Has anybody been to Wabakimi?  I'm daydreaming about a week's trip next year, maybe September, not a whole lot of paddling, maybe 60-70 mile total, or maybe a base camp trip.  

I've only heard one person's story, they took the train to Allanwater Bridge and paddled out to near Armstrong.  Would love to hear of other trips.  Anybody done a fly-in?  Cost?  I have a map, tell me where you went.

Louisa, I have been there four times: I paddled from Allanwater Bridge up to Smoothrock and flew out (a great trip but becoming quite popular); The Brightsand River loop from Allanwater down through Kawaweogama Lake and Sesenaga into Wapikamaski and then north on the Brightsand back to Allanwater; the Flindt river east of Savant lake to Smoothrock Lake, and the Misehkow River.  Anyone traveling in Wabakimi should have some competence in moving water as it offers classic shield pool and drop rivers with some nice long rapids thrown in.  Portages can be difficult to find due to very little use.  Taking the Via Rail train in and out with your canoes and gear is a great experience and not too expensive.  The services of an outfitter for maps, traveling arrangements and permits is highly advised.  The park is absolutely beautiful and offers some of the best fishing I have had anywhere.  Feel free to message me if you want more info.

I was there with a friend of mine in 2001.  We took the train in to Redhead Lake (Nemo River) and flew out off of Granite Lake.  The isolation was exceptional, and getting dropped off on a train and having it pull away was pretty cool.  I have seen that most people get off at Allanwater Bridge, but I would certainly recommend the stop at redhead lake a little sooner.  We did not see a soul for 7 days, until we paddled within 1/2 mile of a fly-in fish joint on Brennan Lake (which is a sizable like).  Otherwise, that was the only folks we saw the entire time.  We went in early September.  Wildlife was sparse, but fishing was excellent, bugs were non-existent.  Nemo River wasn't so much river as stream connecting a chain of likes, so there was no real whitewater, just a number of small portages (many of which we pulled the boat through) and a couple of long ones.  Snake Lake was a great place to spend 2 days.  Sand beach, nice campsite on SE shore and great fishing (nice mix of northerns and walleye).  The portage into Brennan Lake was a pain in the ass, mostly because there was not supposed to be a portage, but there was so much downed timber we got out of the boat and pulled it through logs for about 30 minutes.  Brennan Falls (upper and Lower are quite impressive.  We went through the upper in an empty canoe and swamped it on a big haystack at the bottom.  Cold day for a swim, but amusing nonetheless.  I can't imagine doing anything but walking around the lower falls.  There is a lot of water moving out of that lake.

The Beaver picked us up in the middle of Granite Lake.  It was cool flying out.  Expensive (about $150 per head) but very cool, and a great way to end a trip.  But the train in is very cheap and it is a neat way to start your trip.

My $0.02 worth.

Thanks Dave, it's always nice to hear more people's experiences before trying something for the first time.

personally haven't been there...... i know my pops used to do an anual fly-in trip there for the walleye fishing..... they were usin motor boats and he said the fishing is untouchable..... drop yer line and ya gots a walleye.......  course they had depth-finders and motors......   but sounded intriguing anyway....  BIG northern as well.....

Sorry to detour the thread...isn't this the park that "Grey Owl" was associated with?  Just watched the movie.

  (You need to Login or Register are not included. Even at the 1:250,00 scale! Must be true wilderness...

The topo maps on QJ now include Algonquin, Woodland Caribou, Quetico, Nopiming and Whiteshell Provincial Parks. And yes, I'm shameless.