We were supposed to do this 3-day Algonquin Park canoe trip last year, but had to switch weekends last minute. We weren’t able to get Norway Lake when changing the reservation, so I was excited to snag a campsite on the lake this year. This canoe trip happened in mid-August.
The original reason why I booked this trip was that while the twins are young, I’m looking for canoe trips without portages. This also allows us to pack as if we were car camping. A massive tent and air mattresses just wouldn’t cut it on a portage trip. I also like booking campsites where there are minimal sites on the lake.
I had researched the trip somewhat in terms of the campsite and the lake, but I didn’t do my due diligence for the actual paddle to the lake. You’ll see why in a second.
We rented a canoe from Algonquin Outfitters. They leave it beside the parking lot at the Spruce Bog Boardwalk. You then have to carry it down the trail to the bog. My husband put it in on the boardwalk side. We actually unloaded the kids and the bags on the other side of the highway. I carried everything down to the bog’s edge while my husband managed the canoe. He dragged it under the bridge, which was low on water, and we loaded it on the other side.
We then proceeded to push off and get stuck in the muck. Have a watch of the video to see exactly how many times we got stuck in the mud or on beaver dams.
The paddle ended up being around 2 hours to the campsite. I don’t think I would’ve planned this trip if I had known about the conditions. Padlding through a bog is really not that enjoyable.
Because we were so close to the Visitor’s Centre we also had service the entire time. Which was great for staying connected but I really enjoy being cell-free on our canoe trips.
So you park your car at the Spruce Bog Boardwalk Trail and then hike down the trail until you see that squiggly line on the other side of the highway. That’s your paddle trail to the lake. When you get out of the bog you’ve reached Norway Lake. We paddled to the right to get the furthest campsite.
If you can get the campsite to the right, I highly recommend it. The other one near the bog looked nice but was high up on some rocks. The far one away from the bog is a huge site, with a big campfire area on a point. Unfortunately, we were in the park during a fire ban, so we couldn’t enjoy the space, but it was great for the twins to play on.
This is the first canoe trip where we’ve just hung out at the campsite for an entire Saturday. The kids did really well entertaining themselves with binoculars. I also found a baby moose track near our tent, which was a bit worrisome. We definitely heard animals around our tent both nights but nothing too crazy.
Meals consisted of scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast and dehydrated camping meals for lunch and dinner. Just boil water, pour in bag, steep and serve. Easy peasy.
I also packed hot chocolate and marshmallows for dessert. We did pack smores but with no campfires allowed, we had to cook them over the propane stove, which is just not as fun.
The trip was a success, the perfect weekend away. The paddle back through the bog only took 1 hour since we knew how fast we’d need to paddle over the beaver dams to clear them.
All in all, a good trip but not one we’d probably repeat! LOL
