Quetico Provincial Park: Paddling in paradise

QUETICO PROVINCIAL PARK, ONTARIO

The haunting calls of two loons echoed over our pine-studded island campsite as dusk settled on Basswood Lake.

A cool breeze that whistled through the red pines all day had finally subsided, and now Basswood's pristine waters barely lapped the rocky shoreline. The sky, once flaming orange, was awash with cool violet hues that soon would fade to black.

Nearby, our campfire crackled.

Except for the loons, we had this slice of paradise to ourselves. No other campers could be seen or heard on the large bay of the sprawling lake, which straddles the Minnesota-Ontario border.

We were nearing the end of a week of paddling, portaging, fishing, swimming, camping and just relaxing in Quetico Provincial Park -- the million-acre Canadian wilderness adjacent to Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, another million acres of forests, lakes and rivers.

As expected, we found exactly what we were looking for: a respite from a hectic modern world of cell phones, computers and jammed freeways.

I've traveled in many stunning wildernesses in North America -- mountain ranges, deserts and remote rivers in Canada's far north. But for my money, none is more beautiful or inviting than the Boundary Waters-Quetico canoe country.

My wife, Mary Lynn, and I have been paddling there since long before our three daughters were born. And since they were in diapers, they have paddled with us there, enduring bugs, rain, wind and muddy portages -- but also savoring the wondrous scenery, pine-scented campsites, superb fishing and swimming in cool, clear waters clean enough to drink.

An annual canoe trip to the Boundary Waters has been a family ritual for nearly 30 years. So earlier this month, we packed our gear and headed to Ely, our usual jumping-off spot for Quetico.

The allure of Quetico

Minnesota's BWCA attracts about 200,000 visitors yearly, making it the most visited wilderness area in the nation. We've spent many years exploring it, and it is a jewel.

Neighboring Quetico has a different allure. Access to both areas is restricted by a permit system. But the Canadians allow fewer visitors -- about 20,000 yearly.

"We don't have nearly as many people," said Robin Reilly, Quetico's park superintendent.

That means you're less likely to encounter fellow travelers, worn campsites or well-beaten portages. The portages -- pathways between lakes -- tend to be more rugged. Crews periodically clear downed trees from trails on both sides of the border, but Quetico's nasty portages are legend and don't seem to get the attention as those in the BWCA.

Quetico simply is more remote.

"After three or four days, you can begin to forget there's another world out there," said Reilly, who has headed the park for eight years. "And that's a special thing. You can get lost [in it]. It's magic."

The park isn't as developed as the BWCA. There are no fiberglass latrines or iron fire grates at the campsites, as there are in the BWCA.

"We try not to have as many reminders of the modern world," Reilly said.

That is appealing. About three-quarters of Quetico's visitors are Americans, and about a third of those are Minnesotans, Reilly estimated.

People fall in love with the area. The average Quetico traveler has been there eight times previously, Reilly said. The average stay is about seven days.

Costly, but worth it

There's a price for paradise. Quetico is more difficult to access, costs more and -- because it's in a foreign country -- there are more bureaucratic hoops to jump through.

In the BWCA, the U.S. Forest Service charges $16 per adult per trip and $8 for youths under 18. Quetico charges $20 per adult per night and $8 per night for youths under 18.

"We try to cover our operating costs with our fees," Reilly said. Those fees haven't risen lately, but for years the U.S. dollar was worth far more than the Canadian dollar, helping mitigate the higher costs there.

These days, the Canadian and U.S. dollars are nearly equal, making U.S. visitors feel the sting of those camping costs. (Park usage is down a bit this year, Reilly said, which he blames on the poor economy, higher gas prices and poor spring weather.)

Another cost: When entering Quetico through remote border crossings near Ely and Grand Marais, visitors need a Canadian Remote Area Border Crossing permit, which must be obtained well in advance. That costs $30 for a family, but children 18 and older need their own permit. (That means our family of five will pay $120 next year just for crossing permits.)

To avoid that hassle and cost, visitors can drive to the Canadian side of Quetico and enter there. As an incentive to help drive tourism north -- and to help disperse visitors -- Quetico charges only $14 per adult per day for those entering the park from the north.

Something else for anglers to consider: New this year, Quetico requires barbless fishing hooks, a move intended to reduce hooking mortality in a place where there are no coolers or livewells in which to haul fish home.

"Fishing is quite good, and people tend to catch a lot more fish than they eat," Reilly said. Also, no organic bait -- either live or frozen -- is permitted.

Of course, anglers also must purchase an Ontario fishing license ($21 to $56), which adds to the costs.

Million-dollar views

But money wasn't on our minds when we camped high on a rocky outcrop covered with fragrant pines on a small lake -- alone -- and caught feisty smallmouth bass.

Or when we spotted a deer swimming across a lake and, later, gulls angrily chasing a bald eagle.

Or when we sat mesmerized after an evening swim of our own -- watching day dissolve to night -- and listening to the loons.