Ship Harbour Long Lake Wilderness Reserve: Moose Cove Lake (2 days / 18 km)
This canoe route is in Ship Harbour Long Lake Wilderness Reserve, inland along the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. While we did an out and back, there is a full loop route in this area that can be done in 3-4 days. Portages are clear and seem to be travelled often. On Oak Lake there are a few cabins, some still used and others seem to be abandoned. Moose Cove Lake has one cabin on a peninsula in the southeast bay.
Trip Completed: September 2023
Trip Summary
Location: Ship Harbour Long Lake Wilderness Reserve.
Traditional Territory: This route takes place on the traditional territory of Mi’kma’ki and Wabanaki.
Maps & Resources
Map: Canoe Kayak Nova Scotia Map.
Permits & Reservations
Campsite Reservations: No reservations are required.
Permits: No permits are required.
Know Before You Go
Season: Spring – Fall.
Cell Reception: Very little, spotty areas.
Water: Drinking water available, as long as it is filtered.
Wildlife: Use proper bear safety when storing food.
Waste: No thunderboxes at campsite. Launch has garbage cans.
Outfitters & Shuttles
We did not use an outfitter or shuttle. This trip is a loop so you end where you start.
Outfitter: There are many outfitters in the Halifax region. Most are based around sea kayaking. Not aware of any outfitters that rent canoes, other than on-site rentals.
Shuttle: Shuttle wasn’t needed
Trip Report
Day 1: Oyster Pond to Moose Cove Lake (6.5 km)
This trip was a last-minute “let’s get out camping this weekend” kind of trip. This was our first canoe trip since moving to Nova Scotia so we were looking forward to getting a taste of what Nova Scotia’s backcountry had to offer. We didn’t have too far to drive, only about an hour from Halifax. The put-in at Oyster Pond is a public boat launch with parking for about 10 cars.
As we were loading up the canoe an older gentleman and his grandson were pulling up to the launch in a small tin boat. We got chatting to them and they were out at their cabin on Oak lake doing some work and building a deck. The older man was extremely nice, telling us all about the cabin’s history. As we said our goodbyes, he gave us his phone number and told us to give him a call any time we wanted to use the cabin.
Leaving the Oyster Pond launch there is a short 1.5 km paddle to the portage on the opposite side of the lake. Prior to leaving for this trip, I did notice on topo maps that this trail went up and over a hill, I kept this a little hush from Corey and told him it was just an easy breezy 400 m.
Portage from Oyster Pond to Oak Lake (400m): As soon as you get to the landing of the portage the takeout is a bit awkward and you have to climb up a few small rocks. There is a flat area to get yourself situated before making the ascent. 90% of this portage going from Oyster Pond to Oak Lake is uphill. Truthfully, it was a little trickier than I anticipated. Note: wear good footwear. This portage is steep and rocky, luckily rocks were not slippery but there was a lot of unavoidable mud. The other side of the portage was a small beachy area which was nice to wash off our feet and get the canoe loaded back up.
Oak Lake is a long skinny lake that is quite shallow and has lots of weeds. We attempted fishing by trolling our lines behind the canoe as we paddled, but soon we gave up because every 50 m we were stopping to reel in weeds. Along the way, you pass by a handful of cabins along the south shore. At the end of the 3.2 km paddle, there is a small creek that flows between Oak Lake and Moose Cove Lake.
There was not much of a trail on land to follow so we hopped out on the rock and waded the canoe up. It being September and having a ton of rain throughout the summer the water was high enough that the canoe was easy to navigate up the creek. Just be careful of your step because there are some deeper sections. Before we paddled out into the main area of the lake we took the chance to get our fishing rods back out and set up.
Our goal was to go to the far island campsite on the west side of the lake. Wind began to pick up in the early afternoon on Moose Cove Lake. We skipped past the first two campsites and headed straight for the island. As we approached the island we noticed a tent set up, so unfortunately we were unable to stay there. Most reports I have read say the island is the best site on the lake. We then looped around the island and headed back to the next closest site.
Pulling up to the site you can not see much from the water, just a small trail. I hopped out to check it out and felt very “meh” about it. So we hopped back into the canoe to check out the one other marked site on the map. I was really hoping for something a bit better than the previous site but I was sadly disappointed. It seemed like there was a root fire since the fire pit was right under a few big pines. Over time the burnt soil had eroded away causing big craters in the ground.
