Quetico Provincial Park –
A Wilderness Retreat of International Acclaim

Quetico Provincial Park, located west of Thunder Bay on the Canada-U.S. border, is a wilderness retreat of international acclaim for backcountry canoe tripping. Quetico’s tangled network of lakes once formed water routes travelled by Ojibway peoples and fur traders. The Dawson Trail, which winds through the park, was once the main travel route for settlers passing through the Canadian Shield on route to the Prairies. Today, Quetico is primarily the destination of experienced canoeists seeking solitude and rare glimpses of wildlife by cascading waterfalls, glassy lakes, isolated beaches and endless forests.

More than 4,750 square kilometres of this peaceful, silent northern landscape have been preserved in Quetico Provincial Park and its beauty and historic character have been left virtually untouched. Immediately adjacent to Quetico on the U.S. side of the border is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. The U.S. Voyageur National Park lies on the western flank and La Verendrye Provincial Park lies to the east. Together these parks preserve over two million hectares, the largest protected area in the heart of the North American continent.

Quetico is the “dream pick” for canoeing and offers the best wilderness canoeing anywhere in North America according to the spring issues of magazines such as Outside, Canoe-Kayak and Seasons. The park is accessible at four points by canoe and at two by car (Dawson Trail Campground and Lac La Croix Ranger Station). The campground located immediately adjacent to Highway 11 is only a one hour and 45 minute drive from the city and is a great place for family camping getaways.

For The Car Camper
The Dawson Trail Campground on French Lake offers full service car camping opportunities for tents, trailers and recreational vehicles. There are 107 campsites in the campground, including 49 electrical sites. Each site has a picnic table and fireplace, with firewood available for purchase from the park. Convenient facilities, such as comfort stations with shower and laundry services, make your stay here comfortable. Excellent beaches on the shore of French Lake offer picnic spots, a playground for the children, and canoe launch sites.

For Campers Who Like To Be Pampered
Quetico now offers two yurts, which are available for rent year round in the Chippewa Campgrounds at Dawson Trail. Yurts are tent-like dwellings about 16 feet in diameter, mounted on a wooden deck about two feet off the ground. They are equipped with two sets of futon bunk beds, a table and chairs, electric heat, lights and plug-ins. Outside, you’ll find a propane barbecue, picnic table and fire pit.

Where Nature and History Come to Life
Quetico’s staff will inform and entertain you with an assortment of Natural Heritage Education Programs including children’s activities, slide shows, lectures and displays highlighting the natural and cultural features of the park. Be sure to enjoy one of the naturalist’s programs offered throughout the summer at The Teaching Place, the park’s new outdoor theatre. Built with an Aboriginal theme, programs in this building bring the park’s cultural history to life.

Visit the Information Pavilion in Dawson Trail Campground to view interpretive displays and gain a deeper understanding of Quetico’s environment. Here you can plan your Quetico experience and view large-scale park maps showing points of interest. The John B. Ridley Research Library provides in depth information about the biology, geology, cultural history, and wilderness management of Quetico and the surrounding area.

The Friends of Quetico, a volunteer group, operates a gift shop in the pavilion where you can purchase park souvenirs including clothing, trail maps, and an assortment of books. The Friends are proud to announce the release of the book, An Illustrated History of Quetico, written by Shirley Peruniak and published by the Friends of Quetico. Shirley, who previously worked at Quetico, is now a long-term volunteer whose ongoing contribution to park programs is invaluable. This book reflects her interest in the history of Quetico, its people and special places. Make sure you pick up a copy while visiting the park.

Rewarding Nature and Hiking Trails
Dawson Trail Campground provides access to hiking trails that vary in length (0.8 km to 8 km roundtrip) and degrees of challenge. A one-kilometre-long barrier free boardwalk along the Pickerel River connects the Information Pavilion with the French Lake day use area. The eight-kilometre-long Pickerel Lake Trail follows the scenic Baptism Creek and the South Pickerel River to a crescent-shaped sand beach. This trail offers visitors the opportunity to try overnight backpacking into Quetico’s interior. Make sure you inquire about conducted hikes, which are part of Quetico’s Natural Heritage Education Program.

Don’t Forget Your Camera
So pack up your camping gear and explore the vast wilderness of Quetico Provincial Park this summer. Enjoy a relaxing fun-filled family camping trip to the Dawson Trail Campground or paddle and portage deep into the interior. And remember to bring your camera!

For more information about Quetico Provincial Park - Phone (807) 597-2735

Ontario Parks Campsite Reservation Service:
1-888-ONT-PARK (1-888-668-7275) or www.OntarioParks.com

Additional Travel Information: 1-800-ONTARIO

Contributed by:
Barb Rees, Natural Heritage Education/Marketing Specialist, Northwest Zone, Ontario Parks, Thunder Bay and Robin Reilly, Superintendent, Quetico Provincial Park