Algonquin Highlands: Nunikani Lake Loop (3 days / 19 km)
Our paddle of the Nunikani Lake Loop made for a fun weekend trip following a route laid out in Kevin Callan’s Top 70 Canoe Routes of Ontario. The canoeing was leisurely (we could easily have shortened it to two days and one night) with well maintained portages and excellent, relaxing campsites.
Mid-September was the ideal time to do this route, as it was quieter than the high summer season and virtually free of any buzzing nuisances.
Trip Completed: September 2025
Trip Summary
| Starting Point | Big Hawk Lake Marina |
| Ending Point | Big Hawk Lake Marina |
| Duration | 3 days / 2 nights |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Total Distance | 19 km |
| Portaging Distance | 1,630 m |
| Number of Portages | 4 |
Location: Haliburton Highlands Water Trails, Frost Centre Region
Traditional Territory: This route takes place on the traditional territory of the Mississauga and Anishinabewaki.
Maps & Resources
Guidebook: Top 70 Canoe Routes of Ontario, by Kevin Callan
Maps Used: The Adventure Map – Frost Centre is essential for navigation in the area. We followed the route described in Kevin Callan’s map in Top 70 Canoe Routes of Ontario, which is mapped on page 64.
Permits & Reservations
Campsite Reservations: Must be made in advance online through Algonquin Highland Trails. Select “Frost Center” for the park and “Big Hawk Lake Access Point.” You can choose specific campsites, which are identified on The Adventure Map. We stayed at site 35 on Clear Lake and site 112 on Nunikani Lake.
Permits: No requirement to pick up. Print or save a digital copy of your reservation before departing.
Know Before You Go
Season: Our late summer timing was ideal, with mild temperatures that were cool for sleeping but still warm enough for an afternoon swim. We also enjoyed a mosquito-free journey and no crowds beyond Big Hawk Lake (which has a lot of cottages).
Cell Reception: Probably available in some areas, but we kept our phones turned off.
Water: Drinking water is accessible everywhere and the lakes are clear and clean. Filter/treat/boil as usual.
Wildlife: Black bears are in the area, though fortunately we had no encounters. Take the usual precautions.
Waste: Thunderboxes were provided at both of our campsites and they were in good condition. Carry all other garbage out with you and dispose of properly.
Outfitters & Shuttles
Outfitter: We rented canoes, paddles, and PFDs at the Algonquin Highlands Trails Office (Frost Centre Access Point), located at 20130 Hwy 35, Algonquin Highlands, ON K0M 1J2. Phone (705) 766-9033.
Shuttle: The put-in at Big Hawk Lake Marina is a short drive from the Trails Office. You can park at the marina and no shuttle is necessary, as this is a loop route.
Trip Report
Day 1: Big Hawk Lake Marina to Clear Lake (5 km)
After a drive of almost three hours from Toronto, we arrived at the Algonquin Highlands Trails Office (Frost Centre) about 11:30 am to pick up our canoes. The staff provided “car kits” consisting of foam blocks and straps that allowed us to secure the canoes safely to our vehicles even though they were not equipped with roof racks.
From the Trails Office, it was about an 18-minute drive to the Big Hawk Lake Marina (1673 Big Hawk Lake Road), which was a bit crowded, but we were able to drop off the gear near the put-in before finding parking along the side of the road.
We made our way out of the inlet, and then hung a right into Big Hawk Lake proper. It’s a good-sized lake, but we were lucky to face no headwinds. As we approached the middle of the lake the challenge became finding the portage into Clear Lake, which lay to the northeast. Hugging the shoreline wasn’t really an option here, so we relied on a compass bearing to keep us pointed in the right direction. We paddled past some cliffs on the left and took note of them, knowing we would be passing by in the other direction on the way home in a couple of days.
Portage from Big Hawk Lake to Clear Lake (280 m): After a bit of hunting around, we finally found the narrows that lead to Little Clear Lake (which is very little indeed) and then to the 280 m portage into Clear Lake. Even with the extra time scouting for the portage, all of this was only about a 90-minute paddle from the marina. The portage itself was very easy, and we took the time for a quick snack before putting the canoes back in the water.
Campsite: It turned out we didn’t even need to stop for a break, as our first campsite (site 35 on Clear Lake) was just a stone’s throw from the end of the portage. As we pulled in and unloaded the canoes, we explored this huge campsite, which has at least three good tent pads. Two of them are at the far north end of the site, a perfect distance from the thunderbox, which happens to be the best seat in the house, with views that might just distract you from your business.
The campsite feels a bit like a private island, although it’s not quite separate from the mainland. The site also had a metal fire pit with a grill, which made us wish we had brought along some fresh fish, or maybe a frozen steak.
Because we arrived at the campsite earlier in the day than expected, two of us took the canoes out for an exploratory loop around Clear Lake, which lives up to its name, with crystal-clear waters. There are some cool rock formations to the northeast of the campsite, and we paddled in for a closer look at the striated rocks before heading back to the camp to enjoy a pleasant afternoon with a quick swim before playing cards and enjoying the beautiful weather.
Laying out under the stars is a highlight of any backcountry camping trip, and there were some flat areas on this site without too much tree cover, as long as you didn’t mind lying on bedrock. We were lucky enough to see a flurry of satellites whizzing past, and we even caught a glimpse of Saturn, but the sky clouded over before we could enjoy any great stargazing.
