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Although it's impossible to answer every question on this
page, we have tried to answer some of the most common ones.
People are always your best resource for answering questions.
Our On-Line Community is full of real people who just might
offer some additional insight on your questions. Be sure
to check out the Discussion pages! Need assistance with this form? DisclaimerThe Algonquin Outfitters "Ask the Experts" service is intended solely as an informational service, not as a substitute for real outdoor experience, personal skill development or other professional advice. By using this service you agree that Algonquin Outfitters will not be held responsible for harm to persons or property that results from the use of this Web site. While we have attempted to ascertain the knowledge of our volunteer experts, we have no certification of their expertise or abilities. Users acknowledge that these volunteers have varying levels of expertise and should use their responses to questions for informational purposes only. Algonquin Park: How big is Algonquin Park? Algonquin Park is a huge expanse of wilderness. Covering 7,725 square kilometers (2,983 square miles, 765,345 ha) of rugged Canadian Shield country, the park is home to an abundant wildlife population, including moose, wolves and black bears. While many Algonquin visitors see moose, the latter two creatures are less common sights. During late August and into the fall, people who try howling for wolves are often rewarded with a mournful response from a nearby pack. Smaller mammals like otters, fox, chipmunks, squirrels and raccoons are common sights. Over 250 bird species have been recorded in Algonquin Park and every one's favorite wilderness bird, the common loon, is found nesting on most lakes. A canoe tripper could spend a lifetime exploring Algonquin Park. Over 1500 km of canoe routes follow lakes, streams and portage trails through the vast forested interior. Campsites and portages are marked and well maintained. Fly-ins are prohibited. Motor boats are restricted to a few lakes and road access to the park is limited to the Hwy. 60 "corridor" and peripheral access points. As a result, most of Algonquin Park is only accessible by canoe. Backpacking and day hiking trails allow travel on foot. In the winter the park is also open to travel by ski and snowshoe. If Algonquin Park was a country it would be bigger than 152 other countries in the world! Learn more by joining our Community. Canoe Routes: Where should I go? It is difficult to give specific route advice without knowing whether you have a park map and what previous experience you have in Algonquin Park. We often suggest routes starting from Opeongo Lake (access point # 11 - we have an outfitting store there), Cedar Lake (access point 27 - we have an outfitting store there also), Smoke Lake (access point #6) or Rock Lake (access point #9). Our outfitting store at Oxtongue Lake is the most convenient outfitting store for the last two access points. If you would like more detailed descriptions, please call us, at 1.800.469.4948, with a map handy. Here is a link to our Google map that shows Algonquin Park Access Points. A Free Digital Algonquin Park Map is available at this
address: You can order the Algonquin Park Canoe Routes Map (along
with guide books and many other useful park publications)
on-line at: For the most comprehensive unofficial site, lots of trip
planning information, route ideas, trip logs and other related
links, check out 'Algonquin Adventures' at Descriptions of many Algonquin routes can also be found
at the Canadian Canoe Routes web site's Algonquin page: There are guidebooks available that can help you with your
canoe trip planning. "A Paddler's Guide to Algonquin,"
by Kevin Callan
, has some excellent route descriptions and canoe trip tales.
Don Lloyd's fine book, "Canoeing Algonquin Park,"
is another very useful resource for trip planning. Different
areas of the park are described and mapped so that you can
put your own trip together. A great deal of historical information
and natural history is also presented. You can order these
books on-line at: If you have not considered this already, I would suggest making camping permit reservations before making equipment reservations. The park permit reservation system has been centralized for all provincial parks in Ontario. You can make reservation up to 5 months ahead of your trip. Reservations for Algonquin Park interior trips can be made by calling toll free: 1-888-668-7275. They will want to know where you intend to camp each night of your trip. To check campsite availability in advance of making a reservation or get route advice, call the Algonquin Park information line at 705-633-5572. Learn more by joining our Community. Canoeing: What to bring on a canoe trip? Many people want to know what to bring on a canoe trip and the answer varies depending on the route, group, season and many other factors. The simple answer is to book one of our complete outfitting packages. In that scenario, all you need to bring are your personal items like clothing, toiletries and camera. You can read more about our complete outfitting canoe trips here. We also have a list of personal gear to bring on a completely outfitted canoe trips. If you are planning your own canoe trip, here's a basic
list of the things we suggest you pack:
This list covers the basic requirements for an Algonquin Park canoe trip. Many people choose to pack more items than what we have listed here. Keep in mind that everything you pack is extra weight to portage, so do your best to keep it light and pack just the essentials. Learn more by joining our Community. I'd like to do an interior trip in trip in Algonquin Park
using a kayak. Is this a good idea? We rent a variety of solo canoes, including Swift solo models like the Shearwater and Osprey. All are 14 - 16 feet long, weigh 35 - 40 lbs and come with a detachable carrying yoke, since the seat is in the centre of the boat. Gear space varies with the model. They all tend to be narrower than tandem canoes. I would recommend the Shearwater for your first solo trip, since it is the most roomy and very stable. For more information on Solo Canoe trips or Kayaks visit our Solo trip page. Learn more by joining our Community. Hiking: Where can I hike in Algonquin Park? Algonquin Park hiking trails fall in to one of two categories, either day hiking trails or backpacking trails.
