Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park Cork & Canoe
Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park Cork & Canoe
Designated a provincial park in 2002, this area remains one of the largest undisturbed, and least developed areas south of Algonquin Park. As of September 25th, the Park has about 40% colour change vs 50% in Killarney and 90% in Algonquin which means we could be in QE II for peak colour viewing. This trip can accommodate a total of 10 people, including both canoeists and backpackers, with a maximum of 8 paddlers. So if we have 6 canoeists RSVP, then we'll have room for 4 backpackers.
Friday Night
Arrive in Minden, after a 3 1/2 hr drive from Waterloo. Car camping can be arranged at The Minden Wild Water Preserve. The Preserve is located approximately 7 kilometers north east of Minden on the Gull River via Country Rd. 20. Turn South onto Bethel Road and cross the single lane bridge. The driveway to the Preserve campground will be immediately on your right. This is self serve camping site.
Saturday
8:30am We'll leave Molly's Bistro Bakery (170 Bobcaygeon Road, Minden). It's a good place to show up hungry...click on www.mollysbistrobakery.ca. The put-in is a 15 minute drive south along Haliburton County Rd 2 and at the end of Devil's Lake Rd. There's plenty of parking, but let's love our planet and try to carpool everyone. This trip is not suitable for kayaks, so pairing should be easy.
Paddling Devil's Lake is followed by a 1400m carry to Sheldon Lake, then a hop, skip and a jump (825m, 475m, 160m) through Cooney, Peter and Victoria Lakes, ending the day in Wolf Lake. All portages are described as wide and clear. Note that the portages get shorter going in on Saturday, and get longer going out on Sunday.
The Ganaraska Trail closely follows the route by land, and offers canoeists and backpackers numerous hiking options along the way. Two such hikes include side trails to Scrabble Mountain, the second highest peak in the park, and the highest peak in the park, which, oddly, has no name. At 371m, it offers a panoramic view of the Cooney to Wolf Lake section. Backpackers could set up camp at numerous waterside sites along the route and opt to continue west along the Ganaraska Trail for an out-and-back extended hike. Canoeists with extra time could paddle down the north end of the Head River, accessible from the west end of Victoria Lake. There is a scenic campsite at the east end of Victoria where the canoe route and Ganaraska Trail cross where the two groups could camp together within this Meetup.
Considering we are now entering the cold water paddling period and the risk of hypothermia, to paddlers and to backpackers is mounting, it could be interesting to have a short backcountry fire starting workshop... without matches. Adventurers are invited to share their go-to or unique fire starter fixes and I'll be first in line to do a wet exit from my canoe, Dani Girl, to get cold & wet, just to make it a little more interesting. Any other takers?
Saturday evening will be the Cork part of Cork & Canoe. Details TBA.
Sunday
We'll return by way of the same route, a few pounds lighter, yet filled with visions of the Fall beauty that the Wildlands has shared with us. No paddling trip in the Minden area is complete without visiting the Kawartha Dairy Ice Cream Outlet in Minden for Wolf Paws or Moose Tracks ice cream, so it's back to Minden and we'll also visit the Minden White Water Preserve to check out some white water canoeists and kayakers in action.
This is an intermediate level canoe trip, with up to 8 portages totaling 5700m and 15+ km of paddling.
The Ganaraska Trail-Wilderness Section is under developed! It is not for beginner hikers. Backpackers will need to navigate the trail independent of the canoeists.
Wolf Lake and Victoria Lake are spectacular, and are worthy of the adventure travelling to them. I'm looking forward to seeing you there.