I will be taking my annual solo in late May or very early June. I have gone back and forth--BW or the Q. The Q is soooo much more expensive. But I also like it soooo much more. I figure the swing could cross $200 for a week depending on where I go in the Q. I have been back and forth with what to do.

I think I have landed on the Q, entering on May 31st at Prairie. Up Agnes, Kawmipi, the Scotch Chain, Piwi and down and out. Once the decision is made it is time to plan and look forward to the trip.

Aren't choices great? Here's another one: You could drive a few more hours and go to WCPP. I don't know what the fee system is like in Quetico but, if I remember correctly, it's $13/night in WCPP.

No need to pay for a shuttle once you get there if you're looking to save money. Any vehicle should be able to reach the Johnson Lake access and Onnie would be doable with a little higher clearance. You have lots of options of places to go from there.

Alan

As long as Allan threw out WCPP [a great place] I would like to throw out Wabikimi. No shuttles, a short 1/2 day paddle and your in the park [come in off the Grahman road]. Not much further a drive than going into the Q from the north and a lot less of a drive than WCPP. I'm not sure but I think the permits cost the same as the Q, plus you can use live bait and barbed hooks, I'm not saying you need either but you can. FRED

As long as Allan threw out WCPP [a great place] I would like to throw out Wabikimi. No shuttles, a short 1/2 day paddle and your in the park [come in off the Grahman road]. Not much further a drive than going into the Q from the north and a lot less of a drive than WCPP. I'm not sure but I think the permits cost the same as the Q, plus you can use live bait and barbed hooks, I'm not saying you need either but you can take and use either. FRED

What is the Scotch route?

Pay the money. Scrimp on that piece of equipment you wanted. I'll pay all day for experience over material things. Make the memory.

Cripes, now I have even more choices!
The Scotch Chain: I have always referred to Cutty, Sark and the surrounding string of lakes as the Scotch Chain. I thought others used it as well. Perhaps not.

I've only been to BWCA and Sylvania myself, so I don't know first hand the pros of the provincial parks. The adventure aspect alone makes them appealing to me though. I find it helpful to list pros and cons. Cons listed so far are expense and travel time. I would be interested to hear what draws you to the different parks.

I would be interested to hear what draws you to the different parks.

Fewer people, fewer permits, less traveled territory, and no "official" camp sites is what draws me to the WCPP area. This year I'll be going a little north of the park through the crown lands. Seeing a motorboat here and there doesn't bother me. Some of them are customers at fly-in lodges and others are first nations who live in the area at villages only accessible by boat or plane. It's kind of neat stumbling across someone's moose camp or the remains of an old cabin seemingly in the middle of nowhere.

Alan

Don't bother with Wabakimi or WCPP.
They are really, really far away.
The water is greenish yellow and stinks like sulfur.
The fish, if you can catch any, have at least 3 eyes each.
And rock music, Nickelback, of course, blares all night long and can be heard from just about every campsite. That is if you can even hear it over the airplane engines that fly overhead 24/7.
No, don't even think of going to those parks.

hamilllsc, Canadian parks other than in First Nation regions are far less utilized with Quetico probably the most used of those in our area. Hence the warning messages you really do not want to go there.

I have several trips into Quetico and its majesty is hard to beat. The hassle of permitting and license fees, passport and entry cards have reduced my trips there. I like being able to at short notice pick a route that has a permit and with my senior discount do a BWCA trip for less than the cost of paperwork to go to Quetico. Time your trip right and you can get pretty private in the BWCA.

And to GraniteCliffs, you really did not expect someone here to reduce your options. Choices indeed.

Each of them has their own flavor. I've been in the northern end of Wabikimi and enjoyed it. Trip makes noted it has far less of a "Canadian Shield" look to it. I liked the remote bush feel. A lack of hardwoods was also noted. But fishing was amazing and there was a kinds of wild scenery.

jcavenagh did a pretty good job of describing WCPP and Wabikimi, but he did miss couple of points. You need to learn French before you go or all you will understand is "eh" while your there. He failed to mention the bears, there's one behind every bush, there's no tress north of a line from Thunder Bay to Knorea, so no need to pack a tarp along and besides Canada has banned any rainfall from July 4 to October 31. The wind rarely blows but since the lakes are all less than 100 acres they never get rough. A Master Angler in Canada is someone who catches over 2 fish a day, any size or species, that's why there are no limits in Canada, most of the fish sort-of glow which would make them easier to catch at night if you weren't defending your camp from wolves. Be sure to pack portage wheels along because all the portages are smooth and level. Skeets and blackflies are just an urban myth they don't exist so you can save on bug spray, and with no bugs and no rain you don't need a tent. Canadian gas is really cheap, and it gets cheaper the further you get into the bush. My favorite is the game the fly-in-pilots play with canoeist... they see how close they can fly to someone in a canoe without actually hitting them, they know they won when the folks in the canoe quickly paddle to shore after being buzzed and change pants. By all means don't go any further north than the Q. FRED

quote jcavenagh: "Don't bother with Wabakimi or WCPP.
They are really, really far away.
The water is greenish yellow and stinks like sulfur.
The fish, if you can catch any, have at least 3 eyes each.
And rock music, Nickelback, of course, blares all night long and can be heard from just about every campsite. That is if you can even hear it over the airplane engines that fly overhead 24/7.
No, don't even think of going to those parks."

Lions, tigers and bears, oh my!

(Hahahaha) ; )

Maybe Atikaki in Manitoba.

Yes, the wolves are indeed quite fearsome. A wolf pup wandered into our camp one night in Wabikimi. Quite unnerving to hear the adults woofing from a short distance away.

quote nctry: "Maybe Atikaki in Manitoba."

Ssh Ben, I thought we agreed to never mention this destination to anyone. A yearly $40 parking permit,no reservation or camping fees but does require a lot of digging for info. Most have only gone there to access the Gammon or Bloodvein Rivers but there seems to be some loop routes that see little use or maintenance.

If I really wanted to go to the Q I wouldn't let some additional fees deter me.
Life is too short and my kids already know the only estate the will inherit is a canoe and the gear in it.