Pathfinder Boundary Waters Canoeing & Backpacking
Discover your strengths and develop skills that will shape your future on this 30-day canoeing and backpacking expedition.
This 30-day expedition is an immersive experience in nature, community and learning. You’ll spend the first two weeks traveling by canoe through the iconic Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness. During this time, you’ll not only learn to confidently captain a canoe, but also the art of campcraft, like setting up shelters and cooking over a fire. Later in the course, you’ll backpack along the Border Route Trail, which offers incredible views of the chains of lakes that make up the Boundary Waters. All along, you’ll build trust and friendships with your crew, creating bonds to last a lifetime.
UPCOMING COURSES
Course # VMPF-2561
Age 18 - 25
Days 30
Cost $8,070
Dates 6/11/2025 - 7/10/2025
APPLY NOW – Almost Full
This means there are three or fewer currently available spots left on a course. To secure your spot click Apply Now to begin an application!
Course # VMPF-2562
Age 18 - 25
Days 30
Cost $8,070
Dates 7/19/2025 - 8/17/2025
APPLY NOW – Almost Full
This means there are three or fewer currently available spots left on a course. To secure your spot click Apply Now to begin an application!
Course # VMPF-2563
Age 18 - 25
Days 30
Cost $8,070
Dates 9/8/2025 - 10/7/2025
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
APPLY NOW – Almost Full
This means there are three or fewer currently available spots left on a course. To secure your spot click Apply Now to begin an application!
JOIN WAITLIST
Once a course has reached capacity, three waitlist positions become available. To join a course’s waitlist, click “Join Waitlist” to begin the application process. A $500 deposit is required. This $500 deposit includes a $150 non-refundable application fee and a $350 tuition payment. The $350 tuition payment is refundable only if you cancel your waitlist application or if an open position does not become available. If a position does become available, the applicant will be applied to the open position and the Application and Cancellation Policies of the Regional Outward Bound School will be followed, including forfeiture of the $500 deposit if you cancel 90 days or less prior to the course start date.
Waitlist applicants are encouraged to complete all required admissions documents while awaiting an open position. Positions may become available up to two weeks prior to the course start date. Applicants may only apply to one course. We recommend applying to a course with open positions instead of a course that is accepting waitlist applications. If you have questions, please call 866-467-7651 to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors.
CALL TO APPLY
This means a course is very close to its start date. Although it is unlikely to secure a spot this late, you can call the National Admissions office at 866-467-7651 to discuss your options.
COURSE IS FULL
When a course has reached maximum capacity, meaning all spots and the three waitlist spots are occupied, a course will read “Course Is Full.” This means applications are no longer being accepted.
CLOSED
As a course nears its start date, the availability status may read “Closed.” In this event, a course roster has been finalized and applications are no longer being accepted or processed.
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I entered this course with the hope that I would grow and learn but had very little idea how. I hoped that I would gain confidence and courage, I hoped that I’d find my way. But this course was hard. I was uncomfortable. And that was the greatest gift Outward Bound could have given me. There is little room for growth within your comfort zone and miles and miles and miles of growth out there, in the wilderness. And out there you also find lessons about concepts you never even thought of. I could probably write a book on the things I’ve learned during these 30 days!
Most College Savings Plans, including the 529 College Savings Plan, may be used to attend an Outward Bound expedition, thanks to a partnership with Western Colorado University. Anyone can register – you do not have to be a current Western Colorado University student. Registration is easy! Click here to learn more.
On this extended canoe expedition, students learn the art of paddling a canoe in a variety of conditions, as well as map and compass reading, route finding and Recreate Responsibly principles. Groups navigate a variety of waterways such as lakes, rivers and swamps. Students work as a team to carry packs and canoes over portage trails when transitioning from one lake to another or to get safely around challenging rapids. Traveling by canoe allows groups to go far past where motorboats operate. Once there, it is possible to quietly observe bald eagles, moose and peaceful sunsets on mirror-calm lakes.
On the southern edge of the massive Canadian Shield, a granite rock formation that runs from Minnesota to Hudson Bay and the Northwest Territories sits the largest freshwater lake in the world: Lake Superior. The Border Route Trail follows the northern shore of Lake Superior inland along the international border in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Its footpath travels through the boreal forest (named after Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind) along towering cliffs, pristine lakes, and rugged coniferous trees of the North Woods. Well-marked trails, designated campsites and challenging terrain make the Border Route Trail a great backpacking experience for all skill levels.
During climbing days, students learn about general rock climbing equipment, safety and etiquette. Students have many opportunities to climb, belay and rappel while learning and employing safety systems that are compliant with national standards. The rock climbing sites provide a number of different route options including cracks, sheer faces and chimneys. Regardless of a student’s rock climbing background, they are sure to find a route that will encourage them to expand their comfort zone and accomplish their goals.
The incredible ropes course is located 30 feet in the air and looks out over the top of the boreal forest. Students swing from Tarzan ropes, walk on tightrope wires and climb a cargo net before jumping on the zip line for an exhilarating ride back to solid ground. This opportunity creates space for students to challenge themselves while being supported by their team after their expedition experience.
