Quetico Backcountry Camping Gear List
Quetico's backcountry has no facilities, services or signs on campsites and portages, so you navigate by map. Cans, glass bottles, motorboats, power saws and generators are banned, and fishing needs artificial bait and barbless hooks.
What to bring
A park map
Portages and campsites are not signed. Maps are sold online or by phone at (807) 597-2735.
Your booking confirmation
Print it or bring a digital copy.
Artificial bait and barbless hooks
Ontario fishing regulations require them in Quetico, with a valid Ontario fishing licence in your possession.
Boating safety gear
Ontario Parks says to check the current Canadian boating regulations before your trip.
What the backcountry does not have
No facilities, services or signs
Ontario Parks says this of campsites and portages alike.
Water levels change
Ask staff at the ranger stations about water levels and portage conditions.
Not allowed
Cans and glass bottles
Banned at Quetico.
Motors and machines
Motorized boats, power saws, gasoline generators, power ice augers and mechanized portage devices.
Firearms and bows
Including air guns, slingshots and crossbows.
Unattended gear
You may not leave a boat or equipment in the park without the superintendent's permission.
Ontario Parks' backcountry safety page
These lines are on Ontario Parks' general backcountry page, not the Quetico page.
Water treatment
Treat all drinking water with a filter, iodine, or by boiling it for at least three minutes.
Rope to hang food
At night, hang all food and garbage at least 3 m off the ground and 2 m from a tree trunk.
A first aid kit
Ontario Parks says always pack one.
Gear questions for Quetico backcountry camping
Are Quetico backcountry camping sites marked?
No. Ontario Parks says the backcountry has no facilities, services or signs, and portages and campsites are not signed.
What is banned on Quetico backcountry camping trips?
Cans and glass bottles, motorized boats, power saws, gasoline generators, power ice augers and mechanized portage devices.
What fishing gear is allowed for Quetico backcountry camping?
Ontario fishing regulations require artificial bait and barbless hooks in Quetico, and a valid Ontario fishing licence.
Sources
- Ontario Parks: Quetico camping
- Ontario Parks: Quetico activities
- Ontario Parks: backcountry safety and etiquette
Checked against the agency pages above on November 9, 2026. This page names no products, and it lists what the agency says, in our words. Check the agency page for rules that changed since.
In an emergency in Canada, call 911.