Another planning question for the upcoming trans-Quetico trip - I'm interested in any insights people have about camping on Tanner Lake and about the "Eat Em Up" portage into it from the Darky River. We are meeting up with friends on Argo for a couple nights on our trip before heading north toward Tanner. I'm wondering if traveling from Argo to Tanner in one day is a good idea, and whether there are good campsite options on Tanner when we get there if we do that. The alternative would be to break it up with a very short day from Argo to Darky Lake or (more likely) a detour into Wicksteed before going into to Tanner the next day.

So anyone with tales to tell . . . I'd love to hear them. Thanks in advance!

Tanner Lake has a couple of island campsites near the portage. The portage itself is long, but not too bad. A bit of a climb at the Tanner end. The southern end does not actually empty into the Darky River, but into a small side stream. The last 50 yards is muddy. If you are going northward, don't miss the side stream.
At the Darky Lake end of the river is a small island with a nice camp. Last time I was there, however, it had burned from either a lightning fire or a campers fire.
A short portage in a small bay on the west side of Darky Lake will take you into Wicksteed, which has a number of island campsites. You can later go out the NE corner of Wicksteed into the Darky River a bit upstream (East) of the side stream to the EatEmUp portage.
Don't miss the indian drawings on a rock face on the east side of Darky Lake.

Thanks for the info, eyedocron. Sounds like it should not be a problem to travel from Argo to Tanner in one day, nor to find a campsite once on Tanner. We've been on Darky and Wicksteed a couple times before, and though they are great lakes that I'd love to linger on again, I think we'd like to get moving up to the northwest part of the park at that point on this trans-Q trip.

If anyone else has anything to add - please do! Thanks in advance.

Ho Ho

Stayed at Tanner last year. The best site is the one at the eastern end of the "big island" where the small falls are. The site is accessible from the lake above the falls but is about 50 yards below the actual falls on the right side going downstream from the small falls. Shaded area with good pine duff. A bit of privacy as it is not visible from Tanner itself due to the elevation drop of the falls. This site is closer to the Maligne assuming your are headed north toward Sturgeon. No backtracking required.

The second site is up nearer the western end and on a large, flat open peninsula. Close to the portage down to Darky - a bit west of it if I recall. Would require a bit of backtracking to get up to Sturgeon. Decent site but was heavily used with lots of trash from unthoughtful groups who are unaware of LNT methods. Will do as an overnight if the other site is full.

Old Hoosier

I always thought there were no good campsites on Tanner. But I have never looked at the one described by Old Hoosier. Good info. Now I just have to get back there to check it out myself.

I would suggest that you break it into two days by camping in Wicksteed the first night. You might go via Ballard which is a nice lake to go through from Darky. There are a number of nice island campsites on Wicksteed and the bass fishing is pretty good.

Except for the length of the portage into Tanner the only problem I had was staying on the logs as I fell into the mud twice.

There are a number of good island campsites in Tanner. I would suggest you paddle around the islands until you find one you like. It's also worth exploring the dam on the north shore.

Thanks for the further input guys! Very helpful! Keep it coming . . .

I was over the Eat 'em up Portage a few days ago. No problem at all, as the trail is in good shape. We paddled from Wink Lake (near Poohbah) to Darky Lake in a few hours, single-portaging. You will climb over a good-sized beaver dam on Andrews Creek, which will make the paddle to the east end of the portage easy for late summer. Have fun!

Thanks for the update, Arctic, and good to hear!

Ho Ho