Overnight in Puzzle Lake P.P./ Canoe Camping a Non-Operational Park

Puzzle Lake

To start off, Puzzle Lake Provincial Park is a non-operational park that allows recreational activities that include canoeing, camping, hiking, hunting, and others I may have missed. It is roughly located North of Napanee, Ontario between highway 401 and highway #7. There are two main access points, one being Norway Lake Rd. that basically takes you to the center of the park where you can access Noraway Lake via ATV trails. The second access point is the one we used at Gull Creek at the side of highway 15 about 15 minutes from the town of Tamworth. There was lots of parking although the lot was pretty full when we arrived which had me a bit nervous.

We left our place in Cavan Ontario a little late in the morning. We were approximately just over two hours away from the park however took the 401 route instead of Highway #7, due to the Havelock Jamboree and the traffic we may hit in that area on the way. We made a pit stop in Napanee and had an early lunch before arriving at the park around noon. This is when we noticed that the risk of driving all this way may not pay off. Like I stated earlier, the parking area was full. This being said, in a non-operational park that camping is permitted, sites are on a first come basis so if you cant get one, well.... be prepared to call it a day trip if nothing comes up. We spotted one other person getting ready to head out just ahead of us and I chatted with him for a few minutes and wished him a safe solo trip, but not before I admired his red canvas cedar strip canoe and two Duluth packs he had loaded up and ready to go. It was easy to see he was a seasoned paddler and before we were loaded and ready to go he had covered the length of the Gull creek, Gull lake and was out of sight. We hopped in our canoe, once again with my Wife, son Hiker and our ACD Blue Heeler "Chaya" accompanying me.

We started out slow taking in the scenery and worked our way around the point to the right of Gull Lake heading to where I had envisioned the first portage. Not the case. We had missed the portage completely. I did not bring a map of the park, I took a picture of one on my phone to reference but I felt I had researched the park enough to navigate without to much assistance. So after I realized we were at a dead end in Little Gull lake we noticed two campsites on the small lake, with one being occupied. This however was not our destination, we were looking to camp on Loyst lake which I came to find is a very popular location and you will soon find out why.

After taking a quick survey of Little Gull we made our way back to Gull lake and our intended portage, a short but rugged one that lead us past a tiny waterfall and into Puzzle Lake. Once gear was taken to the put -in I retraced my steps to get the canoe, it was then that a sense of urgency came over me. When I arrived at the canoe I noticed about halfway across Gull Lake, two canoes heading straight for the portage trail that we were occupying. Normally I would stick around and chat, swapping stories etc. but this was different. It was almost like a race to secure a campsite, so I hoisted the canoe and pretty much ran to the other side of the portage trying to yell while out of breathe "load the canoe lets jump in, they are coming" My wife frantically loading the canoe as she asks "Who". I began to let her in on our situation and the need to paddle quickly and efficiently, which she has no problem doing. We make a beeline across a section of Puzzle Lake to where the next portage is located, continuously looking behind our backs for the two canoeists. It seemed though that they were not as rushed as we were or new something we did not. At one point I was thinking that for sure,  they knew a shortcut and would pop out in front of us. Silly me!. As we approached the portage from Puzzle to Loyst we noticed the man with the cedar strip canoe. We thought maybe we had been so fast with our paddling that we caught up to him. Turns out he was coming back out of Loyst Lake so our heads deflated a bit when we found that out :) We chatted once again with him, to find out that he was heading to Norway lake but said that Mud Lake (which is on the other side of Loyst) was pretty dried up and was not really passable. We asked about Loyst and whether there were campers, he sadly notified us that the prime campsite on Loyst was taken, We asked about the second known site. He said there was no one there, however it was not a great site. We thanked him and made our way into Loyst Lake and what a lake it is. Crystal clear bluish green waters, a jumping cliff to the left side of the lake and a small rock island located further down the lake.



