Opportunities

Every year in the spring and fall, we welcome the trail community to help us keep the trail maintained. Over half of our trail is located inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), so we designate our clearing trips as non-wilderness and wilderness.

While the word wilderness may have very different meanings to each of us, federally-designated Wilderness like the BWCAW has an official definition and the agencies have legal stewardship responsibilities which impact how trails are planned, constructed, managed, maintained, and used in these areas.

Wilderness Clearing Trips

While operating inside the BWCAW, mechanical tools are prohibited. Instead, we use tools like crosscut saws, handsaws, loppers, and manual weed cutters. Special training is required to operate crosscut saws while volunteering on the Border Route Trail.

Non-Wilderness Clearing Trips

While operating outside of the BWCAW, we utilize chainsaws and brush cutters. Special training is required to operate chainsaws while volunteering on the Border Route Trail.

If you don’t like the idea of operating equipment, there is always a need for volunteers to throw the cut brush and deadfalls off the trail.