Algonquin Provincial Park: Cedar Lake to Francis Lake (6 days / 55 km)

Experience a 450 million-year-old meteorite crater and Algonquin Park’s tallest waterfall, in one remote backcountry canoe trip. In this trip report, you will follow along our journey from Cedar Lake down the Petawawa River to Francis Lake and back. We paddled down rapids, through lakes with excellent fishing and literally walked across a lake. Join us on our adventure!

Trip Summary

Starting Point: Algonquin Park Cedar Lake, Access #27

Ending Point: Algonquin Park Cedar Lake, Access #27

Total Distance: Total 54.7 km. Breakdown: Paddling 46.3 km, Portages 8.4km

Elevation Gain: Mostly flat, total variance = low of 268 m to high of 316 m

Duration: 7 days, 6 nights

Difficulty: Intermediate

Location

This route takes place in the northern part of Algonquin Provincial Park, starting and ending at Brent Campground.

Traditional Territory: This route in Algonquin Provincial Park is located on the traditional territory of the Omàmìwininìwag (Algonquin) and Anishinabewaki (source).

Maps & Resources

Guidebook: N/A

Map: Jeff’s Maps, Algonquin – Version 5

Campsite Reservations: Reservations are required for the lake you wish to camp on. Campsites on that lake are first come first served.

Permits: The Park is now allowing canoe trippers to print their permits at home. Permits may still be picked up at the office serving the access point (in this case, the Brent office). You may also need to check in about parking your vehicle.

Outfitters & Shuttles

We rented a Swift Prospector 16’, 42lb Canoe in candy apple red from Algonquin Outfitters. By arranging the canoe rental in advance, we were able to pick up the canoe the night before we set off from the Brent Lake Campground.

Algonquin Outfitters Location: 

Located at Access Point #27 Cedar Lake
c/o Algonquin Outfitters
1035 Algonquin Outfitters Road, RR#1
Dwight, ON, P0A 1H0
GPS location: 46.0304°, -78.4803°

No shuttle is needed, as this route starts and ends at the same place.

Trip Report

Day 0: Brent Campground Jumpoff Site

Total Distance: N/A

Living in Southwestern Ontario, we knew that we had quite the drive ahead of us to travel to the most northern access of Algonquin Park. Full of excitement and an extra-large breakfast, the long seven-hour drive flew by on our way to reach Cedar Lake. Here we would begin our longest and most remote backcountry trip to date. We decided to start our morning very early which put our arrival to Algonquin just in time for lunch.

After we checked in at the Brent Algonquin Park office, just off the main highway, we started to drive down the long 40 km stretch of gravel road toward the Brent Campground. About halfway, we decided to pull off the side of the road, to park and enjoy our lunch by a lake that we could see through the trees. We grabbed our pre-made pizza bagels and celebratory beers and made our way down a short trail to the edge of the lake. However, the weather was not on our side, as the rain, we had experienced on the drive up caught up to us and brought out swarms of mosquitoes and we were forced back to the protection of our car to enjoy our delicious lunch. 

From the unnamed lake, we headed further south and wanted to check out the Brent Crater from atop a lookout tower. (The 2 km Brent Crater Trail and Lookout is 32 km south of Deux Rivieres or Highway 17 along Brent Road) A small parking lot was in front of the large wooden structure that served as the crater lookout. We climbed up and expected to see a massive indentation in the ground, but with millions of years of erosion, the 3 km diameter crater has been filled in with the forest and is almost unrecognizable to the tremendous event that happened 400-450 million years ago. We picked up a Friends of Algonquin pamphlet about the history of the area that can be found at most trailheads throughout Algonquin Park. This one like all the others we have read through did not disappoint and we definitely enjoyed the facts we read about the Crater.

Jumping into our car again, we had another 8 km down the road before finding our jump off-site. There are two sites designated as jump off-sites, which are cheaper than the regular car camping sites. Jump-off sites are available for those like us who have long journeys to a campground and need a place to crash for the night before setting off first thing in the morning. Out of the two sites available, we chose the one closest to the lake as we wanted to be out on the water as quickly as possible in the morning. 

After we got situated, we walked to the Brent Store where Algonquin Outfitters is also located to see if we would be able to get our canoe rental today instead of waiting until the morning. Our goal was to set out at first light to watch the sunrise as we would be paddling towards it. A short walk through the park to check out the campsites that were available throughout the area landed us at the Brent Store. It was charming, old, creaky, full of antiques and we could only imagine the stories shared within this store and the many adventurers just like us who find refuge in Algonquin Park.

