Georgian Bay: Snug Harbour to the Minks (3 days / 26 km)
I wanted to take advantage of a free weekend and the late summer weather we were enjoying in the Georgian Bay area, so my husband and I did a last-minute trip, heading out on a Friday night and coming back Sunday morning. We were met with incredible sunsets, and the weather was in our favour, allowing for a very exposed open-water crossing to the Minks. We spent our first night on the southern end of Franklin Island, and the second night on Green Island.
Trip Completed: Sept 2025
Trip Summary
| Starting Point | Snug Harbour |
| Ending Point | Snug Harbour |
| Duration | 3 days / 2 nights |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Total Distance | 26 km |
Location: The nearest town is Carling, Ontario. Parry Sound is about a 35 minute drive east.
Traditional Territory: This route takes place on the traditional territory of Mississauga, Anishinabewaki (source).
Maps & Resources
Guidebook: Hiking and Paddling the Georgian Bay Coast, Kas Stone.
Maps Used: Chrismar Franklin, Minks and McCoy Islands – Georgian Bay and White Squall Outer Island Project
Permits & Reservations
Campsite Reservations: No campsite reservations are required; the sites are on Crown land. You need to pay for parking at Gilly’s Marine in Snug Harbour. The sites are thoughtfully cared for by the Outer Islands Project; please consider donating to the project. As always, practice Leave No Trace.
Permits: No permits.
Know Before You Go
Season: The best time of year is summer and early fall.
Cell Reception: Cell reception was present throughout the trip.
Water: Lots of fresh water – filter, treat or boil it before consuming.
Wildlife: Black bears are known to frequent sites on Franklin Island. We hung our food the first night and carried bear spray. Massasauga rattlesnakes are stout snakes that are very shy, take care when putting your hands near dark crevices.
Waste: Thunderboxes are installed on popular sites and are marked with blue washroom signs.
Outfitters & Shuttles
Outfitter: White Squall operates in this area.
Shuttle: No shuttle needed.
Trip Report
Day 1: Snug Harbour to southwest end of Franklin Island (4 km)
We headed out after finishing up work on Friday evening. We live near this incredible area and are so fortunate to be able to plan last-minute trips on free weekends. September was ideal, the weather agreed, and it was easier to find Crown land camping sites. Thursday evening is usually spent strapping down the kayaks and loading everything except our perishable food to save as much daylight as we can.
We reached the Snug Harbour launch at 6 pm, unloaded the kayaks and our gear. There is a nice flat area to unload and an easy launch into a calm cove. We were out on the water by 6:20 pm, enjoying the early sunset with a gentle breeze as we made our way to the south end of Franklin Island. This is a lovely paddle as you pass the Snug Harbour lighthouse and cross the Shebeshekong Channel.
Georgian Bay is known for its strong westerly winds, which shape the windswept pines. The favourable weather made for an easy crossing. We had no issues coming around the southernmost tip, known as Savage Rocks. If the weather is less friendly, there are sites along the eastern side of Franklin Island, and the crossing is well sheltered when paddling slightly north. Paddling along the shore here is a treat, with the rocks jutting in and out.
Our goal was to find a site on Lenice Island, a smaller island on the western side of Franklin, but we were beaten to it. We back-paddled along the shore and found a second site on Franklin, which was situated next to a slightly more sheltered bay. The site has a great landing spot. Our total distance was a bit further than 4 km, but this is a rough estimate. Prior to heading out, I cross-referenced Kas Stone’s book and the Outer Islands website, which conveniently marks sites and thunderboxes. I was able to note the locations on a GPS and back them up with the Chrismar map.
We were able to set up our tent on a flat portion of the rock. There was a thunderbox nearby, and we used a large flat boulder as a table. The tent site was very exposed with no shade, but it worked well for our purposes. It would have been tough in high winds or earlier in the season with earlier sunrises. One or two small tents would fit at this site.
As I got the tent, sleeping pads, and sleeping bags set up, my husband cooked a fantastic steak dinner, a tradition of ours. We enjoyed an incredible Georgian Bay sunset, looking at the navigation lights from the Red Rock Lighthouse and buoys coming from the outer islands, which marked out our goal for the next day. A large cruise ship came around the south end of the Shebeshekong Channel; it was not a sight I was expecting to see. We hung our food that night, as I have heard of some campers running into bear trouble. Franklin Island is more than large enough to support bears, and it is also not far from the mainland. We headed off to bed after hanging our food.
Campsite: Rocky campsite with flat areas to set up a tent on the rocks, thunderbox well marked, and a nice landing in behind the site in a sheltered cove.
| Total Distance | 4 km |
| Campsite Reservation | None |
Day 2: Franklin to Green Island (8.7 km)
We woke up to a partly cloudy morning with a little wind. We cooked eggs and bacon and enjoyed some coffee, looking out to the next set of islands, contemplating our plans, as it’s a long open water crossing. We finished our breakfast, loaded the kayaks, and did a final weather check – the weather looked great for our initial crossing and reasonable for the following day; we decided to take the plunge.
We headed out for our crossing with the plan to land at Green Island or Rapier Island, both part of the Minks. We had a slight headwind, but it was manageable. I used my GPS to assist with navigation to our destination. The islands initially appeared far in the distance across the horizon, when slowly but surely, they began to appear and stand out. As we reached the Minks, the sun was full, and the clouds were minimal. We saw two boats during our crossing, likely a benefit of going later in the season. The area is a popular boating and yachting destination.
