Highland Backpacking Trail - Algonquin Provincial Park

Let's leave the city for a weekend and convert from the linear coordinates of the urban world to the softer web of wilderness. This is one of the best times of the year to backpack the Highland Trail.

Itinerary

Friday:
We arrive at the Highland Backpacking Trailhead in the afternoon, early evening. A few weeks ago when I hiked this trail we had a detour due to trail maintenance, and we parked and departed from Mew Lake Campground. Regardless, we will hike in the 4km to our first backcountry site on Provoking Lake West. This trail is well maintained and easy to follow. We can arrange to meet and walk in as a group, or if you're arriving a little later bring your headlamp - we'll have the campfire on for you!

Saturday:
We break camp in the morning and hike 13kms to our next destination - Harness Lake. There are some pristine campsites on this lake and we should have plenty of time in the late afternoon to enjoy lazing in our new home!

Sunday:
We pack up in the morning and continue hiking in a counter-clockwise loop direction back to our cars. The distance travelled today will be 16kms and the first 8kms undulates through beautiful wetlands and small lakes. The trail is well maintained and brook crossings are bridged.

Requirements:
Although there is nothing very difficult about this hike, the following challenges do still exist:
- During this trip we will be many hours from the nearest assistance.
- All participants should be in good physical condition, capable of hiking 4 - 5 hours with short breaks.
- The overall distance covered is about 33 kms (loop).

Carpools and gear sharing will be arranged on the following spreadsheet. The backpacking community is pretty reliable when it comes to lending and/or sharing gear resources, so just ask.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZKMexTLQ-SXQN7L-wtW7HZqV-lyrNuYQbQA6ULbnBls/edit?usp=sharing

*Please enter your driving information even if you are not carpooling so everyone knows you don't need a ride.

Money:

$12.43 X 2 = $24.86: Backcountry site fee
$9.73: Park online reservation fee, to be split evenly between 9 participants.
$1.46: Goes to PayPal fees

Total: $27.40

In addition you will need need cash for:

Food for the drive & Ice Cream money (Mmmm... Moose Tracks my fav!)
There's also gas, to be split evenly between drivers and passengers.

A special note too that there are excellent public shower facilities on our way out, at Canoe Lake, so be prepared to enter the urban world super refreshed and clean once again.