Quetico Provincial Park

Gaining Access to Quetico Park Canada through the Boundary Waters

The Park includes over 2000 unofficial, unimproved wilderness campsites. These campsites exist throughout more than 600 lakes.

Canoeists require permit reservations (must be carried on canoeist at all times) and in-season may only enter the Park via one of six Ranger Stations. Visit our permits page to get started.   

Also, one of the main entrances into Quetico Park is the Prairie Portage Canadian Ranger Station. Prairie Portage is reachable directly from our dock at Williams and Hall. 

Check with us for business hours of the Ranger Station. Just like the BWCA, non burnable, disposable food and beverage containers are not allowed. Insect repellent, medicine, and personal toiletry containers are permitted.

Do I Need A Passport To Enter Quetico Provincial Park?

No, technically you need a form of government ID (e.g. a driver’s license) and a Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) document. HOWEVER, you do need a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) approved document to present when returning to the U.S. For most of us, this means a U.S. passport.

Canoeing in Quetico Park

Over 500 maintained portages link hundreds of lakes and rivers. These portages average 80 rods and provide a wide range of canoeing opportunities from one day to several weeks. There are many historic sites.  These sites are left by natives, settlers and voyageurs who used these waters for fur trading. You can travel some areas of the park more easily than others.

Also, portages and campsites do not have marking signs.  Campsites do not have fire grates. It is a true wilderness canoeing experience.

Fishing Quetico Park / BWCA

The Park’s many lakes and rivers support an exceptional fishery of Walleye, Lake Trout, Northern Pike, and Smallmouth Bass.

To maintain the health of the Parks’s lakes, Ontario fishing regulations require the use of artificial bait.

Barbless Hooks and Bait Rules

Also, you must use barbless hooks within theProvincial Park. Barbless hooks will cut down on fish mortality rates. No barbed hooks are allowed.

In addition, you can not use live or dead organic bait in the Park (examples include: leeches, worms, and salted minnows). Rubber or biodegradable baits will help keep out invasive aquatic species and diseases.

Check out our tackle shop at Williams and Hall for a great assortment of these styles of bait.

DO I NEED A CANADIAN FISHING LICENSE FOR QUETICO PARK?

YES! An Ontario fishing license is required. The type of license depends on where you plan to fish and the type of fishing you plan to do. You can purchase your license from the Ranger at Prairie Portage or if you want to save a lot of time, visit the Ontario Wildlife Licensing Service online.