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This week, we had the privilege to travel into America’s favorite wilderness area, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. There has been a lot of attention given to this area lately due to the sulfide mining being proposed within its watershed. We found what I would call a five-star campsite to stay in that was located on an island with many white and Norway pines and moss-covered rocks to explore.

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My favorite wilderness sound is the call of the loon and they did not disappoint us. Many wails and tremolos echoed from out on the lake while we gathered around the campfire roasting smores.

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An adult passed by with her chick. The little guy didn’t look like it was going to be grown enough to travel south in a month.

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Several of the loons were already gathering on the big part of the lake. Loons are very territorial except in late summer when they group together for their trip south to the gulf.

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It was the full moon so we were waiting for it to come up behind this tree but the clouds moved in and blocked the view.

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Later in the night the clouds broke and the moonlight shining into my tent door woke me up.

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I was glad I woke up since the aurora was dancing across the night sky. There were enough clouds and fog so they weren’t very bright but Northern Lights are always a joy to see.

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Along with the pines our site was surrounded by unique white cedar trees.

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This white pine must have snapped off in a windstorm years ago. The branches kept growing and it was the shortest tree I have ever seen with a two-foot diameter trunk.

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Around our campsite was many moss-covered mounds that looked like little forests themselves.

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Early one morning while we were still sleeping we had a family of ruffed grouse visit our campsite. I didn’t recognize the cooing sound that woke me up until I looked out the tent door and saw mom and about 8 young grouse.

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Mom was pretty protective of her young as they ate insects and plants for about an hour before moving on. They were now about half her size.

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The last night a storm moved in with high winds and rain but we were able to keep dry in our tents.

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As we traveled through the burn area we saw many blackened white pine stumps from the Ham Lake Fire, but the forest is coming back. Every year I try to make a few trips into the BWCAW. Like our national parks it is a treasure that needs to be protected.

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