The Friends of Algonquin Park also publish an excellent and inexpensive map, with contours, for the Western Uplands, Highland and Eastern Pines backpacking trails in Algonquin Park. You can order the Backpacking Trails Map (along with guide books and many other useful park publications) on-line from the Algonquin Park Book Store. Ordering Books & Maps The Backpacking Trails Map can be ordered on-line from the Algonquin Park Book Store or from Algonquin Outfitters by mail order. Call Algonquin Outfitters in Oxtongue Lake to order Adventure Maps, Backroad Mapbooks and government topos (1-800-469-4948). There is a $5 handling charge for maps sent outside of Canada. Learn more by joining our Community. Camping: What about the bears? There are black bears in Algonquin Park. Most people never see one but there are simple precautions you can take. For a good overview on bears, bear behavior and strategies for camping in areas inhabited by bears, check out the Algonquin Park bear page , the Black Bear page from The Science Behind Algonquin's Animals and the Bear Wise Home Page. Bears are very intelligent animals and can figure out most "bear-proofing" systems. In Algonquin Park, food-hanging is probably the most popular method and has proven to be fairly reliable, if done properly and care is taken to reduce food odors, which is what attracts animals in the first place. Many people use so-called "barrel packs" for food storage on canoe trips. These are 60 litre industrial-grade plastic shipping containers with a custom backpack-style harness. We rent and sell these packs ($8/day to rent, about $140 for barrel & harness to purchase). Though some folks claim these are bear-proof, I would not guarantee it. They are certainly highly bear-resistant, and, because they are air and water-tight, do a very good job of protecting food and containing odors. Learn more by joining our Community. Portaging: What is the best way to portage a canoe? Portaging typically falls into two categories: 1. a nice walk in the woods that is a pleasant break from paddling The trick between making most portages fall into the first category is planning and practice, coupled with a few tricks. To best "enjoy" portaging here are a few things to start with:
The number one thing you can do to make portages go faster is to do it in “one trip.” If you can handle the weight, then you will save a lot of time, even though it is a little harder. Take short breaks more often will help compensate for the extra effort. In the end, you would have to spend two thirds of your time resting one a “one-trip” portage to take the same amount of on a “two-trip” portage, provided that you don't take a break. If you have to make multiple trips, there is the one-and-a-half portage trick. This requires more than one person and equal numbers in each group works best. The trippers effectively split into two groups. The first group takes their first load, goes to the halfway mark in the portage and sets the load down. They then return to the beginning, pick up the remainder of the gear and cross the entire portage. The second group takes their gear to the far end of the portage, then returns to the halfway point to pick up the gear that group number one dropped off. For safety, it’s a good idea to wait for each other at this point then finish the portage together. Instead of all members walking the portage three times (over-back-and-over), they all walk the portage twice (once over, plus the other time made up of the two half trips). This technique is best used on longer portages. Those under a few hundred metres are not as tough to slug through in two trips. The time savings using the “trip and a half” method on portages over a kilometer are substantial. Learn more by joining our Community. Outfitting / Rentals: Do you deliver canoes to Algonquin Park access Points? Yes, we frequently deliver canoes for large groups unable to transport canoes with their own vehicles. Please call or email for a quotation. For parties renting smaller numbers of canoes, we can drop off canoes at certain access points access points but this is usually not required for groups with their own vehicles. The charge starts at $50 each way. Most people starting trips along Hwy 60 (at popular access points like Canoe, Smoke, Cache or Rock lakes) pick up canoes at our Oxtongue Lake store and transport the boats themselves, using car top carriers that we rent for a very economical rate. We even rent roof racks so that you can carry two or even three canoes on one vehicle. We use high quality Yakima roof rack systems and our expert "rack fitters" can safely install a roof rack on almost any vehicle. We do not offer a regular campground delivery service but our Opeongo Store offers a discounted rental rate for roadside campground users, call them toll-free at 1-888-280-8886 and ask about the "campground special." Learn more by joining our Community. Biking: Are there mountain bike trails? There are many excellent mountain bike trails in Muskoka, Haliburton and Algonquin Park. Here are a few public trails that you should be aware of: 1. Algonquin Park: Minnesing Mountain Bike Trail, provides moderate challenge for mountain bike riders in Algonquin Park. with loops from 4.7 to 23.4 km in length. Learn more by joining our Community. Nordic Skiing: Are there Nordic ski trails? Algonquin Park is truly a winter wonderland from December through March. With frozen lakes, snow covered ground and frosted trees, it's one of the most beautiful and peaceful sights to be seen. A great way to get out there and enjoy winter in Algonquin Park is on cross-country skis, touring one the three Nordic ski trail systems. 1. Leaf Lake Ski TrailOutside of the park there are several more ski trail systems to explore. 1. Arrowhead Ski Trails Learn more by joining our Community. Wildlife: What kind of wildlife resides in Algonquin Park? Algonquin Park is home to many different types of animals, birds, reptiles, insects and fish.
