Canoe Outfitters in Sunset Country

Paddle with confidence in the Ontario wilderness
Gerry Cariou
By Gerry Cariou

Gerry Cariou is the Executive Director of Ontario's Sunset Country.

Last Updated: July 11, 2025

Canoe Outfitters in Northwestern Ontario

Paddle with Confidence in the Ontario Wilderness

Congratulations, you have decided you want to take a canoe trip into the Northwestern Ontario wilderness - the best flatwater paddling region in North America. And while there are many canoe routes that a novice canoeist can safely paddle on their own, most of the best canoe routes (and there are many) cut through rugged backcountry wilderness. This is the main reason the paddling experience is so good in this region of Ontario, and it is also the main reason, when planning a wilderness canoe trip here, that you should use the services of an experienced canoe outfitter. 

Use a canoe outfitter to help you plan your wilderness canoe trip.

This article has been written to give paddlers interested in visiting Sunset Country a quick resource to find a canoe outfitter that can help them plan their trip. Depending on your level of experience, they can recommend the best routes, rent you equipment, provide you with food and maps, and ensure that you have a safe and fun experience. 

Canoe Trip & Routes in Northwestern Ontario - An Overview

When you have an area as vast as Northwestern Ontario, it's hard to give an "overview" about the paddling opportunities. Needless to say, there are a lot of places you can go, with varying degrees of difficulty. Newbies can easily complete some short routes, while others are best suited for those with at least some previous experience. Portages - some of them long - are a reality on our canoe routes. Some routes are "expert-only" with difficult rapids and long portages. Saying all that, we know you will be able to find a route suitable for your experience and your desire to have fun.

Here are the types of routes we have:

  1. Loops: A common kind of canoe route in the Northwest is a simple loop. This usually involves a trip over 305 lakes, and you end up where you started - a good choice for many novice canoeists.
  2. Fly-in/Paddle-Out: Yep, a common trip into some remote wilderness parks involves strapping a canoe to the float of a bushplane loaded with your gear and flying you in to your starting point. The idea is to paddle out to a designated pick-up point close to where you started. 
  3. Different Ingress/Egress Points: On these routes, you start your trip at one location and finish at a different location. This is more common on trips on river systems or very long routes.

Here is a link with more detailed information about canoe routes in Northwestern Ontario.

There are many types of canoe routes in Northwestern Ontario.

Wilderness Parks - Ideal for Paddling

We take the meaning of "wilderness park" to a whole new level in Northwestern Ontario. Our wilderness parks are truly wild places, with no interior roads, and basically, you paddle or fly in if you want to visit. This makes them ideal landscapes for paddlers but it also makes them serious places to consider hiring a canoe outfitter for. Here is a link to an article with more detailed information about our three major wilderness parks in Northwestern Ontario.

Whitewater rapids in Wabakimi Provincial Park.

Canoe Outfitters in Wabakimi Park

Wabakimi Outfitters

Learn more about Wabakimi Park here

Canoe Outfitters in Quetico Park

Branch's Seine River Lodge

Canoe Canada Outfitters

Quetico Outfitters

Learn more about Quetico Park here

Canoe Outfitters in Woodland Caribou Park

Goldseekers Canoe Outfitting & Wilderness Expeditions

Learn more about Woodland Caribou Park here