NOW Outdoors: Madison

This is the perfect introductory trip to wilderness canoe camping. You'll hone your outdoor skills and gain solid experience paddling and portaging through a series of pristine lakes.

Join us for a beautiful laid-back trip in the Northwoods. We start with a quick gear shakedown and group paddle instruction before put-in. Then, we navigate a series of lakes and portage trails to reach our site for the weekend. From there, you'll have lots of free time to paddle, swim, fish, practice new skills, or just kick back and relax. There is also a substantial trail system for hiking that is accessible right from our campsite. The initial travel time from our put-in spot to camp is roughly 3 hours.

This is a perfect trip for anyone interested in canoeing and a great trip to prep for a Boundary Waters adventure later in the summer. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out. This trip always draws a fun group.

Difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate
While this is a great beginner trip, participants MUST be comfortable in the water. Paddling and backpacking experience is a plus. You should have your own personal items such as clothing and gear as recommended on the gear list. We also have rental gear available on a first-come, first-serve basis, including packs, hammocks, mess kits, etc. Participants should be in good physical health, able to carry their personal gear, and able to help portage group gear including our lightweight canoes.

Upon registration, you will have access to the group page for this event. All of the trip information, including gear lists and directions, can be found there.

Price: $450 Early Bird price thru March 10th
Regular Price $525Registration closes April 25th

Gear up for this exclusive unforgettable journey deep into the wild heart of Wabakimi Provincial Park, where the untamed wilderness awaits. We're headed there in May for a bush plane drop-off, 12-day paddle adventure. This all-inclusive trip plunges you deep into one of North America’s most secluded, rugged, and pristine paddling destinations. Experience breathtaking landscapes, tackle challenging portages, and encounter incredible wildlife in their natural habitat. Space is limited (4 spots) and reserved for experienced backcountry travelers. If you’re ready to elevate your level of adventure, this is your call to the wild.

Trip Highlights

• Floatplane drop-off into the heart of Wabakimi’s remote wilderness
• Paddling and portaging through wild, untouched landscapes
• Towering waterfalls, rushing rapids, and ancient pictographs
• World class fishing destination
• Opportunities to see a wide variety of wildlife including moose, wolves, caribou, bears, otters, eagles, beaver, and more
• Potential views of the northern lights
• Camping under the stars with no crowds, no roads, and no cell service
• Historical sites, old cabins, and remote fish camps
• Final night at a comfortable lodge with a hot meal and showers

Trip Itinerary

• May 14: Arrive at Wabakimi Outfitters. Enjoy dinner and stories from legendary outdoorsman Bruce Hyer, review gear, finalize routes, and settle in for the night.
• May 15: Early breakfast, gear check, then board a floatplane to our remote drop off location. From here, our adventure begins as we paddle into the heart of Wabakimi.
• May 15-24: A full 10-days of paddling and portaging through vast lakes, rushing rivers, and dense boreal forests. We’ll navigate challenging and often overgrown portages, explore historic sites, and experience the wild beauty of Wabakimi. Expect to encounter remote campsites, rugged landings, and complete solitude. If you're an angler, Wabakimi has some of the best fishing anywhere in the world for delicious walleyes, lake trout, huge northern pike, and even speckled trout, this is an angler’s paradise!
• May 24: Our journey ends at a remote trailhead or railway access point on the southern edge of the park, where we’ll be picked up and transported back to our lodge for a well-earned meal and hot shower.
• May 25: Departure - Optional post-trip visits to Fort William Historical Park, Kakabeka Falls in Thunder Bay, and High Falls at Grand Portage for those with extra time.

Difficulty: Challenging
This is an advanced wilderness canoe expedition with difficult and overgrown portages, unpredictable weather, and no maintained campsites or latrines. This trip is for experienced adventurers in good physical condition, willing to share chores and contribute to the team's success. You should be able to provide sufficient clothing and personal gear items as per a provided gear list. Everyone will be expected to help around camp and on the water, including portaging gear and canoes between waterways for various distances on rough and rugged portage trails. The pace will be challenging at times. Maps are less detailed, landings are rugged, and the lakes can be wind-swept. Expect long days of paddling. We plan to have a couple zero travel days but this will depend on our route and weather conditions. Previous paddling and backcountry camping experience is required. If you’re looking for a remote, challenging, and deeply rewarding adventure, Wabakimi delivers.

How Secluded Is Wabakimi?
• Killarney Provincial Park: 26,000 acres and 1.7 million visitors
• Boundary Waters Canoe Area: 1.3 million acres and 250,000 visitors
• Algonquin Provincial Park: 1.9 million acres and 800,000 visitors
• Yellowstone National Park: 2.2 million acres and 1.6 million visitors
• Wind River Range: 2.2 million acres and 900,000 visitors
• Wabakimi Provincial Park: 5 million acres and only 500 visitors!

Weather in May

• Average daytime temp is 58F and can get at high as 75F
• Average nighttime temp is 37F and could dip into the teens
• Average rain - 3 inches
• Average sunny days - 3
• Average snowy days - 5

What’s Included?

