I have been looking at doing a loop through Lousia up to Glacier and then back down the Man Chain and back out again. We have 9 nights in the park (Last day in park is Labor Day), so I believe we have plenty of time. I believe my hang up with the route is the perceived notion that I am too close to two different entry points and I have some idea that I will not have the solitude we are looking for. I feel like this thought is not rational, but I cannot seem to shake it. Any thoughts?

If I choose the route is there a better direction to do the loop? Ely or Gunflint? (I only chose Ely because I have experience there.) Any other tips about the area? My experience in this area is limited from PP to Agnes.

From PP we did Man Chain, Falls Chain, McEwen to Glacier to Louisa, and out through Meadows. 5 days, about 75 miles. Saw no one from Falls Chain to Agnes. Very nice route. Would like to do again.

Have done this area several times. Once you are beyond Louisa Falls, the crews are sparse. Send me a private email and I will reveal a special fishing spot.
Nice trip.
My crew going elsewhere this year.

I did the same as Bill only i went clockwise starting at PP to Louisa to McEwen up the chain to Saganagons then west on the man chain with a short detour to layover on Emerald Lake before out to PP.

I didn't see anyone after Bayley Bay until I was on the Falls chain. Then saw two groups on the Man chain. I did this in early Sept. 2013. For solitude I think it will depend on what time of year you go. Excellent route particularly Louisa to McEwen.

You can view my trip report by clicking the icon under my name.

I did this loop last August. I think your concerns about traffic are valid. The Man Chain is very nice, but it clearly gets a lot of use judging by the wear on the portages and campsites.

We saw a few people every day, including the stretch from the falls chain to Louisa. Part of the problem was that we were in "synch" with a couple who we kept running into. But we also met a few groups going the opposite direction from us.

I don't really know what you are looking for in terms of solitude. By no means were there as many people as on most routes in the BWCA but there are places in the Quetico that are quieter. This is really a pretty popular part of the park, and there really aren't a lot of options for branching routes once you get on the man chain.

We did it easily in 5 nights/6 days with a tow to PP and paddle out. Nine days would be too much for me on that route, but I didn't fish or layover either.

Ely is a shorter drive and the tow is shorter (and cheaper?)

Thanks everyone, you actually calmed my fears quite a bit for the route. I realize I should never worry about groups in Quetico, but I still can not seem to shake it. (In my opinion other than the entry points, and some of more popular site groups are completely random.)

I think the Man Chain crews get kind of spread out or because of the long narrow lakes. We went up it and back down it a couple years ago and only met two crews on portages -- one each way. Most days we paddled, we saw no one. At two of our three campsites there was no one else around, at the other we could see "color" from a tent or fly, but that's all. I can't comment on the other "leg." (Be sure to see if Man Creek is paddleable.) --Goose