"plander, DentonDoc is entirely correct."

??????????????

"For Quetico, there is a brief period between ice-out and when reservations are required later in May.  I haven't check when that date is for the upcoming season, but I've been in mid-May a couple of times BEFORE the reservation period began.  If that is the case for you (which I wouldn't be surprised about with a May 17th entry), you do not need a permit.  And YES, you will need an RABC unless you plan to cross the border at an established border crossing (e.g., International Falls)."  

uh, "what's up Doc" ??

this is not entirely correct, so I'll restate it --

Reservations are never required - its just a good idea to have a reservation so that you are sure you can enter the park on the date and entry point you want.

A PARK PERMIT is always required for overnight camping - the park is never really closed, which is why the dates listed above somewhere covered 365 days. But the ranger stations are not staffed year-round.

from the "Quetico Provincial Park Wilderness Guide 2008"  pamphlet -- the ranger stations were all open on May 16th that year, including Atikokan, and the end date varied between August and September.

When the Ranger Stations are open and staffed, you get the permit from the Ranger Station that is associated with your entry point.  If the Ranger stations are closed in the "off season", you get your permit and pay your fees at a self service pay station - if in doubt, call the park HQ to find out if there is a pay station at the location you choose to enter from.

An RABC is irrelevant to the above - The RABC is only relevant to Canadian Customs and legally entering Canada, not to entering and camping in the Provincial Park ( nor to re-entering the US)- you would need an RABC if you enter thru Prairie Portage or Cache Bay, because there is no customs station there (Not sure about Crane Lake or the west end of the park ), but you also must have a Park Permit.  If you drive across the border, you do not need an RABC at all.


semantics, and I know what Doc menat, but plander may not know that.