Is it possible to get into South Howard Lake and North Howard south of Pickerel from Rawn Narrows? Google Maps suggests you might just paddle through. Any info on Rawn Lake and Buckingham Lake? This is the one area of the Quetico I have never visited.

I paddled up from the "narrows" towards Howard Lakes in August 2013. (See trip report for more into on Rawn and Buckingham.) Jim at CC had told me I would probably get wet getting there, (shallow water/beaver dams, etc.)and after paddling to the "pinch point" on the map, I decided to turn around, and save my energy. I don't think many people ever go there, so that alone might be a good reason for trying, for those so inclined. It was very ducky/moosey-looking at the point where I stopped. Wish I could tell you more. Photos: my turn around view & Jim's "campsite" near Rawn Narrows. =) --Goose

I've heard the same thing about Howard Lakes. They are very "Moosey." I have done both Rawn and Buckingham and enjoyed both. Outside island campsite on Rawn is very windy and well used, not a lot of firewood. We were only there for a day but I think the fishing would be pretty good if you are looking to fish.

My buddy and I did an early Sept 2006 trip French Lake-Pickerel-Rawn Narrows-Buckingham and return. Don't remember the portages, so they must have been easy.

Going south on Pickerel, the winds held us up for (luckily), only a few hours. Next time I may get a shuttle to Stanton Bay.

Camped for a few days on Buckingham on a decent island site. Fishing was spotty, but I caught my first Quetico laker off a point on the south end of Buckingham. I remember Buckingham to be a very nice lake.

My buddy managed to get a cell phone signal when we stayed at a beach campsite on the SE end of Pickerel, right at dusk.

I don't like to take cell phones, but a couple people I've traveled with have had their best luck with cell phone reception right around dusk. One time we were well away from a tower on the north end of Fraser Lake in the BWCA and managed to place a short call. I suspect we had the benefit of an atmospheric/water skip of the cell phone signal. Heck, we couldn't even get a cell phone signal while we were closer to the highway at Snowbank Lake!

Pickerel is a real gem, with it's gin-clear water and expansive sandy shorelines. Didn't do much fishing (or catching) on Pickerel. I'd love to target lakers there on my next visit there.

Tight lines, and light winds to your back.

Buckingham has several nice campsites and the portages are easy. You can also do a circle of the little no name lakes to the west of Buckingham. There are cut portages. Few canoeists explore them so you could find the fishing excellent.

The narrows you pass through in Pickerel before you get to the Howard lakes turnoff has some huge Northerns. Art has good Lakers and the water is really clear but I have never checked it for campsites.

nice to read about areas I have yet to see. thanks.

quote kanoes: "nice to read about areas I have yet to see. thanks."

Plan to be there in July. Will provide an update. We have a full crew of veterans ready to go. Only 26 below there today. Eyedocron

quote Eyedocron: "Is it possible to get into South Howard Lake and North Howard south of Pickerel from Rawn Narrows? Google Maps suggests you might just paddle through."

I believe it is possible, but as mentioned, you'd be wet and muddy before you made it to North Howard. Probably depends on time of year and water levels too. It gets very swampy towards the back of South Howard where the channel is. Fishing in the north half of the lake was impossible due to the weed growth. Not sure I'd count on finding a good campsite in North Howard based on how low that area is; might be a better day trip exploration.

I pushed my way up that channel a bit a few years ago. But the fishing had been so good that year, and the rest of the area is so much more attractive, that I bailed to get back to the fish.

We plan to explore the passages into Howard Lakes next month. Sounds like it may be as little visited as the predictions as the fellow going into Zephira. May be un passable. Will report. Eyedocron

Did you make it to the Howard Lakes?

Yes, at least into South Howard, and reported it after on another thread.
Going south into Rawn Narrows, the narrows splits. The right passage goes into Rawn Lake (where my crew actually went in 2016), the left passage opens into a shallow bay. There was a small crew camped on a tiny point on the north side; looked like a good spot for mosquitos. Continuing east, it looked like the bay ended in a grass and mud wall, but we found a winding canoeable passage that went through. After about 30 min winding through this, we came to a small lagoon of open water with a small rapids coming in on the north side. There was a faint unused portage trail that went uphill along the east side of the rapids with climbing over fallen trees. At the top was South Howard Lake backed up behind a natural rock dam. Lots of blueberries. It looked fairly shallow, but if you wanted to go someplace really unvisited, this would be it. Reachable in one day from French Lake or Stanton Bay entries. We did not paddle to the east end, so I have no idea about the going from South to North Howard.

Thank you! Am thinking about a solo in late September and that may be my adventure...

If you do this, add a brief report to this thread. Good luck. Hope it turns out great. Eyedocron