Neal, there is a pretty decent "orientation" for trips to the BWCA and it mentions making a small fire within the fire grate.  But the same mentality that allows people to leave TP blossoms near a campsite in the Q or build silly huge fireplaces that you guys like to dismantle is alive and well in the BW as well.  There are jerks everywhere--unfortunately they just let MORE of them into the BW!

And PJ, I could also mention that we took a Lakes 1-4 trip a couple of years ago and never once saw a mess at a campsite.  Were out for 8 days, I believe.  Didn't pick up anyone's trash, rework anyone's fire site, or find any campsite that was anything other than overused and loved to death.  We were back there after about a 30-year absence and I was surprised to see that it looked remarkably the same.

We just finished a little short (6-day) trip out of Sawbill at the end of August/early September and I expected to find a lot of trash and mess at the campsites in that busy area.  Picked up garbage at one lunch site and that was literally all of it.  The sites were in beautiful condition, overall.  

There are exceptions.  The BW is overused.  But no, the example Mike cited isn't what I "expect".  Even at Lakes 1-4.  You can still do a beautiful canoe trip there.