Ultimate Adventure Guide to Quetico Provincial Park

It wasn’t a small opening in the canopy of trees that caught our attention; what drew us in was the calf moose standing with her mother beside the hint of a portage trail we intended to walk. If the moose had met people before, they didn’t act like it, and for innumerable beats of our hearts we gazed, eyes locked, on the lovely animals of Quetico Provincial Park’s wonderful interior. 

When the moose let us, we walked a long portage to a distant lake, pausing mid-trail when a sentinel white pine demanded our full attention with its enormous trunk and soaring canopy. We were immersed in Canada’s most iconic canoeing destination—we were deep in Quetico country.  

Planning Your Trip to Quetico

Nestled in the rugged wilderness of northwestern Ontario, Quetico Provincial Park offers a wilderness escape. The park is bordered on the north by Ontario’s Highway 17, to the south by the Boundary Water Wilderness Canoe Area, to the east by La Verendrye Provincial Park, and west by Rainy Lake. 

The nearest city center, Thunder Bay, is just a two-hour drive to the east, while Kenora, Ontario, and Duluth, Minnesota, are about four hours away. While Quetico is most famous for its backcountry canoe tripping, it also has a drive-in campground and roofed accommodations.

Fishing is another big draw for visitors—during the spring, visitors find the beginning of walleye fishing season, lake trout swim in shallow water, and wildlife begins feasting on the early aquatics at the lake's edge. By mid-summer, backcountry travellers are swimming from rocky points, wandering long sandy beaches, and in the early morning, the mist swirls around your canoe hull. Tucked into back bays are moose up to their neck in clear water. Perhaps the crown jewel of the seasons is fall, when colours are vibrant and wildlife abundant as they prepare for the long winter.

Canoeing in Quetico

Renowned worldwide for its vast expanse of canoe country, Quetico boasts more than 2,000 lakes connected by 550 maintained portage trails. You can paddle in Quetico for a day or a month. Combine the labyrinth of canoe routes with low paddler density, and visitors feel they are the only ones around enjoying such freedom on the land. 

Whether your goal is to chase waterfalls, challenge yourself on tough portages or relax on serene lakes, Quetico offers something for every type of experienced paddler. Routing a canoe trip through Quetico is as much about imagination as it is artistic expression—travellers can use a map to plan their trip based on almost any conceivable idea of their dream outing. With waterfalls, rugged trails, big lakes, great fishing and old-growth forests, Quetico Park has it all.

Learn more about multiday canoe routes, like the intermediate Oriana, Beaverhouse or Fern Lake loops. If hard travelling is on your mind, read about the challenging Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls and Quetico Beatdown routes. 

There are plenty of outfitters to meet your needs, from canoe rentals and vehicle shuttles to meal plans and complete outfitting. Top Quetico outfitters include: 

• Voyageur Wilderness Programme: A premiere guiding service and outfitting business; an ecotour with VWP will steep you in the history of Metis and French voyageurs.
• Camp Quetico: Offering beautiful cabins on nearby Eva Lake and guided fishing tours, Camp Quetico provides a wide range of complete guiding services, outfitting options and shuttles to start or finish your trip.
• Canadian Quetico Outfitters: Offering complete gear outfitting and shuttle services, Canadian Quetico Outfitters is located on Highway 17 east of Atikokan.
• Seine River Lodge: Tucked at the park's northwestern corner, the lodge offers everything from partial gear outfitting to complete meal plans, shuttles and accommodations.
• Canoe Canada: This outfitter was established in 1974 to share knowledge of the Quetico wilderness country with outdoor enthusiasts. 

The Quetico Camping Experience 

While in Quetico, you can camp in the backcountry, which is best accessed by canoe, or car camp in the park's frontcountry campground. 

