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With the loss of funding for Forest Service/Ranger stations, what is new or different about obtaining a PMA permit for 2026 season? Does one still call the closest Ranger station and go there to pick up the PMA permit or do you call and then pick up the PMA permit at the outfitter/business where you pick up your BWCA entry permit? I plan to get Entry Permits for two trips this season online and then want to obtain a PMA permit and spend a night or two on each trip in a differnt PMA (Spider Lake #5 and Pitfall Lake #7). Any advice? How do I get the PMA permits once I have secured the entry permits online?
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OK, partly answering my own posted quesiton above, but just found this on another BWCA website/forum from 2024 season: From this, it sounds like you call the nearest FS Ranger station and make PMA permit reservation on the phone after you have secured your regular EP Permit and then pick up the separate PMA permit wherever you pick up your regular EP Permit:
02/01/2024 09:50AM
I have reserved PMA permits twice. Both times I phoned the Kawishiwi Ranger District, my entry point reservation pickup location to reserve my PMA permit. I was told that they have a list of PMA permit requests that are shared with the other Ranger Districts within the BWCA. When you arrive to pickup your reserved entry point permit you inform them that you have a reserved PMA permit and they check the list. If you show up without a PMA reservation they check the same list for availability. I was under the impression that the simple list sharing procedure was implemented because very few PMA permits are requested.
For PMA reservations I phoned the Kawishiwi Ranger Distric, 218-365-7600 and was asked to provide my entry point reservation confirmation number, the PMA Zone number and the dates I intended to overnight in the PMA.
It is my understanding that PMA permits are only required if you plan to camp overnight in the PMA. You may enter or pass through PMA's without a permit as long as you do not set camp. PMA Leave-No-Trace rules are different from outside the PMA and a copy of the PMA regulations is included with the PMA permit.
Clarification/more info as of 01/28/26:
Did online reserviation and got my Entry Permit for July 2026 trip. With EP reservation number in hand, called Kawishiwi Ranger station @218 365-7600 this morning to ask about PMA permit.
Had to give date(s) I want to camp in PMA, PMA number, Zone within PMA and then EP permit number. They took my phone and email and entered me into their system.
YOU CAN NOT PICK UP PMA PERMIT where you pick up your EP permit. So, means a second stop at a different place. To pick up PMA permit, YOU HAVE TO GO TO RANGER STATION (in this case, Kawishiswi Station on east side of Ely) and they are NOT OPEN ON WEEKENDS. (They give out PMA permits but can NOT issue EP permits.)
They did say they can email the PMA permit if you arrive on a weekend and have an entry date on Sunday as they are closed weekends. They open weekday mornings at 8:00 a.m.
Hope this helps someone considering PMA areas. Edited by user Wednesday, January 28, 2026 11:35:57 AM(UTC)
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Hey Evans, sorry I didn't see this until today. I went into the Sundial PMA last fall with a friend, and your second clarification is quite close to what I experienced. I had been told in advance that my PMA permit had to be picked up at the forest service office in Ely, and since I was doing that I would be able to pick up the standard permit as well as an exception to the rule last year of going to cooperators. This was not true upon arrival! The forest service was indeed able to issue the PMA permit, but they transferred my regular permit to a nearby outfitter. It blew my mind that despite calling ahead to confirm, they couldn't issue both. It wasn't just a matter of their willingness, they truly had no access to the system to issue a standard BWCA permit. Also, the Ely location was staffed by a volunteer who didn't know anything about the PMA permits. Thankfully a paid staff member was also there and she was able to help us. TLDR - my advice is plan to go first to your outfitter and get the regular permit. Then head to the forest service office for the PMA permit. Call ahead to confirm that someone who knows about the PMAs will be working when you intend to arrive since knowledge of the PMA system seems limited. I picked one up in Grand Marais a few years ago and also had to wait for someone that knew what a PMA permit was to help me. Build some extra time into your plan for picking it up. Have fun! :)
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