I only see one really nice campsite on this dead-end lake on an island about 2.5 km west of the portage.

There's another site about 700 m from the portage that looks uninviting.

Anyone know of any additional sites on this lake?

I'd hate to have the misfortune of heading in there and seeing the only reported decent site occupied. Is it worth the risk?

Probably an hour to go in and come back out if it is occupied. The island site is nice and the portage is pretty flat although may be over grown a little. SMB and LT lake.

Pat, I've looked at that campsite on the map many times and have always wanted to go there. A long paddle across the lake only to find the lone campsite occupied would be the only deterrent.

Risk-reward... if it's open, you'll have a great site with privacy galore. If it's taken, well... hopefully it's a nice day for a paddle. :)

I was there three weeks ago. The portage was good and that site was open. Draper is a nice lake but as an alternative, Walter is also a nice lake and Draper is a pretty pleasant day trip from there.

There is another reasonable campsite around the corner to the NE from the best one.

Picture included.

Bushwhacked there a few years ago... It looked like a campsite from the water, but no real tent pad.

Yes it is worth the risk but I say that getting there with the main site open and hearing wolves on our second day. We saw two other campsites while we paddled around the lake on our second day. The one by the portage was rough and I didn't see a place to take out and the one in the picture above that I didn't get out to check but my son said he didn't see I decent tent pad.

We camped on Draper July 9-11th 2024. You can't tell if the main campsite is open until you get all the way there. It looked to us like we were the first ones to camp there this year. There was a nice stack of wood covered by birch bark next to the firepit, and grass had grown around the stack. Also, a turtles nest no more than 10 meters from the firepit with eggs shells all around it. Lastly, the message jar with notebook had the last entry as Sept 2023. Funny story in the notebook about two groups racing for the campsite. One group decided to eat lunch just after entering Draper. Another group showed up while the first group was still eating lunch and the race was on. I believe the group eating lunch lost out and had to take the other site.

We heard wolves on the southern shore, directly across from camp. We heard them late afternoon, then we heard them again as we were taking a swim at sunset and heard them a third time as we fell asleep. Coolest experience I have had to the Q, floating in the middle of the lake with my son on our lifejackets, watching the sun fall below the tree line while the wolves deep howls echoed around the lake. It was a moment I will never forget.

Fishing was below average. Large Northern yes, smallmouth run small but we did find some big ones in specific spots, no walleye, and no Lake Trout. We tried trolling and jigging for Lakers in water as deep as 75' deep but I don't think Lake Trout are in there. Others agree with me.

NatureCall: "Yes it is worth the risk but I say that getting there with the main site open and hearing wolves on our second day. We saw two other campsites while we paddled around the lake on our second day. The one by the portage was rough and I didn't see a place to take out and the one in the picture above that I didn't get out to check but my son said he didn't see I decent tent pad.

We camped on Draper July 9-11th 2024. You can't tell if the main campsite is open until you get all the way there. It looked to us like we were the first ones to camp there this year. There was a nice stack of wood covered by birch bark next to the firepit, and grass had grown around the stack. Also, a turtles nest no more than 10 meters from the firepit with eggs shells all around it. Lastly, the message jar with notebook had the last entry as Sept 2023. Funny story in the notebook about two groups racing for the campsite. One group decided to eat lunch just after entering Draper. Another group showed up while the first group was still eating lunch and the race was on. I believe the group eating lunch lost out and had to take the other site.

We heard wolves on the southern shore, directly across from camp. We heard them late afternoon, then we heard them again as we were taking a swim at sunset and heard them a third time as we fell asleep. Coolest experience I have had to the Q, floating in the middle of the lake with my son on our lifejackets, watching the sun fall below the tree line while the wolves deep howls echoed around the lake. It was a moment I will never forget.

Fishing was below average. Large Northern yes, smallmouth run small but we did find some big ones in specific spots, no walleye, and no Lake Trout. We tried trolling and jigging for Lakers in water as deep as 75' deep but I don't think Lake Trout are in there. Others agree with me.

"

Great report. Thank you! We heard dogs half way down Quetico Lake but I'm pretty sure they were coyotes.

Given how few people we saw in more traveled areas of the park, I'd be surprised if Draper ever has many visitors. It was seriously bad luck for those lunchers.

I agree about the people. We didn't see one canoe for seven days straight. The second day of trip we saw the last people we would see for a week. A couple taking a potty break as we entered the main part of Antoine Lake. We were far enough away so not to make things awkward, but we were laughing as we told ourselves the guy said "just go here honey, nobody is going to see you". After that, we saw no one until the Marie/Jessie portage.

For what it's worth, Stu from the BW Journal does list lake trout as being present in Draper. I haven't caught one, but I don't know why he'd lie about it.

I love Draper...I might have to go back to do some research. :)

I don't think Stu is lying about Lake Trout in Draper, although he may just be repeating the information found in Quetico fishing books or Ontario fishing information that is found online as they all have LT in Draper but they also have LT in other lakes that don't have Lake Trout anymore(if they ever did) like Jessie Lake. Unless Stu has first hand experience, I will stand by "no fishable Lake Trout population" in Draper. I hope someone proves me wrong but keeps it a secret. Enough people have tried for LT there and all say the same, but maybe, just maybe, fisherman lie about what they catch or don't catch.