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 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

current sites. For environmental reasons these are moved around from time to time. If there is no orange sign with a drawing of a tent on it posted at the campsite, then it is not currently approved for camping.

The second day starts along the Barron River with the option of a side trip to the natural waterslide of High Falls. If you are doing this trip in early spring or late fall this will be more like a polar bear dip. The side trip does make the day slightly longer, but it is worth it. You can always make the falls a scenic stop for lunch.

There are three longer portages of 550, 300, and 640 metres before reaching the campsites at Opalescent Lake. After the leisurely portaging at both ends of Stratton Lake these portages are definitely more challenging. Opalescent Lake is a particularly nice lake to camp on. There is even a rocky beach there where you can go for a swim.

At the north end of High Falls Lake, which is part of the Barron River and is reached after the first 550-metre portage, you will have a choice of portage trails. Both routes will eventually take you to Brigham Lake, along the Barron River. If you choose not to head for Opalescent Lake, you can avoid the longer portages of 640 and 730 metres, and save about

The top 10 things you should know about this trip: 1. Bring a bathing suit (enough said). 2. Do not set up your campsite just anywhere. Make sure there is an orange and black sign posted at the site. 3. Bring a camera, as there are many photo opportunities, especially in the canyon. 4. Compare the landforms carefully with the map when searching for the portage trails, as the portage signs are not often visible until you are very close to the trailhead. 5. To save time when doing a portage (especially the shorter ones) try to make as few trips as possible (ideally one). 6. Sunscreen is essential, no matter what month it is. 7. Leave one vehicle at the finishing point, and bring the keys with you. 8. Renting canoes and related gear can be expensive, so if you have access to the gear, it is likely worth the added hassle of bringing it along. 9. Get an early start each day in order to get to your destination with time to spare (and get the best campsite). 10. Y ou need to reserve your campsites well in advance.

340 metres of portaging in total. You will, however, have five rather than three portages to reach Brigham Lake. It is a matter of preference, but campsites are scarce on Brigham Lake. If you plan to camp there, make sure you have made a reservation.

In order to complete this route in two days, you should arrive by Friday evening and stay either at the cozy log cabin near the store or at Achray Campground. You can then get an early start on Saturday morning in order to reach St. Andrews Lake, where you will camp on Saturday night. On Sunday it will be an all-day paddle down the entire length of the Barron River to reach the take-out point by late afternoon. The two-day option makes for a more challenging trip, with more paddling on Sunday. You may want to take the shorter portage route to Brigham Lake via the aptly named Ooze Lake. To reach the take-out before dark you will have to portage efficiently and get an early start on Sunday morning. If you need to be done early on Sunday, you could make Saturday your long day, and reserve a site at Brigham Lake for Saturday night.

Regardless of how long you take to reach Brigham Lake (you may even start there for a day trip), you will find that what is surely the highlight of this trip begins here. It is quite an amazing feeling to paddle through the majestic Barron Canyon with cliffs rising over one hundred metres above the river. The canyon was probably formed about ten thousand years ago during the last ice age. During this period a sheet of ice about three kilometres thick covered most of Canada and the northern United States. This expanse of ice carved out the canyon. Later melt water from the glacier eroded it even further.

A backpacking trail follows the rim of the canyon, one of the highest points in the park. If you look up to your left about one kilometre after portaging the Brigham Chute (440 metres), you may see some people on the trail. This will really put the size of the cliffs into perspective.

After a longer day of canoeing along the Barron River, just above Squirrel Rapids, the take-out point is reached. There is a respectable amount of distance (approximately eight kilometres)

Map used with permission from Friends of Algonquin Park.

to cover from Opalescent Lake to the finish. More importantly, there are four portages of 730, 100, 440, and 420 metres each. You should expect about six to nine hours of paddling on the last day. There are some tales around about gruelling paddling and portaging in order to finish this trip before a storm arrives, before sunset, etc.

Unless you want to create your own adventure race consisting of paddling and portaging, it is a good idea to time yourself appropriately. This tends to be more of an issue with the two-day version of the trip, which will have you travelling all the way from St. Andrews Lake (adding about four kilometres, about a third of it portaging) on Sunday.

The level of difficulty for this trip is low and thus it makes for a good first trip of the season. The route can be easily modified to suit the more advanced canoeist. If you have done some paddling and camping you should be fine. The route is one of the easiest yet most spectacular within the park. If you have three days, the daily paddling distance is reasonable. There are no portages longer than a kilometre and the paddling is entirely on flat water.

This trip is also excellent for a less experienced group. Small groups of less than ten people can camp on one site. If you have a larger group, it must be split up into two separate sites. Since this route is quite popular, it is best to reserve campsites well in advance. This is especially important during the summer months or if you are planning the trip over a long weekend. About the author: Matthew Ladd is a member of the Carleton University Outdoors Club (CUOC). The CUOC offers day outings and canoe trips. For information about the club visit www.carleton.ca/outdoors. For information about Algonquin Park visit www.algonquinpark.on.ca. To reserve a campsite, visit www.ontarioparks.com. For information about the Algonquin Portage Store, visit www.algonquinportage.com.