The Solo experience provides an important break from the rigors of the expedition and gives students the opportunity to reflect on their Outward Bound experience. With all the food, skills and supplies they need, students are given a secluded spot to reflect alone, and are monitored by staff throughout the experience to maintain safety. The duration of Solo depends on the course length and type, as well as the competency and preparedness of the student group.
Many students use this reflection time to make decisions about their future, journal and enjoy the beauty of their surroundings unencumbered by the constant external stimulation of modern life. Students find that Solo provokes profound and powerful learning in a short period of time and often becomes one of the most memorable parts of their Outward Bound experience.
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota
Established in 1978, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is a labyrinth of lakes and rock that has been specifically protected as a true American wilderness. No roads, power lines or motorized craft may enter its borders. Therefore, the Boundary Waters wilderness has changed little since its unveiling when the glaciers melted 10,000 years ago.
Over one million acres in size, the BWCAW extends 150 miles along the Minnesota/Canadian border. With over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, nearly 2,200 designated campsites and more than 1,000 lakes and streams, the BWCAW is a truly amazing place to experience the wilderness. It contains portage-linked lakes and streams, interspersed with islands, forests and crags. It has no piped water, prepared shelters, or signs to point the way. The Boundary Waters' paddling routes offer outstanding opportunities for solitude, remoteness, teamwork, adventure and challenge. These regions are the ancestral lands of the Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) nations.
Border Route Trail, Minnesota
The Border Route Trail is a 65-mile footpath that is part of the North Country National Scenic Trail system (spanning from Vermont to North Dakota). It follows the international border with Canada and offers stunning views of rock outcroppings of the Canadian Shield and climbs to overlooks of chains of lakes left by glaciers that receded 10,000 years ago. These regions are the ancestral lands of the Anishinabewaki ᐊᓂᔑᓈᐯᐗᑭ, Métis, and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) nations.
Course Stories
I entered this course with the hope that I would grow and learn but had very little idea how. I hoped that I would gain confidence and courage, I hoped that I’d find my way. But this course was hard. I was uncomfortable. And that was the greatest gift Outward Bound could have given me. There is little room for growth within your comfort zone and miles and miles and miles of growth out there, in the wilderness. And out there you also find lessons about concepts you never even thought of. I could probably write a book on the things I’ve learned during these 30 days!
On my pathfinder journey, I learned many things about myself. I learned that I can do anything I set my mind to & I can push myself further than I ever believed possible. I am the master of my own destiny and how I act and portray myself greatly affects the outcome. I appreciate the chance I got to spent 30 days and 30 nights with eight other people searching for answers to questions we didn’t even know we had.
On this experience I learned a lot about myself as well as how to live and work with a group of people. All of us came from different backgrounds, strengths and weaknesses. We learned how to use those strengths to benefit the group. We learned how to manage and support others through their struggles. Although Outward Bound is challenging, you will feel a sense of pride and accomplishment like no other when you finish. And you definitely see the parallels of the simple tasks in the back country to the complex situations life throws at you in the front country.
Throughout the expedition, I could not tell you how many times I fell down, but thanks to those around me, I was able to find incredible healing power in getting back up, so I cannot wait to fall down some more.
I elected to attend this course for no great reason or purpose, but simply because I didn’t know what to do. This course was the most different thing I could think of from my normal life, so I went into it with zero expectations. While I didn’t discover my sole purpose as a human being or discover the meaning of life in one month, the course certainly roused me from the lull of modern life. I had several smaller, but valuable discoveries: I am a more capable leader than I previously believed; I’m stronger than I previously believed; and life is more remarkable than I previously believed.
This course has gifted me lessons that can take lifetimes to learn and it only lasted a month! I have learned about the power of positive leadership. All people are unique, beautiful and uniquely beautiful and to lead one must understand they cannot change people so they must understand them instead. I learned that a true leader leads by example, gathering the individual needs of group members and shifting things around so everyone is heard and all needs are met. People work their hardest when they are having fun. Beyond that, I learned that I can be that leader and have a positive effect on a group and the world. I came here wanting to be led but I couldn’t be happier that I ended up leading. There is nothing more empowering than the trust of peers that you respect. Thank you for the gift of growth.
This experience has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever had and that I think I will ever do. The lessons I have learned here, not only about myself and my strengths and challenges, but about others as well, are so incredibly valuable and will stick with me for the rest of my life. I am strong enough, I am determined enough, I have strength and grit and resilience and I have the capacity for compassion and understanding.
I realized during the solo portion of this course that I am comfortable with my thoughts and am able to be happy alone. During this course I discovered I have a strength of being able to stay calm and rationally think through things even under dire circumstances. I will most definitely continue to backpack and camp in the future.
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Getting Started
If you are ready to enroll on a course click the enroll button next to the course you wish to select or you can enroll over the phone by speaking with one of our Customer Success Specialists (toll-free) at 866-467-7651.
To secure your spot on a course you must submit an enrollment form and $500 deposit that is applied toward the total cost of the course and includes a $150 non-refundable enrollment processing fee.