CANOEING
A Canoeing Adventure in Algonquin Park By Matthew Ladd
PICTURE YOURSELF PADDLING DOWN a river in a canyon formed thousands of years ago. The imposing Barron Canyon is just one section of a point-to-point flat-water route with only a few portages and many interesting sights along the way. This three-day weekend adventure in the eastern part of Algonquin Park is one of my all-time favourite canoe trips. The route starts at the Achray Campground on Grand Lake and traverses Stratton Lake, St. Andrews Lake, High Falls Lake, Opalescent Lake, Brigham Lake and the length of the Barron River. Many people are familiar with this part of the park because it is close to the Eastern Pines backpacking trails. If you prefer something a little more challenging, this trip can be extended to four days, as there is a longer route to Opalescent Lake involving more portaging. The extended route has one portage of 1800 metres in length, making it prohibitive to many leisurely canoeists. It is also possible to complete the trip in a two-day weekend for those folks who are pressed for time, and don’t mind a later finish on Sunday. By putting in at Brigham Lake parking lot, you can also make this a day trip. Achray Campground is reached via the Sand Lake access road. It is a solid four-hour drive from Ottawa, so it is advisable to get an early start. On the way to the Sand Lake gate you will pass the Algonquin Portage Store, where you can rent canoes and canoeing equipment, and if you wish, stay overnight in one of their cabins. Reservations made well in advance are required for these services. Here you can also purchase just about any item you may have forgotten to bring along. Since this is a point-to-point route as opposed to an out-and-back route, there are some transportation issues that need to be addressed. Assuming at least two vehicles are driven to the starting point, one should be driven back to, or left at the take-out point. This is the last parking lot Ottawa Outdoors Summer
along the Barron River before the overpass (when you are coming from Achray). This way, when you finish paddling on Sunday, there will be a vehicle waiting for you. Once you get the boats out of the water, the other vehicle can be picked up at Achray Station and driven back to the finishing point. (Editor’s note: Be sure to bring the keys to the vehicle at the finishing point with you in the canoe!) If you are able to arrive early on Friday, there are some interesting sights to see prior to beginning the trip. One such place of interest is the cabin of legendary painter Tom Thompson, which is located along the shore of the Grand Lake. This area served as the setting for many of the Group of Sevens’ famous paintings, including Jack Pine, done in 1916. The sandy beach of Grand Lake allows for an easy put-in of the canoes. One potential difficulty is a strong wind on Grand Lake. This can make the two kilometre paddling distance across the lake seem much longer than it actually is. At this point you should not be heading straight across the lake but rather starting to veer toward the south shore (or the left). Otherwise you will end up in Carcajou Bay, where there is portage that will lead you on another Algonquin canoeing adventure. If you veer to the right, you will have a very long paddle to
the end of the lake, where you will discover the start of one of the longest portages in the park. A map of the park, Canoe Routes of Algonquin Provincial Park, will allow you to compare the landforms with the routes shown on paper, and is essential to have along. Be on the lookout for a small yellow sign with a figure in black that will indicate the portage. The sign should indicate that this is the Grand Lake to Stratton Lake portage trail. It is a short 30-metre portage leading to Stratton Lake. If the water levels are high enough, it is possible to line the canoes along the water instead of portaging. Last summer water levels had fallen significantly and this was definitely not a possibility. After about four kilometres of paddling, the end of the lake will come into view. It is then an easy 45-metre portage to reach St. Andrews Lake. There are campsites located on St. Andrews Lake where you can relax on Friday night, after completing your four to six hours of paddling. If you run into a high wind on Grand Lake that slows you down, or if you get a later start on Friday, you can also stay at one of several sites on the south shore of Grand Lake, or the north shore of Stratton Lake. Make sure that you have an updated map that shows locations of 21
