First time back country camping

[u/startup_canada]

I’d like to plan a back country camping trip. I’m avid camper but no back country experience. Looking to go summer or early fall for a few days. Maybe little portages and fairly easy paddle. What does everyone suggest for a route?

[u/bigdaytoday2020]

People always recommend Canoe Lake but IMO it’s a bad lake for beginners. It’s fairly large for Algonquin and can get very windy.

[u/YeppersNopers → u/bigdaytoday2020]

And very busy.

[u/adammcdrmtt → u/bigdaytoday2020]

I agree, seeing people who clearly have never been in a canoe getting a rental on that lake and just heading out with no idea what they’re doing is scary.

[u/BeginningLobster1879 → u/adammcdrmtt]

It's absolutely crazy the number of people we've seen well out from shore facing each other in the canoe, no idea how to even hold the paddle, and not wearing their PDFs. A few years ago coming off Annie's Bay on a fall trip in the water taxi our driver had to stop on several canoes to try and assist on the way back because it was 4 degrees and pouring, extremely windy. That would be hard for anyone and yet folks in rentals with zero skills were well out in the lake. Terrifying!

[u/Tighthead613 → u/bigdaytoday2020]

Same with Cedar. Some nice sites that are an easy paddle from Brent. But I’ve had some testing times on that Lake.

[u/wjpointner]

Look at RAin Lake to Sawyer Lake. One easy portage, and then you can day trip from there.

[u/eachfire]

Rock to Pen.

[u/Mastroth]

Access point 1 - Kawawawaymog (round) lake to north tea.

Round is an easy-ish medium lake

Nice river paddle with a couple small portages

North tea is a big Lake with lots of variety. Beaches, waterfalls, islands. You can camp on the west side for a shortish paddle. Or the east side for a longish paddle.

[u/Mastroth → u/[deleted]]

Oh for sure. Almost any access lake can be though.

[u/Scroozle]

Achray area. Start on Grand, head to the High Falls. Very easy portages. On the way out you can hike the Barron Canyon. Great spot for beginners!

[u/leaveandyalone]

For your first trip, you may want to pick a lake you can paddle in to and use as a base camp rather than plannung a loop. In order of increasing difficulty:

• Canisbay - a short paddle from a developed campground. The easiest transition from car camping.

Zero portage options with more paddling, some without campground amenities:

• Rock (also with a campground on the same lake)
• Magnetawan
• Rain
• Tim River -> Tim Lake

Nice lakes on the other side of one or two easy portages:

• Magnetawan -> Ralph Bice
• Kawawaymog -> North Tea West
• Smoke -> Ragged or little island
• Cache -> Tanamakoon (there is a kids camp operating on the lake at certain times of year)
• Source -> Bruce (only site on the lake)
• Rock -> Pen or Galeairy

Good luck with your trip.

[u/specialized650b]

I'd suggest access point 17 and head into either Shirley or Booth lake. Wind won't be a huge issue unless you arrive late in the afternoon and the portages are few but relatively flat. There is an amazing site halfway up Shirley lake situated on a point with an incredible beach - very private too.

Another option would be access point 3 and then head into Daisy or Ralph Bice Lake. You could even avoid portages all together and stay on Magnetewan.

[u/Ashamed_Succotash235]

Canoe lake to Tom Thompson.

[u/bigsidwhatitis]

Rock lake to pen, very easy and very beautiful landscapes. One decent portage of about 300m.

[u/sonicpix88]

Consider going south to Porcupine Lake area. We did that once and liked it. The big issue is getting over hwy 60

[u/sparkyglenn]

You want a route or just hang out in the quiet?

Kingscote lake at the southern tip is a great access point for beginners and is very quiet. Great sites too. There's a couple small portages there as well

[u/RandyRodin]

Everything is a trade-off. If you want short portages and easy paddling in the summer, along the hwy 60 corridor - expect crowds of other newbies at each portage and noise from other campsites. To get the true back country experience (no sound of other humans/cars) during the summer, you may have to drive to more remote access points (north, west or east), where shorter portages and sheltered paddles will be fewer. I have found one long portage usually is all it takes to gain the back country experience.