While someone could make do with this site if need be, it wasn’t ideal, especially with our blind dog tagging along. I began exploring this site a bit more and noticed a trail that led back to another section. In that area, there was a picnic table and a shed with a lock. There were broken patio chairs and junk lying around. Seems like someone used this site as a base camp.
We made the decision to get back into the canoe and head back to the other site. As we were paddling around the corner we saw a group of people loading their boats at the portage leading to Skull Lake. We both looked at each other with a bit of panic thinking “Oh no! We need to paddle as fast as we can back to the site so they don’t take it and we will be stuck with the horrible site we just came from”. We paddled hard! Made it back to the site and began to set up.
A while later we finally saw the group paddle up to the site we were at, but then luckily continued past heading toward the island. After that, we didn’t see them so they must have been the group staying at the island site. We decided to sleep under the bug shelter and didn’t bother setting up the tent because it was a beautiful warm evening. We could have slept without the shelter all together but this way the dogs couldn’t wander off, especially Oliver being blind.
Campsite: This campsite in my opinion wasn’t great but not bad. The water access was a tiny pebble beach which was great for the dogs to swim. The main flat area of the site was in the beating sun with no trees to shade it and surrounded by small spruce trees and brush. The more sheltered area in the trees is where we set up the bug shelter. The only flat(ish) ground fit our 10×10 shelter. You could maybe fit 2 small tents. Not much view of the water from the campsite because of the brush.
| Total Distance | 6.5 km |
| Portaging Distance | 400 m |
| Number of Portages | 1 |
| Campsite Reservation | No reservation required |
Day 2: Moose Cove Lake to Oyster Pond (6.5 km)
The next morning we took our time getting up and packed up. Knowing we only had an 8 km paddle back out gave us lots of time to enjoy the day. With the canoe loaded up, we began our paddle back in the direction we came from yesterday. On our way, we decided this would be a great opportunity to do some fishing because there was minimal wind. We were nearing the lift over and both caught a fish.
As we were in the middle of reeling in our lines we noticed the group paddling around the corner. Instead of all of us gathering at the creek causing a small traffic jam, we waved at the group and spun the canoe around, deciding to spend more time on Moose Cove Lake fishing and enjoying the day.
We continued paddling towards the southeast bay. We caught a couple of brook trout along the way. While there are no campsites in this section of the lake, there is a cabin that looks like it is still in good shape and used by the owners. After an hour or so of exploring, we headed back towards the creek that leads back into Oak Lake. Since the water was high enough, we decided to very carefully paddle down, and attempt to avoid beaching ourselves on the rock slightly below the water on the right side. Luckily we just barely bumped the rock and were able to make it down.
On our way, we paddled past the group, as they were pulled over on the side of the lake having a lunch break. We decided to turn our leisurely paddle up a notch and make it to the portage with plenty of time, so we didn’t have to run into the group on the portage. I have never liked being on a portage with other people, not that I’m antisocial but having both dogs and doing it one shot with all your gear, it is much easier when no one else is around. The 400m portage from Oak Lake to Oyster Pond on the way back was a lot easier because it’s almost a constant decline. There is still a lot of focus on your foot placement so you either don’t fall in a mud puddle or step awkwardly on a rock.
A quick 1.5 km paddle back to the car flew by and soon enough we were headed back home after a great weekend.
| Total Distance | 6.5 km |
| Portaging Distance | 400 m |
| Number of Portages | 1 |
| Campsite Reservation | N/A |
Reflections
This trip was a good weekend out. Just prepare for the first portage from Oyster Pond to Oak Lake. There are really only 2 campsites on Moose Cove Lake, so try to get there early if you are going on a summer weekend, if not you will have to portage to the next lake.
Author Bio
Kristen and Corey love venturing out into the backcountry with their two dogs, Oliver and Dean. They continue to build their skills and push themselves further each and every trip. They enjoy the solitude of canoe trips, which they find themselves further into the backcountry each time. Finding the perfect balance between putting in a lot of distance in a day as well as catching lots of fish, is the key to most of their trips.
Instagram: @kristennielsenn