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The Superior National Forest partly backed
off plans to eliminate the lottery system for issuing Boundary
Waters Canoe Area entry permits and said Friday it will keep the
lottery for the popular entry points on two lakes near Ely.


      The U.S. Forest Service had planned to eliminate the lottery
system entirely and take reservations only on a first come, first
served basis. But officials said they decided, after receiving
comments, to keep the lottery for the Fall Lake and Moose Lake
entry points where most of the entry permits historically had been
reserved by lottery.


      The lottery will be used for overnight paddle and motor permits
for both lakes, for all day-use motor permits for the Moose Lake
chain, and for day motor permits for Fall Lake and beyond. Day
motor permits for visitors using Fall Lake only will become first
come, first served.


      The Forest Service will take lottery applications from Dec. 19
to Jan. 19 and run the lottery Jan. 20.


      The remaining permits for those entry points, as well as permits
for all other BWCA entry points, can be reserved first-come,
first-served, starting Jan. 25 at 9 a.m. central time at 


 or by phone. Forest Service officials
said historical data show that a lottery is not needed for other
entry points because permits for them are generally available
through the season.


      About 250,000 people visit the wilderness area each year, and
about 9,000 parties entered the last lottery. The Forest Service
sets daily quotas for each entry point to keep visitors spread out
and to ensure enough campsites are available.

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The Superior National Forest partly backed
off plans to eliminate the lottery system for issuing Boundary
Waters Canoe Area entry permits and said Friday it will keep the
lottery for the popular entry points on two lakes near Ely.


BWCA to keep lottery system for some entry permits

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