We entered the Store, waited our turn, and started up a conversation with a man named Jake Pigeon. Jake is a man in his eighties, who has lived and worked in Algonquin Park for most of his life. He has managed the Brent store for roughly 40 years. He asked us where we were heading, and we outlined our route on the map under plexiglass on the counter. He gave us some tips, such as what to do if the large lakes we were about to cross were windy and which rapids we could paddle. We could have talked to Jake for hours if not days about Algonquin as he is so knowledgeable about the area and a living legend in Algonquin Park. We noticed that more fellow campers were piling into the store, and we bid our goodbyes to our fellow adventurers and left the store. We found our gorgeous Swift canoe out back behind the store at the water’s edge. Our Swift canoe was ready, and we carried it back to our campsite. To be honest, it was quite the walk from the store back to our site. In the future, we will bring our life jackets, paddles and canoe our way back to our site. 

We decided to pack separate gear for tonight so we wouldn’t have to bother packing up an important gear in the morning. We set up our large 16-year-old Woods tent and inflated a luxurious double high air mattress which made us feel like we were glamping in comparison to what our setup would be like for the rest of our trip. Chicken kabobs with vegetables on the BBQ and craft beer-filled out bellies and we eagerly went to bed around 9 pm so the morning could come sooner, and we could set off on our journey. 

Campsite: Brent jumpoff site #1

Day 1: Brent Lake to Radiant Lake (17 km)

Total Distance: 16.8 km

Total Time:  4 hours 35 mins

Total Portages: 3 = 960m, 685m, 860m

It was a misty, cool morning when we woke. We quietly packed down our large tent, folded up our air mattress, and jammed it all in our car that we would be leaving behind for the next 6 days while we were in the backcountry. We drove our car down to the parking lot on the north shore of Cedar Lake and picked a spot trying not to wake any of the other campers in the area. We got our two large backpacks, lifejackets, fishing poles and pre-made muffins for breakfast out of the car and made a few trips down to the water’s edge. We were not alone in setting off the access this morning as we encountered two other groups getting organized and ready for their adventures. 

A triple check of the car and our gear had us setting off the dock and into the misty Cedar Lake vastness around 7:15 am. At the time Cedar is the largest lake we had ever paddled on. Paddling east, we made our way through the mist and fog, unable to see the shoreline on the opposite side of the lake. We knew this was our longest paddle today and set a steady pace to cross the large body of water. Leaving early had the water eerily flat. We were so grateful that the trip didn’t start with white caps as we were warned that the wind could really rip across this large body of water and create large waves.

The route we chose would have us following the Petawawa River which travels in and out of quite a few lakes as it makes its way along a southeasterly course. Our first portage took some time to find, as the shoreline all looked similar and the distance was deceiving on such a large lake. We found the first portage around 8:40 am, which was right beside a campsite with a sandy shore at the beginning of the Cedar Lake Rapids. We hopped out, shouldered our two packs, then Jessica grabbed the two paddles and life jackets while Alex carried the canoe and we started down the first portage of the trip. We planned our gear for one carry only. We each have a pack, Jess with a MEC 80 L Ibex pack loaded with roughly 46 lbs and Alex with a 70 L MEC Slogg drybag weighing in around 35 lbs. We have found that this system works the best for us. The portage was 960 m and had a decline the entire way. Something to remember for the return trip!

The campsite at the start of the portage was large and flat. There was another campsite a short distance behind, that was very small and tree-covered. The first campsite would have been our choice of sites should we have been camping here. 

Completing the 960 m portage, we set back into the water for a little over a kilometre paddle to the next set of rapids called Surprise Rapids and a 685 m portage. This portage was very steep, and basically along a cliff edge near the end of the portage. Watch your footing!

 A Short paddle again brought us to the top of Devil’s Chute Rapids and the old railroad that intersects the top of Algonquin Park around 11 am. The climb up the hill to reach the portage was no joke! We took multiple trips for safety’s sake as the entire hill face was loose gravel. Once at the top, we put down our gear to check out the old railway bridge and the beautiful view overlooking the river below.

Getting back into travel mode, we got our gear on and travelled down the railway path which was also the portage. It was a wonderfully flat 860 m of loose gravel. We had approximately 4 km to paddle before reaching the mouth of the Petawawa River. This was a beautiful section to cruise along as the sun had finally burned away all the morning fog and was really starting to heat up the day. Having made great progress so far we could not resist getting our rods wet and trying our hand at some fishing on our way to Radiant Lake. 

