Escape to the Backcountry

Local outfitters and lodges offer exceptional outfitting services for guided or unguided trips.

World-renowned for its rugged beauty, sheltered lakes, majestic waterfalls and virgin pine forests, Quetico Provincial Park offers some of the world’s best backcountry canoeing. You’ll find plenty of wilderness here, as except for family friendly campground Dawson Trail, the park is only accessible by water. What’s more, a complete mechanical ban has helped preserve the park’s natural quiet and remote splendour. It is even wilder now than when it was formed more than 100 years ago.

Some areas of the park are more easily travelled than others. Portages and campsites are not signed so trip planning and wilderness navigation skills are necessary. 

Trip Planning Outfitters blue banner

Outfitters 

Accommodation

If you are not pursuing the Northwest Quest and you don’t want to camp for all or any of your canoeing adventure, you can stay in rustic luxury at a unique wilderness lodge, cabin, yurt or outpost and do canoe day trips.

Outfitter Air Service

Travel Information Blue banner

Don’t Miss 

About 1 hour east of Quetico Provincial Park is Thunder Bay. Located on the shore of the Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake, it has everything you need to get outfitted properly for your adventure and all the urban culinary and cultural attractions to complete your memorable epic adventure.

While in Thunder Bay, explore back in time to the year 1815 to experience the fur trade at Fort William Historical Park. There are 42 authentic, reconstructed buildings on the site and actors in period dress to bring it to life.

Backcountry Banner

For information on park fees and reservations, click here.

About Trish Manning

Trish Manning is an adventure travel writer and the content coordinator for Ontario Outdoor Adventures. She is an avid outdoor person who loves to hike, paddle, SUP, snowshoe, cross-country ski and explore Ontario's great outdoors with her golden retriever, Daisy.

Recommended Articles

5 Trails Less Travelled

Amazing day hikes in Northwest Ontario.

Beach Camping in Ontario

14 sandy places to pitch your tent and swim to your heart’s content.

16 Perfect Fall Hikes in Ontario

Add these trails to your bucket list.

Adventure Races Ontario

Find out where to go and why you’ll love it.

Need a Winter Getaway?

Snow Adventures. Cozy Cabin. Warm Fire. All in Northern Ontario.

Vacation Hotspots

5 budget-friendly destinations for kids.

Canada's Largest Hiking Festival

"Shake your boot-eh" in the Haliburton Highlands in September

Boreal Backcountry

Explore Wild Wabakimi

WANT A PERFECT CANOEING COMPANION?

These tips will make your pup canoe-ready.

What's your limit?

7 days; 60 km

150 canoes for Canada's 150th birthday

A celebration of Canada and the canoe.

Want to take a pic like this?

You can at Red Rock Eagle Photo Safari in October

Want to Roll A Whitewater Kayak?

Watch this video

Paddle to a Pow Wow

On Canada Day weekend

Want backcountry skiing?

Check out the SnowFlea TeleFest in February

Love art & outdoors?

Head to the Haliburton Highlands

Only in canada eh?

Signature Experience Collection

"Live from the Rock"

A very unique Voyageur Canoe Musical Tour

Want style and warmth?

Make these moccasins.

Dreamy Snowshoe Getaways

Plan a magical, snow-filled trip this winter.