Alex and I went camping in Algonquin Park in July 2025
Left home around 7am departing ottawa to Achray in Algonquin Park. We stopped in arnprior for breakfast at McDonalds and saw a guy in a funny shirt.
Arrived after 9am at Algonquin Bound outfitters where we signed our paper work for the rented canoe and picked up 2 paddles, PFDs and an emergency boat kit. Next we stopped at the park gate office to register and get our vehicle pass. We got to Achray around 10am to 10:30 am, located our canoe. We went to the park store to see how many sites are actually available on the south end of Grand Lake which was where we intended to for 3 nights. The map shows 6 on the south shore with 2 closer towards achray for a total of 8, but the park office was not able to help us out too much as the lad behind the counter looked to be a new hire/ youth new hire. So we set off anyways after loading our boat. The water was pretty calm, a little wind but no real chop. We hugged the shore for the first headland the crossed to the south shore picking it up where the 6 sites started. I had been worried that the sites would be all occupied, but the empty parking lot we saw at achray when we got here relieved me of that. The first site we saw had a couple eating lunch on it. They were day trippers, we continued on but if nothing was open we could at least go back there (even told them we would be back to let them know). The second site was taken the third was not a great landing spot then the 4 th and 5 th looked perfect. We landed at the 5 th , and walked back to the 4 th . We liked the 4 th one the best as it had a small sandy beach and an enclosed thunder box (the 6 th site was probably the best of them, we saw when we explored it the next day after the occupants had left. Our thunder box was located more in campsite 5 than it was in pursuit but was the only one for both sites.
I paddled our canoe back to 4 and we unloaded it. Alex and I set up the tent first in a shelter spot closet to the shore. The bug shelter we put up in a more exposed area (I hoped a breeze would keep us cool. In retrospect the exposure made for a windy raining following day). After we set up, another group came in beside us in site 5 (I think it was 3 adults and 1 child, but may have been only the mom dad and child). They set up right beside the thunder box, but that was the only place they could. I explored the area immediately behind us thinking that I would find the old railway line to be directly behind us, but when I got back further I realized that we were on the peninsula that separated the river between Grand and Stratton Lakes. The rail line was further back, maybe another 500 meters. I could hear and see the damn from the high area behind our campsite.
After setting up and finding firewood, alex and I swam. The water was warm closer to shore and slowly got deeper and closer the further you went out. I showed him how to skip stones with Mussels we pulled out of the bottom of the lake. Closer to shore the campsite and a pile of stones that you have to wattch out for when landing the canoe. I built an Inukshuk from the stones in the water. It lasted about a day. We swam several times to keep cool, as it was hot out and there was little to no breeze. For dinner we had shepardpie: instant mash potatoes (these ones I had made with zoe the previous weekend and it was determined they needed salt), salt, frozen corn (now thawed), Happy Yak dehydrated ground beef and shepards pie seasoning mix. I was going to also make biscuits but figured there was enough food already. The ground beef took 15 minutes to rehydrate. It tasted great. After dinner we decided to have a go at fishing, we put the fishing gear in the canoe and promptly flipped the boat as I got in it at shore. I got soaked but alex was still on shore. We reloaded the boat and I secured the fishing gear to it this time and we paddled to the stratton river section and explored one of the campsites on the opposite side of it. Afterwards we decided the bugs were too bad and the wind wasn’t sufficient to keep them at bay so we paddled back to the safety of our bug shelter.
The bug shelter is a Eureka ct11 no bug zone. I only found out about these this year after watching some Kevin Callan videos. They are a tarp with a built in bug mesh that you use rope guide lines to suspend and support it. The company that makes them is no more (since 2025) but I found one new and 30% off from a store in B.C. and had it shipped. I would not want to camp without one.
We stayed up until it got dark (past 9pm and probably closer to 10pm). It was still twilight when we headed into the tent for bed. Alex could not get comfortable without a pillow. I don’t bring one but use my clothes bag as one… that was not something he enjoyed. Next time we will have to bring a small one for him.I probably didn’t fall asleep until closer to 11:30. We listened to the Band of Brothers Audiobook until I got tired and couldn’t focus. It was hot and the air was still. We had fans which helped a little, but it took a while before I fell asleep.
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