Once in Radiant Lake, we scoured the northern shoreline on the hunt for the best campsite to stay the night. A few occupied sites had us travelling farther east and we noticed a spot that looked like a sandy beach. We were hoping it was a campsite with each paddle stroke we took to get there, and we could not believe our eyes when we got there. A beautiful soft beach, awesome fire pit with tree roots as a bench seat, and a perfectly groomed tent pad etched into the vertical hill that was behind it. However, hills on campsites generally mean that the thunderbox is going to be a trek to find!

We seriously lucked out with this site and promptly got set up and changed into bathing suits to take full advantage of the sunny day. After only a few hours of paddling in the direct sunlight, Alex was beginning to feel the symptoms of heat exhaustion so the cool waters felt very soothing. It certainly does not take long for these symptoms to develop and can quickly become much worse, so we submerged ourselves in the lake and let the water cool our bodies. For the rest of our trip, we took note to wear lots of sunscreen and rest in the shade when possible. Once we cooled off we started to realize how lucky we are to be here on this lake together, enjoying the amazing backcountry on our first night. After our swim, we continued to get set up for the night, and as Jess got the tent ready, Alex searched for firewood. He also found the perfect sticks to whittle and use as pokers to roast our hot dogs over the campfire. A fire, a glass of wine and a sunset on a beach was an amazing finish to the start of our journey. 

Campsite: Along the Northern Shore of Radiant Lake

Day 2: Radiant Lake to Francis Lake (10 km)

Total Distance: 10.1 km

Total Time: 3 hours 20 mins

Total Portages: 4 = 235m, 695m, 70m, 500m

There is something to be said for having a perfectly flat tent pad. We had the best sleep last night! It was hard to pack up this campsite and travel today as we wanted to stay on this beautiful site. We would come back to this campsite and lake in a heartbeat, so we wrote it down to visit here again in the future. On our first morning of most trips we usually have sausage and eggs for breakfast and this trip was no different. As Jess worked the frying pan, Alex began packing up the rest of the gear and readied it by the water’s edge. The winds had increased overnight which caused white caps to form out in the middle of the lake, which made us a little nervous to paddle out into. So we ate breakfast slowly and by the time we were done the winds had slowed slightly so we set out onto a wavy lake.

Paddling out into Radiant Lake, heading towards Squirrel Rapids, we could not believe how shallow the east end of the lake was! When we spoke with Jake at the Brent Store, he said you could walk across Radiant. He wasn’t joking! It was hard to paddle as the wind was making the water quite choppy and you couldn’t make full strokes without hitting the bottom and. After roughly 1 km of being battered by the wind and waves, Jess decided to hop out and walk. The lake at this point had become so shallow it was easier to walk while pulling the canoe along behind us than to actual paddle. We probably walked for approximately 1 km before jumping back into the canoe at the edge of the lake where it flows into the Petawawa River.

The river led us under a bridge connected to a busy logging road. We watched as three large trucks drove over the bridge hauling out loads of fresh-cut logs. Seeing this bothered both of us, we know that there is still active logging in the park, but it was hard to see firsthand. There would be a number of times during this trip where we would be able to hear either chainsaws or large trucks bouncing down dirt roads. This is definitely not what we had imagined when planning this route. We thought that we would be completely alone in the remote northern reaches of Algonquin Park. However, as it turns out there are very few areas left in the park where you can really feel all alone. 

According to the map, we knew we would encounter a few rapids along the river sections and we wondered if any of them would be navigable. With our skill level all of the rapids yesterday had to be portaged around but were hoping today might be different. Squirrel Rapids was the first set we came to today and after some scouting and planning, we were confident that we could paddle this section. According to our map, it is labelled as a class 1 rapid. What we saw in front of us was merely just a swift due to the low water levels and slower current. We paused at the mouth of the rapids to inspect for rocks and the best route to travel. If the water levels were any lower, we would have had to take the 235 m portage around the rapids. After some discussion, we decided where to aim the nose of the canoe and down the rapids, we went! We have not had any white water training, but we are confident canoers. Unfortunately, these would be the only rapids along our trip that we would feel confident enough to run. 

We travelled through Mudcat Lake to Big Sawyer/Battery Rapids to a 695m portage. Another short paddle led us to a 70m portage and then to a 500m portage around Cascade/White Horse Rapids. Onto the Petawawa once more, and we were just about to our destination of Francis Lake and could not help but drop our lines in the water to see what monsters were lurking beneath. 