The Minks are a chain of islands, the next set of islands past Franklin. The iconic Red Rock Lighthouse marks the southern tip of the Minks. They are harder to access, and there are only a few (highly enviable) cottages toward the southern end, making the Minks an ideal destination.
We initially stopped at Rapier Island, which had very little tree cover but was a classic Georgian Bay island. A thunderbox was noted on the Outer Islands map, but I could not find it. We headed for Green Island, there were four marked sites on Green. We landed on the northwest side of the island and found a perfectly flat area with a thunderbox nearby. We decided to set up camp there. There is plenty of room for tents, but they do need to be set up directly on the rocks.
We set up camp, enjoyed lunch, and had an afternoon coffee. There was a great breeze and almost no humidity, so we read books and played cards. The Minks continue to the north of Green Island, and to the west we could see a few additional islands before the expanse of Georgian Bay took over again.
The chain of islands to the west is the Limestone Islands. They serve as important nesting sites for shorebirds, and landing on the Limestone Islands is not permitted during portions of the year. I have seen incredible pictures from people who have made the trek out to them. The limestone rock somehow makes the already crystal-clear water even clearer. It would require a lot of commitment to make it out to the Limestone Islands, and good luck avoiding any unexpected winds.
As the sun was starting to set, we explored the perimeter of the island and enjoyed the golden-hour sun. We confirmed that we were, in fact, the only people out there. We made dinner and watched the sun set over the bay. It was a very freeing feeling being out on such a large body of water and being totally alone, a feeling I’m sure most readers have felt and are searching for.
I was brushing my teeth after sunset while wearing a headlamp when I encountered a MASSIVE wolf spider wandering across the rocks. It was unmistakable with its bright, glowing eyes; we respected each other’s fears and carried on. My husband and I returned to the tent and made the mistake of shining the light around the perimeter of the site, noting many bright and shiny eyes. We went to sleep and made sure our tent was well sealed.
We did not hang our food this evening – the Minks are very far from the mainland, and Green Island is small. Instead, we put our food into the hatches of our kayaks to deter any rodent or raccoon that may have found itself out there. We did not encounter any of these while exploring the island.
Campsite: The site would be good for a few tents. There is a thunderbox nearby and plenty of flat areas for tents. The only limitation is that the site is on rock, and you need to stake out your tent using other rocks. There are a number of insects that make these rocks their home, and it can be rather startling when you flip over some of the rocks. The views are incredible facing west, but in windy conditions, sites on the eastern side would be preferable. Green Island is treed, unlike Rapier.
| Total Distance | 8.7 km |
| Campsite Reservation | None |
Day 3: Green Island to Snug Harbour (12.7 km)
We woke up to partly cloudy conditions with an easterly wind, bad luck to have a headwind both days. The winds were not terrible but certainly present. I checked the forecast, and the winds were supposed to settle. The sunrise over Franklin was gorgeous; we made our breakfast of protein pancakes and slowly drank our coffee. We packed up our camp; I made the mistake of leaving an empty dry bag in the kayak vestibule. A large spider made a home on the outside and was quickly (but safely) evicted.
I had considered making the trip south along the Minks to Red Rock to see the lighthouse; however, with the winds, we decided against this and will save it for another time.
By the time we were loading the kayaks, the winds had started to settle. The waves were present but manageable, and the forecast indicated conditions were going to improve. We set out; the first 20 minutes were rough but improved quickly. With the headwind, we decided to paddle directly toward Franklin to reach the shore and have a more leisurely, sheltered paddle rather than have a slight crosswind all the way to the southern tip.
I love the feeling of being out on the outer islands and feeling so isolated; however, I must admit these long open-water crossings can be a bit monotonous. Reaching the shore of Franklin and then making our way south was a welcome change of scenery. We paddled in and around the rocks, waving at like-minded campers enjoying the late summer weather. At this point, the wind had improved, and the paddle across the Shebeshekong was enjoyable. We pulled up at the launch and packed up everything.
A trip out of Snug Harbour is not complete without a meal at Gilly’s. The day turned into a perfect sunny September afternoon. My husband and I enjoyed a delicious meal of fish and chips on their patio. We made our way home after lunch.
Reflections
This was a great short trip out to the outer islands near Parry Sound, with a bit of effort but an excellent payoff. It certainly requires some luck with the weather, as the crossing is quite long and can quickly become dangerous. You need to be comfortable with 6–7 km of open-water paddling without landing. I would suggest two boats at minimum; it would be a very tricky task to self-rescue in those conditions. Several guidebooks talk about taking a canoe out, but you would need even more luck with the weather to safely cross or more flexibility in your schedule. If luck is not on your side, there are so many other options on Franklin that your trip could simply be Franklin. It is a 20km circumnavigation, with endless bays and smaller islands to explore.
This trip could easily be extended along the outer islands to the McCoys or Snakes; there are some options described in guidebooks for Georgian Bay.
Author Bio
I recently moved back to the Georgian Bay area for work. I did some canoe tripping as a teen, but I am rediscovering my love for camping as a way to escape the busyness of my job and spend quality time with my husband, who has reluctantly agreed. My work schedule makes longer trips more challenging, so short and sweet has been working well for us.