Loyst Lake coming from Puzzle Lake

 We spoke with some people at the put-in who happened to be camping on the popular Loyst Lake site, who mentioned they are not leaving for a few days. That only left us with one option, check out the other campsite. Here is a quick description of the "other" site, if you could call it that. It did have a fire pit made out of rocks but that was it. Located very high up on rock cliff with no level ground for a tent it was not ideal for what we needed as a family of three. Had I have arrived on my own, I could have made due. Needless to say, we had to backtrack to find a site. Part of me enjoyed the chase and adventure of trying to locate a site within this beautiful park. On our way out of Loyst we were met by the same campers coming back in who said that there is a site out on the point that could be seen from the Loyst to Puzzle portage. We loaded our canoe once again and headed towards the point. As we got closer we could see a red shape at the point, yep, you guessed it, it was the man with the red cedar strip. As we floated by he asked us how we were making out and pointed to a possible campsite on the opposite shore of Puzzle lake. Desperately wanting a place to call home for the night we made our way to the said site. When we arrived we noticed two wooden tables, a plastic chair, some garbage and camp cups. Knowing this lake can be accessed by motor boat and was home to a couple of cottages we thought it was just a littered site. My Wife Kelly began to set up camp while I took Hiker out to do some fishing. We relaxed in the canoe floating down the narrows of Puzzle lake where we watched a Loon swim under the boat and heard its yodel from 20 ft away. On the way back we noticed two guys fishing out of a boat in the area of our site. I paddled wide, out and around them not to disturb their fishing. When we got back to the site my Wife was reading a book in the plastic chair, having already erected the tent. She began to tell me that she overheard the fisherman saying how we must be tourists and  said "who would camp at a fish cleaning station". Instantly I thought of the movie "Deliverance", lets not upset the locals. It was all clear to me know, the tables, chair, garbage and cups. This is where they come to clean fish, cook fish and drink beer. I explained to my wife that we don't want to stay here if we are going to be in everyone's way and besides, a fish cleaning station may very well attract any bears in the area. After a short debate with my stubborn wife ;) We broke camp and made our way towards the last known, unoccupied site on Little Gull that we first discovered. We were hoping at this point that it was not taken between the time we first had noticed it and now. If it was taken that would have been our last option and from there it would mean a swim and then the two hour drive back home but... we were in luck. The site was still vacant. Not the greatest site but much better than then our option on Loyst and way better than tussling with the locals or getting mauled by a bear looking for fish, lol.

We were quick to unload and set up camp. After camping we had a much needed swim to wash of all the stank we acquired during our adventure race throughout the park. After swimming came a campfire, fishing and dinner, followed by a wonderful sunset. We retired to our tents early, around 9:30pm after an exhausting but great day. In the morning I woke at 6am and fished the shore with Hiker catching a couple small mouth and one bucket mouth making our total for the trip five smallies and one large, all catch and release. Hiker even reeled in his first fish, a small mouth bass putting on an acrobat show for him. It was wonderful to see the excitement in his eyes and reminded me of why I put forth all the effort to bring the family into the backcountry. Sometimes the preparations are tough as well as parts of the adventure but the moments where you get to take it all in are what it is all about. These family adventures are what I will be able to look back upon in my later years and be proud of. Bonding with my family in the great outdoors.

What did I take away from this trip? Arrive at Puzzle lake on a weekday early in the morning to give you a better chance of securing your site. If not you may find yourself being confronted by a couple local fisherman in an area you are not wanted (cue the banjo) ;)

Until next time, adventure awaits!

Johnny- Two4adventure

                                     

                                                             Photos to follow, scroll down

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Early morning catch

Canoe Camping, Car Camping and Everything in Between

Inhale........exhale........shall we get started??? Finally after a recent whirlwind of outdoor activities I get a chance to sit still, breathe and collect my thoughts. Some down time to go over our recent trips and highlight some of our great moments and not so great moments. Since the return from our Kawartha Highland canoe trip it has been chaotic to put it lightly. The drying of gear, purchasing new gear, throwing out damaged gear, gear, gear, GEAR! Not to mention the number of times I have vacuumed and cleaned out the van that had collected pine needles, sand, mud, ice cream stains, coffee cups and all other remnants of a well used vehicle. I don't know who is more tired out, me, or my shop vac. Throw a few days of work in here and there plus setting up the Wife and boy for there own adventures before I head off to the 9-5 and you could say my hands were full, and it isn't over yet. Inhale...........exhale.............and it is all worth it. I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy every step of the way. So moving forward.

