Voyageurs typically took about six weeks to two months to travel from Montreal to Grand Portage, and Fort William was the main inland continuation point on that same fur-trade route. A good short answer for Montreal to Fort William is roughly 6 to 8 weeks , though weather, portages, and river conditions could push it longer.

Why it varied

The trip was not a straight paddle. Portages, rapids, wind, and the need to stop for gumming and reloading all slowed progress. On the broader Montreal- to-Lake Superior route, freight canoes averaged about 40 km a day , which helps explain the multi-week timeline.

A practical estimate

  • Fast trip: around 6 weeks.
  • Typical trip: around 7 to 8 weeks.
  • Slow or difficult trip: 2 months or more.

Quick context

Fort William was a major fur-trade hub on Lake Superior, and voyageurs often reached it after weeks of paddling and portaging from Montreal. That made it a key midway staging point in the North West Company’s system.

If you want, I can turn this into a one-line forum-style reply or a slightly more detailed historical explanation.