We checked out the three sites at the north end of Francis, but since we had arrived in such good time we decided to check out the south end of the lake before deciding on a site. We paddled south to check out the two sites near an old railway bed. Once we were down in the southeastern end of the lake we picked a site with a bit of a beach and landed our canoe. We would be staying here for the next two nights. With the sun still high in the sky, we went for a swim before getting our canoe unpacked. Knowing that we had a rest day tomorrow we took our time setting up our gear making sure the tent was on as level a spot as possible. While Jess got the interior of the tent set up, Alex began gathering firewood and even cleaned out the fire pit. There were wooden logs surrounding the fire pit and even a large flat rock that served as the perfect tabletop for cooking later. 

Before dinner, we went for a stroll down the old railway bed and were rewarded with a great view of Kildeer Lake. Upon return to our site, we cooked up a delicious Hamburger Helper meal. With the sun just beginning to set we enjoyed our dinner down on the beach, soaking up the last of the day’s sun. Once the sun was down we went back up the small hill to our firepit and had a small fire on this exceptionally warm August evening. We sat there staring into the flames until they died down to just embers and decided it was time for bed and crawled into the tent for the night.

Campsite: South End of Francis Lake

Day 3: Rest Day

Total Distance: N/A

We enjoy planning a rest day during our adventures to rest and relax. Although, we rarely end up spending as much time as we thought relaxing. Today we planned to paddle down to Blueberry Falls and see what we could find. We paddled north a short distance around the peninsula of Francis Lake and travelled south to Francis Rapids and across a short portage of 210 m. A few paddle strokes brought us to a second portage that was extremely muddy. We made quick work of this portage so we would not get caught in the mud or eaten alive by bugs. 

Travelling further south through some very shallow switchbacks in the Crow River, we were on high alert for any sign of moose or any other animals. Since the West end of Radiant Lake, we had not come across another human being. We thought we would have come across some sign of wildlife by the point though. With our route being so far north and so remote, we were really hoping for a better chance at seeing some of Algonquin’s wildlife. However, by this point in our adventure, we had not even heard a squirrel let alone seen a moose. 

Once we reached the base of the falls, we saddled up on the south shore and hiked up the rocky side of the waterfall to the top. It was not a large waterfall by any means, but a beautiful place to find ourselves in. We choose a spot to take a break and enjoy a snack beside the rushing water. Once again it was a beautifully sunny day and we took our time exploring this area on foot. We did not want to miss a thing as we knew it could be a long time before we ever make it back to this spot.

When ready, we started to paddle north once more through the few portages and back onto Francis Lake. We had a plan for today and that was a fresh fish dinner. We headed back to camp and enjoyed a lunch of salami wraps with cheese followed up with some warm lake water. In a few old trip reports we came across before starting our trip we knew that there were walleye in this lake. Neither of us has ever caught a walleye in Algonquin, so we set out to change that today. We trolled north along the shoreline as we wanted to head to the mouth of the lake. Before we could make it to the other end of the lake Alex hooked into something with some weight to it. It put up a good fight, but Alex was finally able to get it into the canoe. Our very first Algonquin walleye! It was absolutely gorgeous, with a sparkling golden shine to its green scales. Other walleye we have caught in the Great Lakes do not have this golden colour to them. We were beyond excited about our success and decided to harvest this fish for dinner. 

We continued towards the north end of the lake where we were hopeful that this channel of the river would be the perfect spot to reel in some more fish. After sitting in the canoe for quite some time today, we decided to land the canoe on a rocky shoreline and try some fishing from shore. Taking no time at all Jess hooked into a decent size bass that gave her a giant smile. This one was quickly released to hopefully continue growing and producing offspring for many, many more years. We continued fishing from shore until late in the afternoon, not wanting to stop. However, we knew we had to make our way back across the lake and prepare our fish feast for dinner.

Alex started to fillet the fish while Jess got our side of instant mashed potatoes ready. We were both feeling grateful to our walleye for providing us with a nutritious, healthy dinner. As Jess was working on the potatoes, she heard a noise that sounded like footsteps coming down the hill behind the campsite. As the noise grew closer, Jess could not shake the feeling that it was something larger than just a chipmunk coming out to greet her. With the smell of fresh fish in the air, she did not want to take any chances and retreated to the water’s edge where Alex was just finishing up with the fish. Putting on a brave face they both stood tall and made some loud noises as they walked back to the campsite to investigate the source of the noise. Our hearts were both pumping hard as we listened and looked. It felt like forever, before we both finally saw the culprit. As always, everything sounds bigger when you are alone in the woods and we had our first wildlife sighting of a lone red squirrel. We both had a good laugh and continued making dinner. 