Backcountry camping in Quetico: In the backcountry of Quetico Provincial Park, there are no facilities, services or signs to indicate campsites or portages. However, the park boasts 2,200 established campsites. The lack of signage can seem daunting for new visitors, but there’s no need to worry—each campsite has been established through a long history of use. The unmarked nature of the park adds to its charm, encouraging paddlers to discover new, beautiful spots and build area-specific knowledge for future visits. All backcountry campsites operate on a first-come, first-served basis. To book your backcountry permit, obtain a First Come First Serve interior camping permit up to two weeks in advance of your arrival date on the Ontario Parks reservation system. Alternatively, permits can be picked up in person at the appropriate ranger station for your chosen access point before entering the park.

Frontcountry camping in Quetico: For those who prefer a basecamp to day-trip into the Quetico wilderness, Dawson Trail Campground is an excellent choice for car camping and is accessible off the Trans-Canada Highway. Nestled on French Lake in the park’s northeast corner, the campground offers over 100 campsites spread across two loops, Chippewa and Ojibwa, each accommodating tents and trailers with electrical options. Amenities include vault and flush toilets, showers, laundry facilities and water taps. Some campsites are lakefront, offering direct access to the water. Nature lectures, slide shows, displays and other programs are offered regularly by park staff throughout the summer. Reserve a frontcountry campsite through the Ontario Parks reservation system up to five months in advance of the day of your arrival.  

• For an added touch of seclusion, backcountry campers can hike the 5 km Pines Trail (10 km return) to access waterfront sites along Pickerel Lake. These sites feature beaches and crystal-clear waters.
• For a cozier wilderness experience, Quetico offers three rustic cabins for summer and winter adventures: the Ojibway Cabin, Log Cabin, and Winter Retreat Cabin. These roofed accommodations inspire a backcountry feel with a little more comfort. Book early to avoid disappointment.
• For folks who want to go on a day trip into the park and sleep more comfortably, Quetico Outfitters and Camp Quetico offer nearby cabin accommodations.
• And to immerse yourself in a cabin in the park, Voyageur Wilderness Programme and Canoe Canada offer stunning private island cabin rentals as well.

Hiking Trails in Quetico

Day-trippers and campers at the Dawson Trail Campground can explore 35 km of trails ranging from barrier-free to challenging. Five of the most popular hiking trails in the park are:

• French Falls Trail (2.4 km, challenging): Features climbs to the cascades of the pretty French River.
• Pines Trail (10 km return, moderate): Sandy beach, old-growth pines and views of Pickerel Lake.
• Pickerel Point Trail (1.6 km, moderate): Follows the Pickerel River. Designated as a pet exercise play area.
• Whiskey Jack Trail (2.5 km, moderate): Boardwalk and footpath through lush lowlands and varied forest habitats.
• Teaching Trail (3.2 km, challenging): Weaves through forest, past a beaver meadow and along French Lake’s shore. 

If an overnight backpacking trip is more your style than paddling, my favourite is the Pines Trail, which leads to a sandy beach and a stand of old-growth red pines best appreciated from the water during a post-hike swim. The trail is 10 km round trip but can be extended to nearly 20 km round trip by adding the Camp 111 trail. This map has the complete trail guide.

Fishing in Quetico 

It’s not an exaggeration to say there’s nowhere in the province with fishing to rival Quetico—the reason for that is its remoteness. Since float planes can’t land in the park, motors and mechanical advantages are prohibited, and only barbless hooks can be used. Quetico is essentially a sanctuary that is only fishable by backcountry paddlers. In the springtime, bass, walleye, lake trout and northern pike are caught by casting or trolling in the same places, and often, there are trophies on the line. 

The boundary lakes have excellent fishing, but the deeper into the park paddlers get, the better the angling, and it’s all heightened by a sense of adventure that makes every bite more memorable. These three articles by park-ranger-turned-conservation-officer James Burns on bass, walleye and lake trout will give anglers an advantage. Remember, Quetico has specific rules, such as barbless hooks, and anglers must possess a valid Ontario conservation or sport fishing license to fish inside the park.

