Crossing Quetico

GENERAL: The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) of northern Minnesota encompasses more than one million acres and 1,000 lakes of 10 acres or more in size. Since it was officially designated in 1958, the area has steadily grown in popularity, last year attracting more than 200,000 visitors. By contrast, Canada's Quetico Provincial Park, which abuts the BWCAW along the Minnesota-Ontario border, also comprises one million acres and has more than 600 lakes, but is much less frequented, with just 25,000 annual visitors. Together, the parks are one of North America's undisturbed natural gems and offer some of the best wilderness canoeing in the world.

ENTRY POINTS: Despite Quetico's large size, there are only six entry stations accessible from Highway 11, which passes east-west just north of Quetico Provincial Park. And only three of these are accessible by vehicle: Dawson Trail Ranger Station (24 miles east of Atikokan, Ontario); Nym Lake (5 miles southeast of Atikokan); and Beaver House (west of Atikokan, and 12 miles from Highway 11). Visitors entering Quetico directly from the United States must obtain a Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) permit from Canada Immigration (or by mail from Canada Customs) before crossing. For application directions, look to www.queticopark.com/rabc/index.html. When you complete your trip and return to the United States, even if entering by canoe, you must also report to U.S. Customs to be cleared for re-entry.

PERMITS: To minimize your contact with other Quetico visitors, there are quotas placed on how many paddlers can use the area. If you plan on visiting during the prime months - June through August - you should apply for a Wilderness Camping Permit early in the year (up to five months before departure date) because the number of permits is limited. Call the Park Reservation Center at (888) 668-7275 to secure a reservation with your credit card. A nightly per-person fee of $12 Canadian for adults, and $5 Cd. for those under 18, is required for camping. Regulations are different if you're visiting in the off-season; call the trip planning information line at (807) 597-2735 for details on the self-registration system.

OUTFITTERS: Quetico is primarily a wilderness canoeing park, no place for novices or the ill-prepared. Consider hiring a professional outfitter to assist you if you are not well-versed in the ways of wilderness camping and canoeing. They provide a range of services that include helping you secure permits, arranging for an experienced guide, gear rental, packing your food, and preparing a route with necessary maps and shuttle vehicles. Outfitters are located near all entry points. Contact the Ely Chamber of Commerce at (800) 777-7281 or www.ely.org, or visit www.QueticoPark.com. Also, check out our Adventure Paddling Directory.

CAMPING: Scattered around Quetico on over 600 lakes are 2,200 backcountry (interior) campsites accessible by canoe. The main difference between Quetico and the BWCAW camping is that most Quetico campsites are less crowded than those in the BWCAW and completely rustic - no outhouses (take a shovel), no running water, no shelter. Just patchy soil flat enough to pitch a couple of tents. Reservations for specific campsites are not available; it's first-come, first-served. Glass and cans are prohibited.

MAPS: Two popular canoe touring maps are available for the Quetico-BWCAW region: Fisher F-Series maps and McKenzie maps. Call Piragis Northwoods Company at (800) 223-6565 (www.piragis.com) to order either, or maps can be purchased at all of the canoe trip outfitters in the vicinity of the park. The waterproof, plastic paper maps are detailed enough to make navigation a fairly straight-forward affair. Portages, campsites, and other features of interest to canoe trippers are identified.

USEFUL READING: A Paddler's Guide to Quetico Provincial Park, by Robert Beymer. The author's descriptions of portages, natural and historical highlights, and campsites are helpful in planning trips. $10.95. Quetico Provincial Park, by Shirley Peruniak. This is a detailed account of the people instrumental in the establishment and preservation of the world's greatest canoe country. $29.95.