Our Kawartha Highlands canoe trip was a success followed by a couple beach days at Sandy Beach, Buckhorn where on our second visit we showed Hiker some canoe safety. The following week I was able to pin down my to oldest children for a couple beach days at Lakefield Beach and Sandbanks P.P. for a day trip. Two days later we lose our two oldest to their social lives and work schedules and find ourselves heading to Bon Echo P.P. for some car camping with our boy Hiker and good friends Ivan, Shannon and their boy Noah.

This was no ordinary car camping trip. I was about to go camping with a childhood friend that I have known for 32 years, his Wife and four year old boy. My friend Ivan and I have been close over these years however there never seems to be time for us to camp together. That being said he is not much of a camper (it`s true Ivan) but we were about to change that. It would be a game changing event as it would be the first time Ivan would be camping with his wife and his boy. He was excited, I was excited, our boys were excited, the wives were excited, everyone was buzzing with excitement. We arrived at the park on Saturday at Noon on the August long weekend. Our site was shared as we hosted most of the gear to make their experience more enjoyable in the Hardwood Hills section of the park. Over the weekend we spent time at the beach, small trail hikes, canoeing and visiting different parts of the park. As much as we could cram in over the weekend. The biggest joys came in watching our boys who reminded us exactly of us at that age, their wonder, curiosity, enjoyment, laughs, cries, arguments, makeups all brought us back to our days of youth. I had opportunities to pass on some camping tips and tricks to one of my best buds that I have gained during my experiences outdoors and hopefully passed on a bit of my passion for the outdoors onto him inspiring Ivan to setup that tent a few more times in the year. It was a great weekend with great food and friends and everyone was safe and happy at the end. Success in my books!

The Four Horsemen :)

The Drive to Bon Echo

Our great site in Hardwood Hills

Ivan`s charcoal grill cooking up some steaks

The Mazinaw Rock

Hiker refilling his water gun for another attack

Cloudy beach day

Happy Campers



So now I get a bit of down time to plan some Autumn trips and spend some time around the house ticking off a couple lines of that "Honey Do" list. My Wife and Hiker head up to the Haliburton Scout Reserve for some camping on Lake Kennabi while I work this weekend. I think Hiker has spent more time in a tent this Summer than his own bed. I will highlight his Summer in its entirety in a future blog post. Until then I will continue with the juggling act that keeps me motivated, invigorated and healthy and wait for our next trip. Another car camping trip with another family of friends for five days in Awenda P.P.

Until next time, adventure awaits!

Johnny- Two4adventure

Packing Unusual Gear

There are times when Wayne and myself cannot get together for outings due to different circumstances. During these times I take the opportunity to get outside with my family, or more often, just with my Son Hiker. Today was no different. With the recent heavy snowfall, I found this an opportune time to pull my Pelican Snowtrek 60 and harness out of the gear closet and hit the trails. On this day the gear that would be going in the pulk would be a little different. Instead of my Winter outdoor gear or bushcraft items I would be loading my 3yr old Son into the Pulk. Our destination would be the trails in J.P.

This activity serves two purposes, it allows Hiker to go on extended hikes with me on the trails in the Winter and can also be used as training early in the season for back country outings. I get a darn good workout dragging him through the snow for a few km. Hiker really enjoys these times as he can sit back and take in the scenery while I do all the work. Not to say he is a lazy child, he is quite the opposite, but for anyone who takes there kids outdoors frequently, you have to make the outing less like work and more like fun if you want them invested. There would be times on the trail where Hiker would flip the sled purposely and I would start jogging with him trailing behind, trying to catch the sled to jump in. His laughter could be heard echoing through the woods. Other times I would get a glimpse of how much attention he pays to the outdoors by all the relevant questions he would ask. These are the times I cherish, and our bond continues to grow strong through our love of Nature and the outdoors.

