It should come as no surprise that Ontario cottage country aligns perfectly with the province’s core canoeing areas. From the Kawarthas to Temagami, ancient canoe routes weave in and out of cottage lakes and rivers across central Ontario, providing you with a new way to experience beloved areas and active adventures to share with family and guests. Here are seven simple routes for all levels of paddlers.
Oxtongue River
Escape the roadside sightseers on Highway 60 with an easy-to-plan day trip on the Oxtongue River. Beginners can paddle upstream from Algonquin Outfitters’ base on Oxtongue Lake to Ragged Falls and back in half a day. More experienced paddlers can do a downriver day trip on the Oxtongue, starting from a back bay on the river just west of Algonquin’s West Gate. The river meanders through a large wetland before picking up speed with a few sections of swift water, leading up to mandatory portages around Gravel and Ragged Falls (the trails are easy to find but you don’t want to miss them).
Difficulty: Novice (out and back from Oxtongue Lake) to Intermediate (downriver trip)
Distance: 6 km out and back or 15 km downriver
Local Outfitters: Rent canoes and book a vehicle shuttle from Algonquin Outfitters
Keep paddling! 3 easy ways to care for your canoe
Point Grondine Park
Point Grondine Park is an Indigenous-operated protected area bridging the gap between Killarney and French River provincial parks on Georgian Bay. The traditional territory of Wiikwemikoong First Nation includes an overnight canoe route with seven portages through interior lakes (an eighth carry takes experienced paddlers to Collins Inlet on Georgian Bay for even longer trips). Book a backcountry campsite and access the canoe route from the Point Grondine trailhead on Highway 637, south of Highway 69.
Difficulty: Novice (lots of portaging)
Distance: 17 km (extended trips are also possible on Collins Inlet and Georgian Bay)
Local Outfitters: Rent an ultralight canoe from Killarney Outfitters or Killarney Kanoes
Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park
You don’t need a cottage to experience the maze of lakes on the Canadian Shield north of Peterborough. Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park serves as an excellent gateway for aspiring paddlers to practice their canoe tripping skills on well-marked, easy-to-access routes. Reserve a backcountry campsite online, get on the water at Long Lake, just off of Highway 28, and paddle west on a loop through Buzzard, Stoplog, Compass, and Loucks lakes (with five portages along the way) for an overnight trip.
Difficulty: Novice
Distance: 20 km
Local Outfitters: Long Lake Lodge offers canoe rentals at the launch site and Wild Rock Outfitters is a well-established regional outfitter in Peterborough
The kayak and canoe launch pad is a game-changer for paddlers
Temagami’s Blueberry Lake
Temagami is popular amongst experienced canoe trippers for its extended wilderness routes. However, you can get a taste of the area on a 14-km day trip to Blueberry Lake, starting from Snake Lake, east of Highway 11 in the town of Temagami. A single portage takes you from Cassels Lake to Blueberry Lake, which is surrounded by old-growth red and white pines and (you guessed it) abundant wild berries.
Difficulty: Novice
Distance: 14 km
Local Outfitters: Rent a canoe from Temagami Outfitting Company or Smoothwater Outfitters and Lodge
9 reasons why every Canadian should own a canoe
Magnetawan River Loop
This classic four- to five-day trip was a favourite of canoeing icon Bill Mason, and it features easy access from a public launch on Harris Lake, just off of Highway 69. The first half of the trip traverses pretty lakes, with portages through forests of pine, beech, and oak, ultimately arriving at Wahwashkesh Lake, where you swing west down the main channel of the Magnetawan. There’s an easy link from Trout Lake to Harris for a four-day trip; but if you’re skilled in whitewater, it’s worth descending the river for another day through Mountain Chute, Stovepipe, Three-Snye, and Thirty Dollar rapids before completing the circuit back to your starting point via Miner Lake. Pack light to reduce your suffering on this portage-intensive route.
Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced
Distance: 60 to 80 km
Local Outfitters: White Squall offers canoe rentals in Parry Sound
Restoule Provincial Park, Upper French River
Cradling the headwaters of the French River, Restoule Provincial Park is surprisingly unknown amongst most paddlers, given its easy-access location. Canoe day trips start from the drive-in campground launch, with 2.5- to 14-km routes available. Experienced paddlers can tackle an adventurous four- to six-day, 72-km route in the surroundings of the upper French River, with 14 portages and travel on creeks, rivers, and Lake Nipissing’s island-pocked open waters.
Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate
Distance 2.5- to 72 km
Local Outfitters: Restoule Provincial Park offers canoe rentals
Big Hawk Lake, Algonquin Highlands
There are 11 canoe routes set in the mosaic of lakes of the Leslie Frost Centre Area, near Dorset. One of the best is an overnight trip starting from Big Hawk Lake and looping through Nunakai, Red Pine, Clear, and Little Hawk lakes, with four portages in between. Campsites are available on several lakes. The Clear Lake Conservation Reserve protects old-growth pines and hemlock and contains an aptly named lake with 10 m of underwater visibility.
Difficulty: Novice
Distance: 20 km
Local Outfitters: Rent a canoe from the Township of Algonquin Highlands
How to choose the right canoe paddle
Related Story Flood watch extended for the Parry Sound-Muskoka area
Related Story OPP recover body of missing kayaker
Related Story Insight from outside: Hiking with the Cottage Coach