For more information on Algonquin Park's wildlife visit The Science Behind Algonquin's Animals website. Learn more by joining our Community. Seasonal/Weather: When is Algonquin Park ice out? A few seasons ago, our intrepid reporters unearthed a secret document revealing the results of a 33 year study of ice-out dates on Opeongo Lake. Opeongo is usually the last lake to open up in Algonquin Park. "Ice-out" refers to the day when boat travel from end to end is unimpeded by ice. Over 33 years of record-keeping, the average ice-out date was April 30, the earliest was April 12, 1981, and the latest, May 15, 1972. The official ice-out date for 2008, for example, was April 25. With such a wide range of potential dates, you now know why our staff have such difficulty answering that popular question, "When will the ice go out this year?" The best strategy for trip planning is to have a flexible schedule and route plan and to phone us closer to your trip dates to get a better prediction. We post current conditions, pictures and reports as we
get them on our web log (starting in early April - check
the archives for previous reports): For an informative and up to date report on Canoe Lake
ice conditions in spring, visit: Learn more by joining our Community. Gear/Sales: Do you sell your used canoes & kayaks? One of the most searched-for items on the Algonquin Outfitters website and blogs is “Used Swift Canoes.” Although there are several posts on used canoes, one of the reasons you won't often find a detailed list of the used canoes we have for sale is that the inventory changes very frequently. We encourage anyone looking for a used canoe to make the drive out to our Oxtongue Lake location or visit one of the Swift Road Shows and actually look, feel and even paddle a used canoe before you buy one. The best time to look for a used canoe from Algonquin Outfitters or Swift is in the fall, starting in September, or in the spring around late April and May. It's often difficult for us to look for canoes in the winter because of the two metre snow drifts often found around our Oxtongue Lake store, and in the summer most of our rental canoes are in high demand. Every year we sell off several dozen used canoes. Most are retired rentals that have seen several seasons of rental use and will usually have scratches and even patches on their hulls. All of our canoes have been reconditioned to a "no leak" condition and some may even have had new paint jobs. All are a good value. Most Kevlar models sell between $900 and $1500 (about half to a third of their retail price) and fiberglass models sell between $500 and $800. The most popular used models are the Swift Algonquin 16 & 17 and the Swift Kipawa 16'6". We may have the occasional solo canoe or ABS Dumoine but they are not always available. We also sell off many of our rental kayaks each year, with prices starting at 20-50% off. Learn more by joining our Community. Algonquin Outfitters: Where can I find your store locations? The Original Outdoor Adventure Store Each Algonquin Outfitters location has a unique personality, catering to the particular needs of that area. Every store has a retail presence and all, with the exception of Bracebridge, offer outdoor equipment rentals, in varying degrees. Visit the page for each location to find out more information. More information about our stores, outfitting bases and the products we sell can be found online in the Store Locations pages. Learn more by joining our Community. Miscellaneous: more, ask the expert, answers? The "Ask the Expert" section on our website is one area that will grow over time. We have answered many more questions in the AO Community Just look for "Notes (FAQ)" under the Forum button after joining the Community. The Community is also a gathering place for people who enjoy visiting Algonquin Park. It can provide a wealth of information and if you can't find the answers here, try posting your question in the "Forum," where you will find many people willing to share their insight and experience. Want to ask our experts directly? You can do so from the main Ask the Expert page. Learn more by by joining our Community. |
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