I was just reading the reservation system. I haven't been up in two years so I'm not sure if the changes are new this year.

Six people maximum in a group and full payment at time of reservation. Just curious if I am reading this correctly and if the changes happened this year.

Never mind. I read a little further. Quetico is still nine. Four other parks are only six, I need new glasses. :)

The full payment of camping fees is due at the time of reservation and this is a new thing for 2020. However, as one outfitter's blog pointed out, you can make an initial reservation for two people (the primary and the alternate leaders) and then change the reservation later to include more people.

I am glad it is still nine, as crews of eight make a great trip. I can send you my business card regarding the glasses. :-)

This is a BIG change to the Quetico reservation system. I call Ontario Parks today and they explained this is a measure to stop people from making a reservation they never use.

"Full payment of backcountry camping fees is required at the time your reservation is made."
Reservations - Rules and Regulations

You can make a reservation for 2 people then add additional people for a small fee.
Ontario Park Backcountry Fees 2020
Reservation Fees - 2020

"If you cancel or shorten a backcountry reservation before the arrival date you will be charged a penalty. The percentage penalty is based on how long your reservation has been held."
Reservations - Penalties

108cneil: "This is a BIG change to the Quetico reservation system. I call Ontario Parks today and they explained this is a measure to stop people from making a reservation they never use.


"Full payment of backcountry camping fees is required at the time your reservation is made."
Reservations - Rules and Regulations


You can make a reservation for 2 people then add additional people for a small fee.
Ontario Park Backcountry Fees 2020
Reservation Fees - 2020


"If you cancel or shorten a backcountry reservation before the arrival date you will be charged a penalty. The percentage penalty is based on how long your reservation has been held."
Reservations - Penalties "

So what happens if you pay for 5 days and you get windbound for a couple of days?

Rangers have told me better to pay for extra days after the trip than ask for a refund. I know cancellations have a penalty.

Blatz: "So what happens if you pay for 5 days and you get windbound for a couple of days?"

I guess if they paddle out an ask for extra payment, I'd pull out my credit card.

Ontario Parks Reservation Penalties

I have been trying to secure a permit online for the past 4 days and have been unable to do so. On hold with the Park right now, and the guy I am working with also cannot get the system to work.

I had the same problem on 1/18. Called the Ontario Parks reservation number and was able to reserve an entry.

Highbrace: "I had the same problem on 1/18. Called the Ontario Parks reservation number and was able to reserve an entry. "

The issue appears to be with the availability calendar; it states that many EPs are available, but they are not. Spoke with 3 different folks over the course of an hour and was told to try to secure a site via trial and error until it worked. They are aware of the issue (and they get the same glitch on their end).

I did eventually get an Agnes permit for 6/19.

For anyone with the issue of the website not functioning properly, I had the same issue when trying to use it as a guest. However, as soon as I created an account for Ontario Parks it worked fine , just a FYI.

marc24: "For anyone with the issue of the website not functioning properly, I had the same issue when trying to use it as a guest. However, as soon as I created an account for Ontario Parks it worked fine , just a FYI. "

Depends on what entry point you are trying to reserve and the dates you are looking to reserve. The online calendar states, for example, that there are permits available for Agnes on June 15. Those permits, however, are gone. Same issue I had over the weekend, and I have an account and am logged in.

Fair enough, I thought maybe I found the glitch in the system. That website seemed a bit difficult to navigate as it is. Did you get an Agnes permit for that week?

I just reserved my permit without a hitch. Had to create an account

marc24: "Fair enough, I thought maybe I found the glitch in the system. That website seemed a bit difficult to navigate as it is. Did you get an Agnes permit for that week?"

I did get one for 6/19, but I had to fart around entering various dates until I hit one that actually had an opening.

Amarillo Jim, I have an account, so that is not the issue. The attached photo is a screen shot of the supposed availability calendar of Agnes permits. It is not accurate. For example, if you select a 6/15 date, and the calendar says there are available permits, you will get a message telling you to refresh the page and if the issue continues to contact the call center. I did this on Monday and spent an hour with 3 different people at the call center; the glitch is also on their end, and they supposedly have people working on it.

Nice, that’s what worked for me so that’s why I mentioned it

Frenchy19: " "

That screen never popped up for me.

That screen pops up when you click on a link to see available dates once you have an EP selected. I originally logged in, set my entry date as 6/15 and selected Agnes. It showed all 3 permits as still available, and that was not accurate. That is when I contacted the call center, and the issue was also on their end.

Try securing an Agnes permit right now for, say, 6/15. You will see what I am referring to.

I was able to reserve a permit on-line the other day, but did have some what of a problem.

I logged in, entered my Arrival and Departure dates, number of Nights and navigated my way through the system and was able to get the entry Date and Entry Point that I wanted in my Cart. When I opened my Cart and the Review Reservation Details and Confirm Reservation Details page this is where the problem started. Everything was good except the number of Nights, it had only 1 Night listed. I thought there was a 100% payment for number of nights at time of reservation. I went back to < Edit This Reservation and Modify Search, re-entered my dates and nights, then clicked Update, I had to re-select entry Date and Entry Point on the Calendar View, clicked Reserve and again on to the Review Reservation Details and Confirm Reservation Details page and just 1 night. I tried modifying and updating info a few more times, then thought I'd just proceed with checkout and maybe the correct dates/nights would be there. They were not. I did get the Entry Date and Entry Point that I wanted with only 1 night on the reservation, and permit fee and 1 night charged to my card. And I received the confirmation email.

I probably could have left it at that and squared up at the ranger station, but I wanted to just get all the nights paid for, and the exchange rate is pretty good. So still logged in, I went to My Account, My Reservations and changed the reservation to my full planned nights. This is the first and only time that a screen like Frenchy19 posted appeared for me. It was fairly easy to correct the number of nights and all the math works out, I was not over charged, and there was no charge for changing number of nights. I received a second email confirmation with the change and all looks good - dates, entry... and Reservation Number is the same.

Anybody else run into this?

Not only is the new reservation system different, the new confirmation email is a bit different as well. As long as the reservation is good, I'm good.