You are describing exactly our plan (three adults with a 17 and a 10 year old in 2 boats) We had planned Beaverhouse-Quetico---Jean-badwater route. BUT after much confering with a local outfitter, and reading about the badwater/quetico portage we decided to head in as far as Jean and then play there for a few days before heading back down Quetico. The southern E-W arm of Quetico is narrow enough to easily keep in the lee of the west wind and we had no trouble making our way back to Beaverhouse. If you are going into Quetico from Beaverhouse, get an early start (You will have a portage from the parking lot and a quick one between Beaverhouse and Quetico (Read the descriptions here) then head east quickly to find a camp site. The further East you get EARLY IN THE DAY, the better chance of finding a site. AND the more fun you will have when you get into Jean (I recommend the Western Arm of Jean and down into Little Jean for a more secluded area) You will not be sorry making a long day of it the first day. Quetico can be a superhiway and the quicker you move south the sooner the crowds will disappear. There is a fantastic site about 50 yards West of the waterfall/portage between Quetico and Conk. If you can make that on the first day (long but not too bad) You're set up for the two quick portages through Conk into Jean on your second day....

The series of lakes from Western Jean through Badwater and back to Quetico are in a pretty swampy area. Not nearly as scenic and more buggy than a lot of this area of the park. And that long portage back to Quetico is not recommended.

Posted by Glenn on April 27, 2001 at 18:38