips can be a great choice when you know you want to do the Boundary Waters, but aren’t certain of your wilderness skills. Or, you need another adult to help with paddling and other aspects of the adventure. Maybe your group is a family with smaller children or seniors that may need the extra help of an experienced guide. Whatever, the reason, a guided canoe trip may be right for you.

If you have your own group already, no problem. We provide guided canoe trips for as few as two persons. We will create a custom canoe trip that fits your schedule and your interests, whether it be fishing, photography, wildlife viewing (and hearing). Perhaps, you desire a touring type trip where you move daily along a charted route. Or, maybe you want a trip where your group base camps in one or two campsites for the duration of your canoe trip with day trips to other parts of the wilderness for added scenery and interest.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH EQUALS RIVER POINT

At River Point Outfitting Co., we attempt to offer you a guided trip experience that takes you off the “beaten path” to some of the most quiet and less used areas of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The areas you will traverse during your adventure are accessible only by paddling and portaging. This IS a real wilderness and the silence will be deafening. You are miles away from any towns, roads, or anything “unnatural”. River Point’s strategic location where the South Kawishiwi River meets Birch Lake outside of the BWCA is as close as possible to the Boundary Waters and it is only 4 paddle miles away. Located on an amazing private peninsula it is wonderful to kick back and relax on prior to, and following the guided canoe trip adventure. Consider comfortable Villa or Chalet lodging choices at River Point Resort to enhance your canoe trip adventure. This incredible location allows quick van access to some of the most remote and “off the beaten path” parts of the wonderful BWCA.

EXPERIENCE THE BWCA, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

No list of the best in secluded wilderness vacation getaways would be complete without the Midwest’s crown jewel, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness adjacent to Ely, Minnesota. Named one of the “50 Places of a Lifetime” to visit by National Geographic Traveler, this remote wilderness area stretches some 1.1 million acres across the border of northern Minnesota and Canada.

Charles Kuralt noted, “If it is absolute solitude you want, you have only to paddle far enough.”

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness offers a remote and beautifully diverse wilderness full of ecological wonders. Our guides know this amazing area intimately and will lead you through the best guided canoe trip routes that the BWCA has. You will be a quiet observer at times and an active participant at other times. The beauty that abounds will envelope you and revive your inner spirit and your exhausted mind.

GUIDED BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE TRIPS – WE CAN HELP

From River Point’s strategically located lake base just outside of Ely, Minnesota a number of superb guided Boundary Waters canoe trips and routes can be accessed. Simply indicate your interests and the time of year you want to paddle and a perfect customized guided wilderness adventure  will be tailored for you, your family, or your group!

A guided Boundary Waters canoe trip that includes sight-seeing, bird watching, photography, and wildlife viewing for white tail deer, wolves, fox, and other animals in the Boundary Waters are popular choices. Guided BWCA canoe trips may also focus on the beauty and peacefulness of the BWCA, viewing its waterfalls, and viewing pictographs. Combined with learning more about the geology, the plants, the ecology of the wilderness, and the history can enhance your wilderness adventure.

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL SKILLS

On your guided canoe trip adventure your experienced guide will teach you useful canoeing, camping, fishing, and wilderness survival skills. Your guide will help you enjoy the best the BWCA has to offer in any weather condition and any time of the canoeing season which is typically late May to early September). Your Comfort Plus™ Complete Package package will include all the camping equipment, kevlar canoes, and all the food to cook over the camp stove, or right over the open fire. Your knowledgeable guide will teach you how to pitch the tents, collect dry wood, make a fire within the fire grate, cook, and clean up camp.

You will need to paddle a canoe and portage your own packs and equipment, and yes, it is work. But, the physical work is worth getting to enjoy all the beauty and peacefulness of this amazing wilderness. Do plan on “sweating” a bit while you work toward crafting your relationship with the wilderness.

These newfound skills, or practicing skills already learned, will definitely enhance your adventure, make it more enjoyable, raise your confidence levels, and will enrich your life for many years in the future.

GUIDED BOUNDARY WATERS FISHING TRIPS

One of the primary reasons people choose to have a guide is to help them catch fish. River Point’s guides are expert fisher people and will teach you many of the details of fishing from a canoe to be successful. Guides will also share their skills on filleting the fish and cooking them over an open fire and an array of other wilderness skills.

Guided Boundary Waters trips are great for team building programs, clubs, and couples adventure travel. Any date, dependent upon USFS travel permit availability, and itinerary can be accommodated. Our Boundary Waters guides are experienced and knowledgeable in all permit areas of the BWCA for Boundary Waters guided canoe trips. Guided trip adventure are fully outfitted and include all the equipment, canoes, fine food of your choosing from our Menu Planner, maps, safe van transport shuttles, parking for your vehicle in River Point’s safe parking lot, and so much more.

2023 Guided Boundary Waters Canoe Trip Rates

(Rates are per person)

2 Persons 3 Persons 4 Persons 5 Persons 6 Persons 7 Persons 8 Persons
3  Days $905 $730 $640 $600 $555 $530 $510
4 Days $1,210 $985 $860 $790 $745 $710 $685
5 Days $1,515 $1,225 $1,075 $990 $930 $890 $855

Rates Indicated are Per Person and Include:

  • Guide Expertise
  • Fully outfitted Comfort Plus Package™ with the lightest Kevlar canoes, backrest canoe/camp chairs, upgraded pack sacks, Nemo state-of-the art sleep pads, comfy pillows, water purification system, Seal Line waterproof stuff sacks, and all other canoeing and camping equipment, maps, and fine trail food
  • Safe Van Transport to and from Entry/Exit point, unless paddling back to River Point via the South Kawishiwi River
  • Parking for your vehicles in a safe, onsite parking lot 
  • Showers before and after your trip in private fully custom ceramic showers beautifully appointed

Nonrefundable Deposit: $250/person

MN Fishing License, Bait, Tackle, Small van transport gas surcharge, Guide Gratuity, USFS Permit & User Fees are additional. 

Please Note:

  • Minimum of 2 persons; maximum of 8 persons
  • Maximum length of guided trips offered is 6 days, 5 nights
  • Any discount, including the 5% Senior Citizen Discount (age 63+), does not apply on guided Boundary Waters canoe trips.
  • Pets are not allowed on guided canoe trips.
  • A child, age 5 & under, when accompanied by a paying parent or legal guardian (minimum of two adults in the party) is not free on guided completely outfitted trips. The “5 & under free” option applies to self-guided canoe trips.
  • Rates subject to change
  • Copy of each party member’s Covid vaccination record is required in advance of the trip

Make some wilderness memories when going on a guided Boundary Waters canoe trips expedition. You’ll be happy for the experience of paddling through the world class wilderness area of the famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

 

U.S. Forest Service Special Uses Outfitter Guide Permit Holder

River Point Outfitting Co. is fully authorized to operate in the Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) under the auspices of U.S. Forest Service Special Uses Outfitter Guide Permit KAW6057. River Point Outfitting Co. is a Cooperator in good standing with the USDA Forest Service in providing outdoor recreation experiences on the Superior National Forest. River Point Outfitting Co. is authorized to issue permits into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. To preserve the wilderness character, visitors to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness must follow certain BWCAW regulations. River Point Outfitting Co. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age or disability.

 

Life is good to those who know how to live. I do not ever hope to accumulate great funds of worldly wealth, but I shall accumulate something far more valuable, a store of wonderful memories. When I reach the twilight of life I shall look back and say I’m glad I lived as I did, life has been good to me.

– Sigurd Olson

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