This month will be my first ever trip to BWCA!! I can't wait. My question is.........Are the fire grates small enough to cook on or should I pack a small grill to lay on top of the fire grate? Any help is appreciated.

Small enough for steaks, burgers, big brats, chicken, and anything that will be in a pot.

Thanks a lot for the info

Hey Longracin!

I am from Ash Grove Missouri. Maybe we can get together sometime for a BWCA trip!

Hope you have a wonderful first trip!

Troy Mo here. The grills do have some pretty wide gaps between them. If nothing else grab a cheap throw away grill like this for cooking on. They are fine for steaks and pots. I almost lost one of my steaks into the fire while turning so be careful.

grill topper


They are light and wad them up when done. Just be careful to cook over coals and not a big fire or else they will melt.

yes the grates are made for cooking not just a bonfire. there fine for pots pans or if you want to throw a burger/steak right on the top (fire kills all) but i do bring in a flipp'n grate w/a extendable handle , it just makes it nice and easy to cook with over an open fire. there are many pics on here of fire grates to give you a better idea of the size.

We cook potatoes and stuff in foil and the center is pretty good. but the sides have bigger gaps on the grates we used. I'd bring in a light "grate". A guy I trip with carries a refrigerator shelf as a grate. He makes a case for it. His wife hates it when he takes the shelves out of her refrig. :)

quote gorytt: "Hey Longracin!


I am from Ash Grove Missouri. Maybe we can get together sometime for a BWCA trip!


Hope you have a wonderful first trip!"

Hey!! We are neighbors!! I'm from Willard.

Yeah, you can cook on the firegrates, but remember...if there's a fire ban you won't be able to have a fire, so don't forget to take a stove just in case ;).

quote longracin: "

quote gorytt: "Hey Longracin!



I am from Ash Grove Missouri. Maybe we can get together sometime for a BWCA trip!



Hope you have a wonderful first trip!"

Hey!! We are neighbors!! I'm from Willard. "

I graduated from Willard. It really is a small world!

It sure is. I graduated from Willard in 87. This will be our first trip up there. I'm ready to go today!!

are you cooking a 7 course meal?? if so you are going to need more space. but they are big enough for a 3 course meal.

quote longracin: "It sure is. I graduated from Willard in 87. This will be our first trip up there. I'm ready to go today!!"

I graduated in 78.

Can't wait for your trip report!

Have fun!!

Damn dude your older than me

So small that we could only do 2/3 of our ribeyes at one time...


The 12x16 hardware cloth screen that was left behind by the previous group was helpful in keeping our 'leveling rocks' from falling through the grate openings. Nice idea that we added to our future pack list.

Cub Foods dollar section has like a 10"x4" aluminum mesh sheet, we picked a couple up on a whim when we were grabbing our food and it worked great for grilling fish (gut and scale them first), grilling brats, sausage, and roasting garlic. Like everybody else said though, be careful, after some use it will start to lose integrity. We put it in a plastic pasta jar when we were done to prevent the sharp edges from breaking through our garbage bag.

Shock, where did you get the flippin grate with extendable handle. Been looking for something like that for a long time now.