Quetico Portage 5203

This is a tough portage and is somewhere within Quetico's top 10 toughest portages. The portage is very flat. Travelling from Ferguson Lake to Cache River, the first 400 meters is relatively flat and easy with a couple of wet spots following a stream. The next 800 meters is muddy, grassy, wet swamp/ moose trail. There's plenty of wet logs in the mud and water to balance, slip and trip on. On the Cache River side, there's a small mud hole in front of the river put in. Proceed with caution.

It's been 20 years, but this is the second most difficult portage in the park, after Poobah to the Malign. Much easier to get into Ferguson via the creek from McKenzie to Ferguson, which you can paddle through without a portage. But this destination is one of the prettiest lakes in the park. And one of the best for lake trout fishing. The Cache to Ferguson portage is mostly mud and bog, and you can sink in deep if you put one step in the wrong place (waist or chest high). A truly great challenge though for people who are in shape.