I was a little disappointed in the lack of activity in the park. We passed one cross country skier and a couple people walking their dogs, despite the beauty of the snow covered landscape. On the other hand I felt the Winter solitude that I have come to love. I do enjoy the sounds of the wind tearing through leafless trees, the smell of the crisp fresh air and sometimes just having the trails to myself, or in our case with my Son. This was another great outing for Hiker and myself.

So in future days when the schedules of Wayne and myself do not line up, you can expect some blogposts, pictures or video content that may have me packing or carrying along some unusual gear, my Son Hiker ;)

Until next time, adventure awaits!

Johnny- Two4adventure

Algonquin in a Day

...a shortened November day for that matter.

Plans had only been decided the night before and had not actually been solidified until the vehicle had left the driveway. We knew we wanted to go somewhere to get away from the daily expectations of life. We had two ideas in mind for a day of hiking, the Haliburton Highlands and Algonquin P.P. With reports of Algonquin having snow accumulated, it made for an easy choice, we would head there. Looking at the time and realizing we had a 2+ hour drive ahead of us from Cavan Ontario, we had to make an "on the run" itinerary for when we arrived. Being the month of November the days have grown shorter so time would be working against us today as our weekend was coming to an end.

We arrived at the East gate of Algonquin P.P. at around noon and stopped for permits and a washroom break. I would be joined by my Wife and youngest Son "Hiker" for this day of hiking and taking in the Winter landscapes that made for a fresh change in the park.

Having a 3yr old in tow, our trail selection had to cater to his capabilities and also keep his attention, so we decided our first stop would be the logging museum. Although the indoor facilities were closed the trail was open and we could still visit all the outdoor exhibits along the way. This was a very good choice as the reaction and excitement from Hiker warmed my heart. He spent the next hour and a half asking questions and exploring the exhibits and trail. So parents, if you are taking young ones to the park this is a must.

Next would be a stop at Opeongo Lake. I can never drive highway 60 without making a detour to this lake. You could say it's a magnet for me, whether it is visiting the outfitters or buying snacks, it is a beautiful lake setting and a place I like to go. Paddling to one of it's backcountry sites is on my "to do" list. This day however, the plan was to have a picnic lunch at the vehicle by the lake seeing as the outfitters was closed for the season. This was another activity that Hiker was thrilled about. We had lunch in the vehicle out of the chilling wind, in the parking lot over looking the snow falling on the lake. Thoughts of returning for a Summer/Fall paddle began to surface while eating lunch. We leave the Lake knowing it won't be for long and continue down the highway to the Visitors Center.

Like Lake Opeongo, for me, this is a must stop destination. It offers history of the park right up to modern times. Hiker loved the wildlife exhibits and the talking logger exhibit. Before leaving we grabbed some hot chocolates and walked out the boardwalk to the newer fire tower lookout which was a first for even myself who has been to the park numerous times.
The daylight was starting to come to an end but we estimated we could fit in one more shorter hike. The hike we had in mind was the "Lookout" trail. Around 2km in length it would be short enough to complete in time and had a lookout that would be interesting for the boy. Having completed the trail a couple times before, I was aware it had steep inclines in areas. I knew this would tire out my Son so I hoisted him on my shoulders during these sections to avoid tiring him out half way through the hike. we all enjoyed the snowy view from the Lookout and made sure to take pictures (featured below). We returned to the vehicle well before dark and began to work our way down the highway and out of the West gate of the park. This did not happen however without plans of several returns and destinations for the future, we are an outdoor family and knew we would be visiting soon. So until our next visit, thank you for the memories Algonquin:)

Until next time, adventure awaits!

Johnny- Two4adventure