Calling Miss Molly! and others. Starting to think about a trip next June with my son-in-laws. Was contemplating WCPP, but am now more focused on a crown land trip. I've started doing some research and it looks like the possibilities are endless.

I was hoping that Missy Molly or anyone might offer some suggestions in terms of specific locations. I fondly recall reading Miss Molly's trip report regarding a crown land trip a while ago. Sounded fantastic.

Thanks!

Lots of trip opportunities off Hwy 599 north of Atikokan west side of Wabakimi area. Plus, maps available for that area from the Friends of Wabakimi.

Somewhat closer and still north of Atikokan would be the Turtle River White Otter PP. Info on this easily followed route available from Quetico PP headquarters in Atikokan. Did a nice trip there the first week of June last year and saw no one the entire route of about 90 miles. Started at Brown's Clear Water Lake resort and they shuttled our vehicles to our end point at Mine Center on Hwy 11. Plus, on day one, you can stop at Jimmy McQuats White Otter Castle on the northeast shore of White Otter Lake.

Thanks Deerfoot, appreciate the tips. How was the fishing in the turtle river area?

I wasn't on that trip but heard they had some walleye dinners. Some parts of the route may have fishing restrictions for part of the year to protect fisheries.

There are also some nice Crown Land routes on the east side of Wabakimi, up 527 (a 3 hour drive) from Thunder Bay. Most visitors will leave their vehicle with one of the outfitters at Mattice Lake and get some variation of road shuttle and/or Otter/Beaver flight to start/ finish. Loops or linear trip options. Some routes are in Wabakimi Project map books. Probably more driving and cost than White Otter/ Turtle River option.

Thanks rtallent. My preference is western Ontario, a little closer drive.

Bdubguy: "Thanks Deerfoot, appreciate the tips. How was the fishing in the turtle river area?"

I am not a fisherman but always like to travel with them. Clearwater Lake and perhaps others in the area have mid June opening date as I recall hearing. That explains seeing no fisherman when we started our early June trip. Tripmates did fish successfully on the Turtle River and we did enjoy several walleye suppers.

Nice trip and a relatively easy route. When we spoke with the Quetico PP staff at headquarters in Atikokan they asked us to get back to them with campsite/portage info on the Turtle Rv since they said they had little info. Kevin Callan's trip report from about 20 yrs ago in one of his books about Ontario routes was quite accurate. Recommend you read that if interested in the route.

Sounds good, thanks again deerfoot.

Bdubguy: "Thanks rtallent. My preference is western Ontario, a little closer drive. "

When you mentioned WCPP, I was assuming you meant in the WCPP area. This is Zone 4. When I wanted to do Crown Land fishing in that area several years ago, there were a lot of restrictions which change over time so be sure to check the latest rules & regs.

ZaraSp00k: "

Bdubguy: "Thanks rtallent. My preference is western Ontario, a little closer drive. "

When you mentioned WCPP, I was assuming you meant in the WCPP area. This is Zone 4. When I wanted to do Crown Land fishing in that area several years ago, there were a lot of restrictions which change over time so be sure to check the latest rules & regs."

Yes, google green zones in Ontario. And typically crown land camping permits are about the same cost as camping in the provincial parks.

Crown land permits are about $5 a night. Quetico is averaging $15 a night so there is a difference.

I've done some crown land camping and there is a difference between camping on crown land vs. managed Provincial parks. There are no motor, camping, or usage restrictions on crown land. Be prepared for large campsites with furniture, fish cleaning tables, pots and pan, garbage, and all sorts of other crap. Be prepared for motor traffic, aircraft traffic, logging roads and active logging, and what not.

I am not trying to dissuade you from crown land camping, I'm just telling you what you might encounter. This is what I encountered when camping in a far away place/ Oh, and they slashed a tire on my car. I enjoyed the opportunity to drive 50 miles on my donut tire to Pickle Lake, Ontario to buy a tire that was the wrong size for my car. I did make it home though.

Good times.
Tom

I appreciate your feedback tumblehome. What you are describing isn't exactly the image I've had mind as far as that goes.

tumblehome: "Crown land permits are about $5 a night. Quetico is averaging $15 a night so there is a difference.

I've done some crown land camping and there is a difference between camping on crown land vs. managed Provincial parks. There are no motor, camping, or usage restrictions on crown land. Be prepared for large campsites with furniture, fish cleaning tables, pots and pan, garbage, and all sorts of other crap. Be prepared for motor traffic, aircraft traffic, logging roads and active logging, and what not.

I am not trying to dissuade you from crown land camping, I'm just telling you what you might encounter. This is what I encountered when camping in a far away place/ Oh, and they slashed a tire on my car. I enjoyed the opportunity to drive 50 miles on my donut tire to Pickle Lake, Ontario to buy a tire that was the wrong size for my car. I did make it home though.

Good times.
Tom
"

+1, can’t see any reason to crown land camp when the parks are underutilized. Also turtle river, white otter and Clearwater lake are parks. I was last there in the 70s. Outstanding area.

Still contemplating Crown Land and options, do any of you have a good resource for maps? I've been on the Ontario.ca website without a too much success. Thanks!

Bdubguy: "Still contemplating Crown Land and options, do any of you have a good resource for maps? I've been on the Ontario.ca website without a too much success. Thanks!"

I got a digital map for my Garmin GPS covering all of Ontario from trakmaps.com, a Canadian company. This has been very useful for me. Otherwise for printed topo maps I use Milwaukee Map Service. I know it is possible to download topo maps which I could never figure out how to do.