• High-quality canoes, paddles, and all necessary group equipment
• Top-tier camping gear, tents, and safety equipment
• Delicious backcountry meals throughout the trip
• Transportation within the trip, including floatplane drop-off
• Park fees, permits, licenses, maps, and insurance
• Satellite phone for emergency communication
• Pre-trip orientation and paddling instruction
• Experienced, knowledgeable trip leaders

What’s Not Included?

• Personal gear (a recommended packing list will be provided)
• Transportation to Wabakimi Outfitters
• Passport and Canada fishing license (if applicable)
• Trip/rescue insurance
• Guide gratuities
• Aboriginal cultural experience add-on (optional)

AS ALWAYS >>> A gear list and trip details will be available upon registration via access to the event "Group" page on the website. This group page will serve as a discussion/planning forum for everyone on the trip.

Escape the busy campgrounds and join us for a more remote experience backpacking on the Ice Age Trail! Our fully guided trips are designed to help you gain more skills, knowledge, and confidence outdoors. Join us for this beautiful 15-mile hike featuring several small lakes and streams along a dense forest trail. We will hike each day and set up a primitive camp off-trail each night. This trip not only gives you that backcountry feel but also offers countless opportunities for real wilderness and backpacking skill development such as hanging bear bags, purifying water, rigging a group tarp if it rains, and fire building! With the help of expert guides, the types of skills gained on our trips not only help develop a deeper connection with nature but they strengthen confidence and general awareness in the outdoors.

NOTE: This trip is great for beginners who are physically fit to walk several miles a day and able to carry a fully loaded backpack weighing 30 pounds or less. Based on miles/terrain, ease of water access, and expected weather conditions we plan to travel less than 8 miles per day at a steady pace. We kick off each day with a delicious breakfast and coffee/tea. Lunch on the trail will be roughly 45 minutes. If you have any reservations about your ability to participate in this trip, please reach out and let us know. We are happy to answer any questions or talk through your concerns. It's common for a beginner to NOT have all of the gear necessary for a trip like this so we're going to make it a little easier for you. Don't worry about food, stoves, pots, pans, or water filters. We have you covered! If you wish to take care of your own meals, that's great too. Just let us know so we can adjust our group meal prep.

Meals are included and here's why: It's not just about planning your meals right for high activity in the woods but also how you plan to cook your meals. You can cook over a fire, on a stove, or in a bag with boiled water. By including meals on this trip, you don't have to make these decisions or purchase a camp stove and fuel or a proper mess kit. That's $100+ in savings right there! A simple plastic Tupperware with a fork, spoon, and cup is all you'll need for this trip. We will have hearty group meals cooked over a fire or prepped on the trail every day. If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know well in advance so we can make accommodations.

Purified water will be available in camp and on the trail at all times. If you need gear items such as, hammocks, backpacks and more, we have some items available for rent. Quantities of these items are limited so make your rental requests early.

You will have access to the gear list and directions on the "Group page" upon registration.

Price: $450.00 Deadline is May 31st

Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime, exclusive 9-day canoe expedition with NOW Outdoors through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. This intimate adventure offers a rare opportunity to paddle through pristine waters and remote wilderness. Limited spots are available for this curated experience.

This exclusive weeklong paddle adventure through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in Northern Minnesota is a true wilderness experience far from any roads. This trip starts in Ely, MN. We will arrive on the evening of June 14th at a designated lodge to go over gear and trip details. Sunday morning, we head out for an early start to our adventure. If you're flying into Duluth, we can arrange a shuttle for you. Lodging is included before and after the trip along with all necessary group gear, amazing food, permit reservation and user fees.

Enjoy 7 full days of paddling expedition style through 45+ miles of pristine lakes and wilderness. We plan for a couple layover days during the trip to relax at camp, practice outdoor skills, fish, etc. The itinerary may change due to weather conditions or group interest. Everyone will paddle tandem canoes, help with portages, set up/take down camp, process firewood, share cooking and cleaning up of meals and any other activity of the day.

Menu items: We believe cliff bars and ramen soup have their place but not on our trips. We love a varied menu that includes delicious meals. A few camp favorites include our famous BBQ pork spaghetti, Rumchata French toast, fruit and yogurt parfait, steak fajitas, and more. We can accommodate some special diets as well. Just let us know how we can help.

Difficulty: Challenging
This trip is not for first-time campers or paddlers. You should be comfortable in a canoe and in the water. You should be able to provide sufficient clothing and personal gear items as per the gear list. Everyone will be expected to help around camp and on the water including portaging gear and canoes between waterways. Expect to carry 50 - 60 pounds of gear or a canoe for short distances on portage trails. The pace will be relaxed at times and challenging at others. Expect to paddle several hours on paddle days and portage over land when necessary. We plan to have 2 zero-travel days for more time to fish, swim, relax, etc.

Price: $2,300 This premium adventure is limited to just 6 spots. Register now.
You may pay a $500.00 non-refundable deposit to secure your spot. This deposit will be put towards your final balance due June 1st.

Upon registration, you will have access to the event group forum where the gear list, directions, and other important information can be found.