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

Want to get high?

Go rock climbing.

want a Challenge?

How about a 64 km paddling race

Big views, no big backpack

Lake Superior's 10 best hikes you can do in a day

Plan Your Adventure

10 amazing sights you can only see in winter in Ontario.

Ontario Ski Getaways

5 must-take ski vacations.

Hidden Gem: Rainbow Falls Provincial Park

Explore the trails, waterfalls and campsites of this little-known Ontario treasure.

Can't-Miss Skating Trails & Outdoor Rinks

15 best places to lace up.

Activities in Muskoka

Your ultimate guide for things to do year-round.

Happy Tails

9 best skijoring parks and trails for dog lovers.

Summer Fun Ideas

8 new things to add to your Ontario bucket list.

Paddling the Pukaskwa National Park Coast

A guide's guide to kayaking Pukaskwa National Park.

Rock Climbing

You Know Why. Here’s How.

Want to go snowshoeing?

Discover Ontario’s best trails and getaways.

classic algonquin

3 day guided canoe trip

Adventure Films

8 can’t-miss film festivals for cyclists, hikers and paddlers.

Want a magical day?

Fly & hike on the bay.

Take a ruff ride

Dogsledding adventure at Haliburton Forest

A Journey He Will Never Forget

A National Geographic Adventurer in Wabakimi

POWERFUL ENERGY

Explore Temagami's spiritual sites with the utmost respect.

How wilderness art can enrich your life

Read Rob Mullen's story about the Missinaibi