Boundarywaters

     If there is one essential item for a canoe trip in the wilderness then it's a Boundary Waters Map.  Well, I suppose you would need a canoe and paddle too, but I wouldn't leave a BWCA entry point without a good Boundary Waters map.  There are all kinds of maps out there but I would only rely on a few Boundary Waters maps to navigate with in the canoe country.
    The two most popular Boundary Water maps are Fisher and McKenzie.  Both companies have been around for quite awhile and offer waterproof, tearproof, detailed BWCA maps.  Fisher maps are recognized by their yellow and blue colors while McKenzie are white and blue.  
     Newer to the BWCA map market are the Voyageur Map series and National Geographic maps.  The Voyageur map series are fine for navigating while the National Geographic maps should not be used for navigational purposes.  There are two BWCA maps by National Geographic one for the Eastern side of the BWCA and one for the West.  Both provide a great overview of the area complete with campsites but not enough detail to navigate the canoe country.
     We sell a great overview map of our area at Voyageur Canoe Outfitters.  It's a multi-purpose map as it is printed on a bandana.  Our guests have loved these and you will too.  We also sell all of the other Boundary Waters maps online so check them out and don't leave a BWCA entry point without a map or two.  It's always better to be safe than sorry, especially in the Boundary Waters.