A bit of rain rolled in overnight and into the early morning, but it didn’t put a damper on a relaxing and rewarding first day.
Campsite: Site 35 was huge and comfortable, with a well maintained fire pit, easy swimming access, and a well-located thunderbox with views that will make you linger.
| Total Distance | 4 km |
| Portaging Distance | 280 m |
| Number of Portages | 1 |
| Campsite Reservation | Reservation by Site: #35 |
Day 2: Clear Lake to Nunikani Lake (7 km)
After a breakfast of oatmeal and coffee we packed up and headed out for the second leg of the trip, which would take us through Clear Lake, up the west side of Red Pine Lake, and then reversing direction into Nunikani Lake, where we would spend our second night.
Having scouted Clear Lake the day before, we started the morning by leading our companions to the rock formations we saw the previous day, as this was just a short detour as we made our way to the first portage.
Portage from Clear Lake to Red Pine Lake (210 m): Because Clear Lake is so small, without any confusing bays or inlets, we were able to stay close to shore and find the portage to Red Pine easily, even though it was not marked with the standard yellow sign.
This portage was mostly downhill and relatively effortless. At one point it looked like a large treefall blocked the way, but once we approached it became apparent that it was easy enough to step around. After barely breaking a sweat, we were into the much larger Red Pine Lake.
Navigation on Red Pine turned out to be relatively easy once we figured out a strategy. Our target was a small inlet leading into Nunikani, and this lay roughly 3 km due north from the portage we had just exited. But the inlet is tiny and impossible to spot from any meaningful distance, so we took a compass bearing straight north, heading for campsite 31 on the westernmost point of the lake’s largest island. Once we passed that campsite we took another bearing, guiding us to the west of tiny Averoy Island, and we eventually spotted the inlet on the left.
Portage from Red Pine Lake to Nunikani Lake over Red Pine Dam (530 m): Once you exit Red Pine Lake the inlet veers to the southwest, and you’ll quickly see the Red Pine Lake Dam. There are actually three portage signs here, all on the right, presumably with different routes around the dam. We took the one closest to the dam structure, which seemed to promise the least amount of effort.
The dam isn’t terribly picturesque, but it’s worth a quick walk across the structure to see the rushing water and the elevation change.
The main path of the portage around the dam is a bit tricky to find, and we recommend scouting it on foot before venturing in with your packs and canoes. After entering the woods you need to take a quick right and then a quick left, after which the path opens up and becomes much more obvious.
The longest portage of the trip at 530 m, this one featured a massive treefall, but was otherwise quite easy. We still rewarded ourselves with lunch and hot drinks at the end before we dipped the canoes into Nunikani.
As we exited the portage, we paddled alongside a peninsula that was littered with extraordinary driftwood “sculptures” that almost looked manmade.
Now on the return leg of our looping route, we headed southwest along the peaceful, narrow Nunikani Lake. This was the first lake on our trip that included no cottages and only a small number of campsites. We had booked site 112, which turned out to be very easy to find: its shoreline features large flat rocks that were easy to spot across the expanse of open lake.
We were pleased to pull the canoes into another big site, with three tent pads and a well-maintained rock fire pit. We had time for swimming.
Campsite: Site #112, on the west shore of Nunikani Lake, has a shoreline of flat rocks that make it easy to spot. Lots of room for two or three tents and an excellent rock fire pit.
| Total Distance | 7 km |
| Portaging Distance | 540 m |
| Number of Portages | 2 |
| Campsite Reservation | Reservation by Site: #112 |
Day 3: Nunikani Lake to Big Hawk Lake Marina (7 km)
We like to plan our camping trips so the last day is leisurely and we can pull the canoes out of the water around lunchtime, to make the prospect of a long drive back to the city a little less stressful.
We got an early start and headed south toward Nunikani Lake Dam, enjoying the serenity of a beautiful late summer morning.
Portage over Nunikani Lake Dam (610 m): We were rewarded with a display of high water pouring through the dam. When water levels are lower, there is apparently a shorter 195 m portage, but we had to continue past that optional put-in and traverse another 460 m. The route is easy to follow and well maintained, trending mostly downhill (as one might expect) and close to the running water before it opens to a small beach. This was the perfect spot to enjoy a break before heading back into Big Hawk Lake for the home stretch.
Re-entering Big Hawk, we now crossed through a narrow bay in the lake’s northwest arm, which is one of the more scenic sections of the lake, with cliffs along the left-hand side. As we exited the bay, we kept close to the shoreline on the right side, passing a series of cottages to guide us back toward the marina.
On our way in towards the marina, we encountered a fair bit of motorboat traffic, which forced us to take some evasive manoeuvres to avoid getting sideswiped by their wakes. But it was nothing too difficult to manage, and we safely made landfall to wrap up a perfect weekend.
| Total Distance | 7 km |
| Portaging Distance | 610 m |
| Number of Portages | 1 |
Reflections
This is an excellent trip for novice and intermediate canoeists looking for easy paddling, straightforward portages, and comfortable campsites, but still with a genuine backcountry vibe. Three days were more than enough to traverse the modest distance: it would have been easy to complete with only one overnight, but really, the point isn’t to race through the route as fast as possible, is it?
We did not bring fishing tackle, but this would have been an ideal route and pacing to allow for a couple of hours of fishing if that’s your thing.
Author Bio
Dan lives in downtown Toronto, but enjoys getting into the backcountry with his (adult) kids and anyone else who will tag along.