Doing my best to find a map or, info regarding motorized travel either from Minnesota, but more specifically from Canada. Do any of you fine people know either from maps or, first hand experience whether there are motors allowed further East on Iron lake? Taking a trip up Stuart and would like to visit Curtain Falls and hope for a couple nights on Iron. Would prefer to not hear motors from camp (after paddling our butts off).
The only info I've been able to find so far is: Motors are allowed on LLC, but not beyond Snow Bay. So far I haven't found any info for Iron, from the Canadian Side, or their regulations to indicate one way or another.

Any help would be appreciated.

Lastly, to show my thanks (in advance) I've attached a photo from a trip my 9 year old and I took last November from EP77. South Hegman to North Hegman, then over to Little Bass. Finished the portage from North Hegman to Little Crab, well after dark and had to paddle through a darn near white out snowfall, to get to campsite 1903. Temps in the upper 20's dropped overnight and we woke up to 15'ish degrees. Nine year old was a champ for all three nights and got to visit the petroglyphs on the way out.

Thanks again folks.

The whole Canadian side of Lac La Croix is unlimited motorized. No restrictions. Essentially that means all the way to Bottle Portage is motorized. Remember it’s a foreign country with different rules. It’s not a Wilderness area as far as Canadians are concerned.

Then The Lac La Croix First Nations band does have motor rights to Quetico. So technically the Northern part of Iron, Minn, MaCree and Crooked are possible options to see motors. Albeit I’d say this is rare.

After saying all of that I wouldn’t worry about it. Even when I run into motors on those lakes it’s unexpected but it’s not the end of the world.

T

For me, the 1950's float planes without 'mufflers' on them were more of an audible distraction than motor boats. Lac LaCroix is a big lake and motorized watercraft are not all that much of a problem. Certainly not like an urban lake. The Loon river that connects Lac Lacroix is absolutely awful with motor boats.
Tom

We took the tow to Bottle portage last year and stayed on Iron. Iron sharpening Iron and the truth about walleye cheeks

I don’t think you will have any issues on Iron or Crooked. Below is a link to a map to what LLC First Nation has access to for motor boat use (10 hp), but this may be an older map and no longer up to date. My understanding is that the LLC First Nation accessible lakes can change but limited to a subset in Western Q (which does not include Iron or Crooked). Furthermore, their access is limited to 10 lakes in a given year.

https://files.ontario.ca/figure6_map_quetico_pp.pdf

plander: "I don’t think you will have any issues on Iron or Crooked. Below is a link to a map to what LLC First Nation has access to for motor boat use (10 hp), but this may be an older map and no longer up to date. My understanding is that the LLC First Nation accessible lakes can change but limited to a subset in Western Q (which does not include Iron or Crooked). Furthermore, their access is limited to 10 lakes in a given year.


https://files.ontario.ca/figure6_map_quetico_pp.pdf


"

Is your link for this year only? The guides get to rotate lakes year to year. It’s a weird process…seems secretive almost.

Anyways…I can assure you guides bring boats on Bottle, Iron, Crooked, Argo at least some years as I’ve seen the boat stashes and seen them portage the boats over to Argo. I think it is less and less as it is a lot of work. Maybe the lakes have changed over time?


T

I think they can rotate what lakes they use each year.

Sometime in the early 2000s we saw motor boats on the Canadian side of Crooked during our whole week in the area. The SM fishing was incredible that trip.

10 lakes that rotate. They get to pick a certain # ( like 3 or 4?) each year. (From what I remember)

Seen them portage from Mccree via Rebecca Falls port into Iron. 1999 or 2000 .
2 people in one boat-- "mostly" stayed in Canada like they "do" on LLC :O) (between 27 and 25 Island) Always see Canadian motor boats illegally in that area on LLC

I have used Andersons canoe outfitters in Crane lake for a tow in to bottle portage from Crane lake. We stayed on the Canadian side of LLC to the drop off point at the Canadian side of bottle portage as Minnesota motor use stops at snow bay on LLC. Quetico is all no motors except for the Lac La Croix tribe they are permited to use motors on select lakes. At the time (7 years ago) we didn't need any special permits to cross and use Canadian waters all I had was our BWCA permit.

Sundem2005: "I have used Andersons canoe outfitters in Crane lake for a tow in to bottle portage from Crane lake. We stayed on the Canadian side of LLC to the drop off point at the Canadian side of bottle portage as Minnesota motor use stops at snow bay on LLC. Quetico is all no motors except for the Lac La Croix tribe they are permited to use motors on select lakes. At the time (7 years ago) we didn't need any special permits to cross and use Canadian waters all I had was our BWCA permit."

Sorry, a little bit of nit picking…

None of Lac La Croix on the Canadian side is part of Quetico. That’s why there are no motor restrictions. On the Canadian side it’s like any other lake in Ontario. Any size motor you want. Lac La Croix forms the boundary of Quetico.

T

I’ve been to Iron and Crooked 4 times in the last dozen years. I’ve never seen a motorboat past Bottle portage. I’ve used Anderson’s and I can’t recommend them enough. They’ll take care of you better than anyone else. This is a great area and I highly recommend it. You will not be bothered by motor sounds on either of these lakes. I also stayed on LLC during the pandemic when Anderson’s wasn’t allowed passed Snow Bay. While the Canadians were able to go to Bottle, the motors didn’t make that much difference. They don’t come that close to the American side and it’s not that bothersome.

Thank you all for your help.
Truly appreciate it.
Be safe, have fun.