Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Pristine sky, where the Milky Way casts shadows on the ground.
The world's largest International Dark Sky Sanctuary at 1,098,000 acres, the Boundary Waters was also the first federally designated wilderness area anywhere in the world to receive Dark Sky Sanctuary status. Sky quality readings average 21.64 out of a maximum possible 22.0, putting it among the darkest measurable skies in North America. The 2,000 designated campsites and 1,200 miles of canoe routes mean the darkness is accessible deep in the backcountry. Winter and spring bring some of the best aurora viewing in the contiguous United States.
What's here
On the map
What to bring
Our picks for a good night under the stars.
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