The Border Route Trail is a long hiking trail that crosses the

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW or BWCA) is a wilderness area within the Superior National Forest in the northeastern part of the US state of Minnesota under the administration of the U.S. Forest Service. A mixture of forests ...

(BWCAW) in the far northeast corner of

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

(Arrowhead) and follows the international border between Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. It connects with the Superior Hiking Trail on its eastern terminus and with the Kekekabic Trail on its western end at the

Gunflint Trail County State-Aid Highway 12 (CSAH 12), also known as the Gunflint Trail, or County Road 12 (CR 12), is a paved roadway and National Scenic Byway in Cook County, Minnesota, that begins in Grand Marais and ends at Saganaga ...

(Cook Cty. Road 12). In addition to the eastern and western termini, the Border Route Trail can be accessed through several spur and connecting trails, allowing for

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

trips ranging from short day-hikes to multiday

backpacking Backpacking may refer to: * Backpacking (travel), low-cost, independent, international travel * Backpacking (hiking), trekking and camping overnight in the wilderness * Ultralight backpacking, a style of wilderness backpacking with an emphasis on ...

expeditions. It is known for its dramatic topography, rugged nature, and outstanding vistas. Many of the vistas overlook the US - Canada border chain of lakes, also known as the Voyageur highway. The Border Route Trail Association was incorporated in 2004 to coordinate the maintenance and increase public awareness of the trail. Legislation passed by Congress in 2019 enacted a major re-route of the North Country Trail in northern Minnesota which included the Border Route Trail as an official part of the

North Country Trail The North Country National Scenic Trail, generally known as the North Country Trail or simply the NCT, is a footpath stretching over from Middlebury in central Vermont to Lake Sakakawea State Park in central North Dakota in the United States; ...

along with the Kekekabic and Superior Hiking Trails. The trail was planned and built in the early 1970s by the

Minnesota Rovers Outing Club Minnesota () is a U.S. state, state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd m ...

with the help of the

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or Minnesota DNR, is the agency of the U.S. state of Minnesota charged with conserving and managing the state's natural resources. The agency maintains areas such as state parks, state forests, recre ...

and the

US Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...

. It was the first long-distance, wilderness backpacking and hiking trail in Minnesota planned and constructed by volunteers.

External links

Border Route Trail Association
{{Minnesota hiking trails Hiking trails in Minnesota Long-distance trails in the United States Protected areas of Cook County, Minnesota Superior National Forest