Quetico Provincial Park
NW Ontario, Canada, North America - Part of the Quetico
Superior Wilderness
 Quetico
Provincial Park:
Covering over 4750 square kilometers and having only 2,200 backcountry
(interior) campsites scattered on over 600 lakes, it's no wonder Quetico
is considered a world class wilderness canoe camping destination. Canoeists
can only enter Quetico Park via six ranger
stations, of which, only two are accessible by road.
Quetico Maps with highlighted points of interest (bolding
designates large digital files)
Nym
Lake / Dawson Trail
Cache
Bay / Prairie Portage
Lac Lacroix
/ Beaverhouse
Quetico
Fire History Map
Ranger Stations
Quetico has been in existence since 1913, although
an actual road coming close to it wasn't built until 1954. The heart
of Quetico has been protected from logging since 1943. While all logging
within park boundaries stopped on May 13th 1971, stumps and other remnants
of logging and mining history can still be found today.
Quetico Park History:
- 1909 - Knowledge people became so alarmed at the
slaughter of moose for trophies and for food by logging and mining
camps they urged the establishment of the Quetico Game Preserve. Frank
Cochrane, Minister, promised to set aside the reserve IF the United
States set aside a similar area. It didn't take long for President
Roosevelt to create the Superior National Forest.
The Minnesota Game and Fish Commission then established the Superior
State Game Reserve. Two months later, Ontario created the
Quetico Forest and Game Reserve. It's boundaries were
slightly different than they are today but the idea was planted.
 1913
- Quetico Forest Reserve of Ontario DPW became Quetico
Provincial Park under Ontario Department of Lands, Forests
and Mines.
- 1917 - Shelvin-Clark were logging Quetico. By 1919 five lumber camps
were well established in the Quetico Lake area.
- 1925-1926 Logging occurred at Pickerel, French, Marion, Jesse, McAlpine,
Quetico, Oriana and Batchewaung by Shevlin-Clark.
- 1928 - By now so many people were disturbed by the destruction of
the wild character of Minnesota and Ontario the US formed the Quetico
Superior Council which was established to obtain a treaty between
the US and Canada "to defend and extend the roadless
wilderness area along the boundary waters and to protect and expand
the rare public values in Rainy Lake watershed".
- 1941 - Crooked Lake was logged by J.A. Mathieu but due to lobbying
by the Quetico Superior Council, 300 foot shoreline reserves and 200
foot portage reserves were established.
- 1943 - Wartime Order-in-Council permitted prospecting and recording
of mining claims in Quetico.
- 1956 - Prospecting and mining banned in Quetico Park.
- 1959 - A commercial fishing license was issued to the Lac La Croix
band - up to 23 men were involved - sturgeon was dressed and sold
in the Winnipeg market. There was a steady decline in the catch and
fishing was discontinued by 1962.
- 1970 - The Quetico Park Advisory Committee held public meetings
regarding logging in Quetico.
- 1973 - Minister Leo Bernier announced acceptance of the Advisory
Committee's report of Quetico's goal, "it's preservation, in
perpetuity, for the people of Ontario as an area of wilderness not
adversely affected by human activities and containing a natural environment
of aesthetic, historical and recreational significance".
- 1977- Quetico Park Master Plan is accepted with the stated goal
"to preserve Quetico Provincial Park, which contains a
natural environment of recreational and historical significance, in
perpetuity for the people of Ontario as an area of wilderness that
is not adversely affected by human activities".
A total ban on motors was to be implemented in 1979.
- 1978 - Regulations changed to prohibit motors on Pickerel and French
Lakes, the Wigwiag river and the International Boundary Waters.
- 1979 - Motors Banned in Quetico - with one exception: "members
of the Lac La Croix Guides Association may operate a power boat with
an engine not exceeding 10 horsepower on Quetico, Beaverhouse, Wolseley,
Tanner, Minn and McAree Lakes; including the Maligne River from Lac
La Croix to Tanner Lake.
- 1991 - Minister Bud Wildman reviews the Lac La Croix band's historical
circumstances and makes an apology in the provincial legislature "for
the lack of respect that has been shown for it's people and for it's
rights". Lac La Croix guides granted interim permission to use
motors of 10 horse or less on Cirrus, Jean and Conk Lakes.
Credits - Ontario Ministry of National Resources
and the Lac La Croix First Nation
Here's another historic
timeline for Quetico Provincial Park
The paragraph about Remote Area Border Crossing (RABC) Permits only
applies to visitors who plan to paddle across the border.
Regulations
Permits, entry points &
daily quotas
Quetico forum
Links to other Quetico
Provincial Park information
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