Visiting Quetico in Winter 

Quetico’s vast interconnected waterways transform into a winter wonderland for outdoor enthusiasts. The backcountry is open year-round for campers seeking solitude, while limited winter camping is available at Dawson Trail Campground from January 1 to March 31. Visitors can also enjoy:

• Cross-country skiing: Quetico maintains 15 km of groomed trails for classic and skate skiing, catering to all skill levels. Maps are available, and the park hosts events like the Sawmill Lake Classic Ski Tour each January. There are also 30 km of trails that connect the town of Atikokan to Quetico. Quality groomed skate lanes and track-set classic trails provide skiers with various opportunities to experience wilderness surroundings. See a map of the connection here.
• Snowshoeing: Snowshoe along shared ski trails (stay to the side of groomed tracks) or venture onto ungroomed paths like the Pines Trail, which winds through snow-covered old-growth red and white pine forests.
• Dogsledding and skijoring: Combine skiing and dogsledding with skijoring, a fast-growing winter sport permitted on groomed campground trails. Backcountry dogsledding is also allowed with special approval.
• Ice fishing: Enjoy ice fishing for trout on French Lake, which is easily accessible from the campground. Motorized augers are prohibited, and anglers must use barbless hooks and artificial lures. 

While in Quetico, don’t miss… 

•  Getting deep into Quetico by paddle is at the heart of what makes this park a wilderness gem. While multi-day backcountry trips define Quetico’s allure, its unparalleled waterscapes also cater to shorter, more accessible excursions. For a beautiful day paddle, launch from French Lake at Dawson Trail Campground and follow the Pickerel River into Pickerel Lake and The Pines. Along the way, watch for eagles perched atop red pines and moose feeding in the calm river bends. At The Pines beach, you’ll find a serene spot to picnic, relax and savour this slice of northwestern Ontario paradise.
• And while in Quetico, don’t forget to look up. Quetico hosts over 200 bird species. The park is a breeding ground for birds of prey, including bald eagles and ospreys, making it a haven for birders.
• Finally, at night, Quetico offers an equally captivating experience. Recognized as an International Dark Sky Park, its exceptionally dark skies are free from light pollution, perfect for stargazing. From sandy beaches to quiet shorelines, visitors can marvel at the stars with a telescope, binoculars or just the naked eye.

Nearby Attractions to Quetico

• Located just 30 minutes from the Dawson Trail Campground, don’t miss visiting Little Falls in Atikokan, Ontario. The pretty cascade is perfect for a short walk and photo op in the self-proclaimed canoeing capital of Canada. While in Atikokan, don’t miss grabbing a slice at PJ's Pizza.
• Known as the Niagara of the North, Kakabeka Falls is an awe-inspiring 40-meter waterfall located 90 minutes east of Quetico on Highway 11/17 near Thunder Bay. The park offers accessible boardwalk trails and viewing platforms with views of the impressive Kaministiquia River.
• A two-hour drive east, Thunder Bay is the closest urban center and home to attractions like the Terry Fox Monument, honouring the iconic Canadian hero. Weary campers looking to treat themselves after a wilderness adventure will find comfortable accommodation at the Courthouse Hotel downtown. For more outdoor adventure, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park features dramatic cliffs, rugged trails and the must-hike Top of the Giant Trail with panoramic views of Lake Superior. Afterwards, power up with world-famous cinnamon buns at the eclectic General Store in Silver Islet. 

Quetico FAQs: What You Need to Know

How do I get a Quetico permit?

To get a permit for camping in Quetico Provincial Parks car campground, visit the Ontario Parks Reservations page to book online up to five months in advance. To book in the backcountry, you to obtain a First Come First Serve interior camping permit up to two weeks in advance of your arrival date. Alternatively, permits can be picked up in person at the appropriate ranger station for your chosen access point before entering the park.

What is the best time to visit Quetico?

Mid to late summer, after black fly season, when the water is warm and the weather is generally stable. For most outdoor adventure enthusiasts, this is an ideal time for paddling, fishing and enjoying Quetico.

What guided trips and outfitter options are available?

Connect with local experts like Quetico Outfitters, Voyageur Wilderness Programme, Canadian Quetico Outfitters, Seine River Lodge or Canoe Canada. Their knowledge and resources will ensure a memorable experience in Quetico and beyond. 

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