I'm heading in solo in a couple weeks and planning a route to include areas I haven't traveled before. I've heard about issues with trying to portage up from Badwater through Bee and Brown and into Robin, but I'm still inclined to try. Anybody have any insights into these reportedly hard to find portages?

We've been to Badwater a lot over the years, but have always taken the mile portage from West Bay. That portage is challenging for it's length and muddy, rocky stretches, but it's certainly doable.

The portage between Bee and Brown is very seldom used (as is, I imagine, the portage between Brown to Robin) so you'd likely encounter some tougher portaging conditions.

Some years, there has been a pond between Bee and Brown, but in other years, the pond has been gone. I guess it depends on the quality of workmanship by the beavers. :) If the beaver dam is gone, there is a stream, but you might find yourself wading it and lining your canoe.

What you might want to do is call the Quetico park office in Atikokan and ask about maintenance on those portages. 807-597-2735 They would have the most current conditions of those (or any other) portage trails in the park. Let us know what you find out. I'd be curious to know myself.

Here is a link to a YouTube video of someone that was through that stretch four or five years ago. It looks tough, at least then.
portage from hell

I went near but not through that area in May (2023). While we were camped on March Lake, we met a park portage crew who checked our permit. They said they had come down from Quetico Lake via Robin Lake etc. and cleared the portages you are asking about. The most recent portage maintenance map posted by Plander in this form also says they were cleared in May 2023. I said to them that I'd heard that that area can be a spot where it can be tough and there might be a lot of wading. They smiled and nodded as to say yes indeed.

Thanks for the YouTube link. Normally I'm up for a challenge, but after viewing the video I think I'll reroute...especially going solo. With portages like that you definitely need someone to commiserate with!