BWCA Campsite #722: Your Guide to a Deep Wilderness Experience near East Cook, MN

Introduction / Overview: Finding Solitude at BWCA Campsite #722

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is the jewel of Minnesota's natural landscape, offering over a million acres of unparalleled beauty and challenging, rewarding outdoor experiences. BWCA Campsite #722 is one of the thousands of designated, primitive campsites within this federally protected area, providing a vital touchpoint for adventurers seeking to immerse themselves in the state’s wild, lake-dotted boreal forest. Unlike conventional campgrounds, Campsite #722 is deliberately maintained with minimal infrastructure to preserve the wilderness character of the region. Visitors should understand that this is not a recreational facility but a remote, carry-in/carry-out location requiring self-sufficiency and strict adherence to the U.S. Forest Service’s "Leave No Trace" principles.

A trip to this campsite is an opportunity to disconnect from modern life and travel the same routes once paddled by the Indigenous peoples and French Voyageurs. To secure an overnight stay at Campsite #722, a Quota Permit is mandatory during the peak season (May 1 – September 30), restricting the number of people who can enter the wilderness on a given day. While the exact lake location of a specific numbered campsite is detailed on official BWCAW maps, its isolation guarantees an authentic experience of Minnesota's Northwoods, complete with the chance to hear the calls of the loon, spot moose, and marvel at the night sky. For the prepared Minnesota local, Campsite #722 represents the ultimate destination for peace, challenge, and natural discovery.

Location and Accessibility: A Journey by Water and Portages

BWCA Campsite #722 is located in the greater wilderness region of East Cook, MN 55604, USA. This administrative address places the site within the vast expanse of the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota. It is vital to emphasize that the campsite is deep within the wilderness boundary, accessible only by human-powered means: canoe, kayak, or on foot via established portage trails. No roads or motorized vehicles can access the site.

Access to Campsite #722 typically begins from one of the designated BWCAW Entry Points, which are spread out along the perimeter roads like the Gunflint Trail, the Echo Trail, or State Highway 1. Depending on the specific lake #722 resides on, popular starting points for East Cook trips might include Entry Point 50 (Cross Bay Lake), Entry Point 51 (Missing Link Lake), or other points off the Gunflint Trail. The journey involves a series of paddling segments across lakes and carrying all gear, food, and watercraft (portaging) over trails connecting those waterways. Outfitting businesses in nearby towns like Grand Marais or Ely serve as critical resources, offering essential gear, shuttles to entry points, and detailed navigational maps necessary to plot the multi-day course to the campsite. The time required to reach the site can range from a half-day to multiple days of strenuous travel, depending on the chosen route and the physical demands of the portages.

Services Offered (Primitive Wilderness Designations)

In keeping with its status as a Federally Designated Wilderness, Campsite #722 offers only the most basic, high-impact-reducing services. These services are standardized across all designated BWCAW campsites.

Designated Fire Grate: A permanent, steel fire grate is provided at the site. Campfires are strictly limited to the confines of this grate, and only dead and down wood found nearby may be used for fuel. Camp stoves are recommended for faster, lower-impact cooking.
Wilderness Latrine: A simple pit latrine is located away from the main camping area and the water's edge. This critical sanitary feature must be used for human waste only—no trash, food scraps, or personal hygiene products are to be disposed of here.
Established Tent Pads: One or more cleared areas are designated for tent pitching. These areas concentrate the impact of camping, and groups are required to set up their tents only within these established footprints to protect the surrounding vegetation.
Shoreline Canoe Landing: A natural, cleared bank or a rock shelf is used as a landing spot for watercraft, maintained minimally to facilitate safe in/out access without causing erosion.
Non-Potable Water Access: The adjacent lake provides a vast water supply, but this water must be chemically treated, filtered, or boiled to be safe for drinking and cooking. No potable (drinking) water is supplied at the campsite.
Food Storage Tree: While not a formal service, every designated campsite offers suitable trees for hanging food packs a specified distance off the ground and away from the trunk to prevent bear encounters, a non-negotiable wilderness safety practice.

Features / Highlights (An Unfiltered Northwoods Canvas)

The major highlights of Campsite #722 are defined by its deep immersion in the protected BWCAW ecosystem, offering experiences unavailable in developed areas.

Outstanding Seclusion: Due to the remote access and the strictly enforced permit quota, the experience at #722 is one of profound solitude, often with the entire lake seemingly to oneself, a rare privilege in the modern world.
Pristine Waters and Boreal Views: The campsite is situated on one of the thousands of crystalline, glacially-carved lakes characteristic of the region, featuring rocky shorelines, towering pines, and exceptionally clean air.
Designated Dark Sky Sanctuary: As part of the BWCAW, this location is certified as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary, offering spectacular, unpolluted nighttime viewing of the Milky Way and potentially the Northern Lights.
World-Class Freshwater Fishing: The surrounding lakes provide superb opportunities for catching species like Walleye, Northern Pike, and Lake Trout, requiring only a valid Minnesota fishing license.
Wildlife Observation Opportunities: Due to the remoteness, campers have a high chance of spotting significant northern wildlife, including moose wading in shallows, bald eagles soaring overhead, and the ever-present loons.
Challenge and Reward: The paddle-and-portage accessibility means every night spent at Campsite #722 is a deserved reward, fostering a deep sense of accomplishment and connection to the raw Minnesota landscape.

Contact Information (Administrative and Permitting)

Since Campsite #722 is an unstaffed wilderness location, contact should be directed to the administering U.S. Forest Service offices or one of their cooperating businesses for logistics and permits.

General Administrative Office (Superior National Forest): 8901 Grand Ave Place, Duluth, MN 55808 (Not the location of the campsite).

Primary Local Ranger District (for entry points in the East Cook/Gunflint area): Gunflint Ranger District, 2020 W. Highway 61, Grand Marais, MN 55604. Phone: (218) 387-1750.

Permit Reservations: All overnight permits (May 1 – September 30) for specific entry points leading to Campsite #722 must be reserved through the official government portal: Recreation.gov. Reservations are essential and should be made months in advance.

Conclusion: A Wilderness Trip Designed for the Minnesota Local

Campsite #722, and the BWCAW at large, holds a special place for Minnesota residents. It is the pinnacle of the state's outdoor offerings, perfectly suited for locals who appreciate the harsh beauty and tradition of the Northwoods. For a Minnesotan, the trip is a rite of passage—a chance to rely on learned skills, navigate familiar granite and pine topography, and experience the quietude that defines the state's iconic wilderness heritage. The required permit system ensures that this precious resource remains uncrowded and protected, meaning every local visitor contributes directly to the conservation of this unique environment. Successfully completing a trip to this remote campsite provides a sense of connection to the land that few other destinations can match, solidifying its place as the ultimate backyard adventure for those who call Minnesota home.