We were so thankful for this beautifully sunny rest day and a delicious meal. 

Campsite: South End of Francis Lake

Day 4: Francis Lake to Radiant Lake (10 km) 

Total Distance: 10.4 km

Total Time: 3 hours 20 mins

Total Portages: 4 – 500m, 70m, 685m, 235m

When we plan our camping trips, we typically plan a loop, where we would travel through connecting lakes so we would never travel on the same lake twice. Wanting to travel down the Petawawa River, we knew we would be paddling down, and then back up the same route. It was tough to leave Francis, as we had both enjoyed our time here but knew we had to get back on our adventure.

We travelled back up the Petawawa and planned to stay on Radiant Lake again tonight. This day turned out to have glorious weather with almost no wind and we were both in bathing suits. When we reached the east mouth of Radiant Lake, we were shocked at how shallow the water was today. There was no use paddling as it seemed to take longer so we hopped out and literally walked the canoe at least 1 km until it was deep enough to paddle again. The sandy bottom felt great on our feet except for the many razor-sharp clams that lined the bottom. 

We decided to camp on the west end of the lake, hoping that there would be an open campsite. We decided to head towards the campsite down the river channel and were disappointed to see fellow campers on the site. We trekked back to the campsite on the point, which also had campers, and were so grateful that the third and most western campsite on the lake was available! The campsite was high up on a rock cliff, that thankfully has some shallow rocks to unload the canoe and carry our gear up to the site. The fire pit was amazing on the rock edge with log benches. The tent pads were behind and were at a lower elevation. By this time of day, we were concerned with the cloud cover that was forming and picked a tent pad where if it rained, it would not pool around the tent. It took us some time to figure out what trees to use as a ridgeline for our tarp but finally decided on what we thought was the perfect setup for the incoming storm. 

We watched as the clouds moved in quickly from the southwest and blocked out our once perfectly clear sky. Thunder was not far behind, along with a light breeze that began to pick up. We began preparing for the storm and the fact that we may be eating dinner crouched under a tarp or not at all if the weather was bad enough. However, as soon as the cloud and thunder had come in they quickly left without even a drop of rain on our campsite. So we took this opportunity to paddle around the mouth of Petawawa River until it was time for dinner. Filling our bellies with a dehydrated lasagna meal kit, while watching a beautiful sunset, we were two very content individuals. 

Campsite: West end of Radiant Lake near the Abandoned Hogan Lake Lumber Company

Day 5: Radiant Lake to Cedar Lake (12 km)

Total Distance: 12.1 km

Total Time: 3 hours 25 mins

Total Portages: 3 – 860m, 685m, 960m

Today we were heading back to Cedar Lake for our last night and were eager for the day ahead. Paddling up the Petawawa River, we saw something that must have given Devil’s Chute its name that we missed when we travelled down it a few days ago. We saw at the base of the rapid a canoe that was broken in half and sunk to the bottom of the river floor. An eerie sign that as beautiful as being in the backcountry is, it also has its dangers. We were thankful to be confident in each others’ abilities as campers and paddlers. This was a section we had already paddled and portaged a few days prior so we knew the route and took our time. At one point we floated around at the base of some rapids and watched as a bald eagle soared the skies above us and landed in a nearby pine tree. We figured that perhaps the eagle knew that this was a good fishing spot so we decided to test that theory. It was not long before we both hooked into a few small bass and fallfish, but nothing of any great size so we continued on our way.

Reaching Cedar Lake, the water was much different than what we had paddled on Radiant and Francis for the past few days. We knew that we could run into a situation of becoming windbound on a lake and unable to travel due to unsafe conditions. Of all the lakes we were to pass through Cedar Lake would be the one for this to happen. However, we decided that we were capable of making some progress across the lake today if we planned it right. After reviewing the map we had our sights on a campsite that we hoped to get to for the night. It looked like a good spot on the map, but we really had no idea what it could be like when we got there. It was on one of the larger islands in the Eastern arm of Cedar Lake. It would be about a 2 km paddle to get there over some rough water. Setting off from the end of the portage that had just brought us from the Petawawa River, we aimed for a small island with two campsites first. One stretch of paddling at a time we thought. We got out at the vacant site, checked it out and had a snack to refuel for the next section of rough water. The next stretch we knew was going to take some effort as it was about 1 km of open water. 

