Canoe Routes in Ontario's Sunset Country

With a Boreal forest area covering 100,000 square kilometres that is dotted with over 70,000 freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams, Ontario's Sunset Country is any flatwater paddler's dream destination. If a trip into our Boreal forest landscapes isn't on your bucket list, it should be. This article provides an overview of some of the canoe routes you can traverse in Sunset Country.

While you can do these routes self-guided, we strongly recommend you consider the services of an experienced canoe outfitter. They know the area, know the route you want to take, or can suggest routes. They also have a fantastic insurance policy against you getting lost, as they will come out looking for you if that occurs. They can also rent you equipment and supplies for your trip, provide you with maps, and even identify the best campsite locations.

This article is more of an info piece than a guide to planning your trip. Consult our canoe outfitters, who are experts in that aspect. What we want to do here is give you a sampling of some of the canoe routes in this region - and there are many - so you can make the best choice for yourself on where to go.

No source is better for route information than the My Canadian Canoe Routes - Northwestern Ontario page.

An alternative guide is the Canoe Atlas of the Little North.

In many cases, it includes detailed route descriptions so you know what to expect. But from a general perspective, here's what we have to offer:

Route Access Between Provinces - Woodland Caribou Provincial Park

Fortunately, we have a border with wilderness areas in Manitoba, specifically with Nopiming Provincial Park and Atikaki Provincial Park, which have inter-connected routes into Ontario's Woodland Caribou Provincial Park. Waterways with routes between the two provinces include Wallace Lake through to Artery Lake, Bird Lake through to Snowshoe Lake, and routes on the Gammon and Berens Rivers and Beresford Lake into Ontario, to mention just a handful.

These are only general references, so please consult the route descriptions for a full list of waterways on all the routes. Additional routes run from Manitoba to Woodland Caribou Park. On the Ontario side, most people access the park through Red Lake. The Ontario MNR is a good resource for park information.

The Bloodvein River System

The Bloodvein is a designated Heritage River stretching almost 350 kilometres, starting near Red Lake, Ontario and flowing west into Lake Winnipeg. Its role in opening the Canadian West is well known, so the designation is appropriate.

Indigenous peoples travelled the river for centuries, using it for commerce and sustenance. Pictographs line the route, along with many other features. This route has some whitewater, so be aware and plan accordingly.

More Info: Goldseekers Canoe Outfitters

Quetico

The Quetico is a world-renowned canoe destination featured in media and journals for paddlers almost since its inception in 1913. The Provincial Park borders the US Boundary Water Canoe Area (BWCA) and offers a nearly endless choice of routes, plus some of the best places to camp overnight at any canoe destination. While Quetico Provincial Park is a popular canoeing destination, you won't see many others as you need an access permit that limits the number of paddlers in the park at any time.

More Info:

Canoe Canada Outfitters

Branch's Seine River Lodge

Camp Quetico

Far North Routes

The far north of Sunset Country offers real wilderness paddling, suitable only for experienced canoe trippers. There's no one around, and if you see another person, check to ensure all is okay with them, as you are that remote. 

Potential routes include the Fawn River through Fawn River PP, the Severn River through Severn River PP, or the Otoskwin and Attawapiskat Rivers through Otoskwin-Attawapiskat Provincial Park.

Trips here will challenge all your skills, so plan accordingly. When you're done, you can say you have traversed true wilderness untouched by human development. 

Note: We highly recommend using an experienced canoe outfitter for any trips in this area of Sunset Country.

The Turtle River-White Otter Wilderness Area

A canoe trip up the Turtle River and its many adjoining lakes should make the bucket list of any serious canoe tripper. This area is especially rugged, with many high cliffs, and it offers spectacular fishing opportunities along the way if that's your thing.

You'll paddle through the Turtle River-White Otter Wilderness area, with bodies of water along the route such as Clearwater West Lake, White Otter Lake, Pekagoning Lake, etc.

Nearby are what many call the "Atikokan area routes," including trips on the Seine or Atikokan rivers and large lakes such as Lac Des Mille Lacs, Marmion, and several others. 

More Info: Canoe Canada Outfitters

Boundary Waters Fur Trade Route - Pigeon River West to Lake of the Woods

A trip into this area will see you paddling north of the US/Canada Border. There are no formal starting points, but extreme trippers with time on their hands can start at Pigeon River in the east and paddle to Lake of the Woods on several adjoining lakes, including Northern Lights Lake, then south of Quetico Park, ending up eventually in giant Rainy Lake, which flows into the Rainy River and eventually Lake of the Woods.

Kaministikwia River Fur Trade Route - Thunder Bay to Fort Frances

Another historic route, this alternative trip near the Canada/US Border will undoubtedly challenge your skills. Some sections of this route follow the same lakes as the Boundary Waters Fur Trade Route, but it goes through Quetico Park instead of the south. As you paddle along this route, imagine what happened centuries ago when local Indigenous peoples and early voyageurs travelled it.

Lake of the Woods and Area

At 1,000,000 acres and 14,522 islands, Lake of the Woods is one giant canoe route. You could paddle the lake the entire summer and only see parts of it - it is that big! In addition to the lake itself, several adjoining routes run up the Winnipeg River and east toward Dogtooth, Kilvert, and other lakes.

If you are a novice canoeist, this area, while rugged, is probably a good choice. You can increase your confidence by using the services of a canoe outfitter, of course.

Just east of Lake of the Woods is Kakagi (Crow) Lake, one of the most picturesque and beautiful lakes in Sunset Country. Paddlers have many options in Kakagi's crystal-clear waters and adjoining waterways.

Eagle Lake -Vermilion Bay/Dryden Area

Many routes here are relatively short compared to others, making this an excellent area for less experienced canoeists. Options include Eagle Lake, Hawkcliff Lake, Populus Lake, and Dogpaw Lake, which take you through Upper Wabigoon Lake and the English River, among others. The fishing opportunities are out of this world. Check for what's available here.

Wabakimi

As one of the largest Provincial Parks in Ontario, Wabakimi is another bucket-list destination for any serious paddler. Because the Park is so large, you can choose from various routes.

Wabakimi is rugged and remote, so we recommend hiring an outfitter for your trip. Several offer established packages to consider. Areas with routes adjacent to Wabakimi include those in Kopka River, Albany River, and Brightsand River Provincial Parks. 

More Info: Wabakimi Canoe Outfitters

We recently worked with Destination Ontario and brought in Colin Field, who wrote an article about his adventures in the park. See that article here.

Canoeing.com has a guide about paddling in the park, which you can read here.

We should emphasize that this highlights only a small sample of the canoe routes available for paddlers. More routes are available around areas like Sioux Lookout, Pickle Lake, and Lac Seul, to name three.

Here are some useful resources for those planning a trip up here.

Canoe Outfitters in Ontario's Sunset Country

The Path of the Paddle Association

My Canadian Canoe Routes - Northwestern Region Info

Canoe Atlas of the Little North

Ontario Parks Online Reservation System

Canada Map Sales - Topographic Maps for NWO

Explore Magazine's Article on Canoe Routes in Ontario (includes other areas outside NWO)

Paddling Magazine's 101 Canoeing Quotes

First Aid Plus: The Top 10 Wilderness Survival Items  

Get a FREE Sunset Country, Ontario Travel Guide here

“There is magic in the feel of a paddle and the movement of a canoe, a magic compounded of distance, adventure, solitude and peace.” -Sigurd F. Olson