Welcome To Northern Tier!

Explore The Wilderness

2026 Registration opens Jan 15th

Registration for Winter 2025 and Summer 2026
Opens January 15

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About Northern Tier

Northern Tier is the premier high adventure for wilderness canoeing and winter camping offered by Scouting America, providing a unique experience in the rugged wilderness of the Great North American Canoe Country. Our programs are renowned for their challenging and rewarding wilderness canoeing and winter camping expeditions.

What Is Northern Tier?

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Treks At The Northern Tier

Summer & Autumn
Canoe Treks

Crew & Individual Treks Available

Northern Tier offers both crew and individual during the summer. Crew treks are group-oriented, providing a shared experience for Scouts from the same or different troops. Individual treks offer more independence, as Scouts are matched with existing crews that align with their interests and experience level. Both types of treks provide opportunities for Scouts to experience the wilderness, develop skills, and create lasting memories.

Canoeing

Wilderness Exploration

Camping

Winter Adventure Treks

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Crew & Individual Treks Available

Northern Tier winter treks offer a unique and challenging experience for Scouts. These treks involve winter camping in extreme temperatures, and learning the skills to do so safely while having fun. With a focus on learning skills for winter environments, scouts learn to thrive in the cold and take advantage of all the fun winter opportunities.

Cross-Country Ski

Snowshoe

Ice Fish

Registration for northern tier is live!

Secure your spot on one of our unforgettable wilderness adventures. Whether you’re seeking a summer canoeing expedition or a winter camping experience, Northern Tier offers a unique and challenging opportunity for Scouts of all ages.

Explore our wilderness bases

Northern Tier High Adventure is available at 2 different locations

Discover the heart of Northern Tier at our Ely and Atikokan bases. From the historic Charles L. Sommers Canoe Base in Ely, Minnesota, embark on unforgettable adventures in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Quetico Provincial Park.  Or, venture north to the Donald Rogert Canoe Base in Atikokan, Ontario, for pristine paddling experiences in the Canadian wilderness. Choose your base and experience the ultimate wilderness adventure!

Ely, Minnesota

Located twenty miles outside of the town of Ely, MN, our Ely base outfits over 4,000 Scouts each year on wilderness canoe trips in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in Minnesota and the Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario.

Atikokan, Ontario

Located an 80-mile paddle North of the Ely base, the Atikokan Base outfits 1500 scouts each year for expeditions into the Northern regions of the Quetico Provincial Park as well as into the Canadian Crown Lands, including the Turtle River – White Otter Lake Provincial Park.

Hear from our adventurers!

Staffing Opportunities

We hire hundreds of staff each year to provide wilderness adventures and to work our base camps. Looking for a job with an adventure? Consider applying to work in the great northwoods!

Blowout Sale!

Remaining Off-peak treks for 2025 are 25% off if you sign up before December 31st!