We headed out once more, paddling strong through the open body of water. Reaching the small channel of water between the two large islands was a great feeling and we held our breath as we reached our hopeful site for the night. It was available! Thrilled, we paddled towards shore and found it to be a shallow, sandy bay. Jess took off her boots and hopped out to bring the canoe to shore. We found a great site, but it was very well used. We loved all the previous sites we used over the past week. All the other sites we had visited we could tell they were not well used and the campers before had left no trace of their presence. With the Brent Campground nearby to our current campsite, there was plenty of evidence of campers at this site. Please, if you are reading this, leave no trace when camping. Pack out what you pack in. Leave our parks beautiful for ours and the next generations of campers.  

The campsite had a huge fire pit and massive rock chairs which really should be called loungers! The chairs were almost recliners with rocks strategically placed for relaxing. 

We enjoyed the afternoon on the beach, reading, swimming and even headed out for a paddle around our island to enjoy the scenery of our last night in Algonquin. 

Campsite: Island Site – Largest island on Cedar Lake. 

Day 6: Cedar Lake to Access #27 (5 km) 

Total Distance: 4.5 km

Total Time: 1 hour

Total Portages: 0

We were not in a rush this morning as we knew the long car ride that was ahead of us once we got back to the access. Looking at the map, we saw that there was a waterfall not far from us along a portage, near Marshy Bay. From our campsite, it was about a 5km paddle of open water. We could not wait to get out paddling this morning as the temperature had dropped overnight and we were both feeling chilled. This side trip to see a waterfall would add about 2 km to our day and about an extra hour of travel time. 

The paddle this morning was an interesting one. We knew the water would be choppy once we got out from the protection of the islands. But paddling across this 5 km was intense. The wind was blowing, and we both had to work hard to keep the canoe from being blown off course. We aimed for the south shore of the lake, trying to take refuge near shore and avoid the white caps in the middle of the lake. The waves were a little less intense in closer to shore, so we slowly made out way along the shore to the portage that would take us to the waterfall.

The portage marker finally became visible in the distance and as we approached the shore, we saw that the whole beach was large pebbles. We had to take extra care with the canoe as we got ready to jump ashore. We hauled our canoe carefully up the rocky beach and carried our gear up near the forest edge. The portage led us parallel to another section of the Petawawa River towards the falls. It was a great walk, and we were especially grateful to be off the rough water for a bit as it was starting to make us both feel a bit queasy. The waterfall was amazing. It turns out that this particular waterfall is the tallest in Algonquin Park. We explored the area for a short time, taking in the sights and it was here that we had our third wildlife sighting of a mink scurrying over the boulders near the bottom of the falls. Absolutely worth the extra paddle. 

We set into Cedar Lake once more and made the paddle across to where we had left our vehicle 6 days ago. This last section of the lake almost made our stomachs flip due to the rolling waves that had now formed on the lake. Each crest over a wave had the canoe slamming down and then right back up again. We had roughly 2 km of this paddling to get us through the middle of this large lake to the other side. The Algonquin Outfitters location at the Brent Campground has a beach, where we landed our canoe and had us happy to be on land once again. After returning our canoe we walked back to our car and began the long car ride home.

Trip Video

Reflections

We definitely lucked out with great weather during this whole trip. Other than the rain on the drive up we never saw any rain again. If anything it was almost too warm. Due to this phenomenal weather, we were able to complete everything we had set out to accomplish during this adventure which had us feeling very grateful. This included catching our first walleye in Algonquin, running some rapids, exploring beautiful waterfalls and relaxing in the quiet remoteness of the backcountry. If the weather had have been any different, our trip would have been completely different. We saw that it really does not take much wind to potentially make these big lakes we crossed completely unmanageable and unsafe. If you’re attempting a trip like ours please go prepared and know your skill level when trying to navigate these big lakes. 

Future trips in the area might have us looking up logging schedules so we hopefully don’t have to listen to trucks and chainsaws from our campsite. However, for the most part, we were all alone on our trip, which was what we were hoping for. All in all, this was a very enjoyable trip that we will definitely be back to, hopefully sooner than later!

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Author Bio

Hi, we’re Alex and Jess. A couple that loves being outside, and exploring the back country and all it has to offer. You can either find us outside or planning our next adventure. 

Instagram: @tents.and.timber

YouTube: Tents and Timber

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