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This post is a trip report about canoe camping at Little Island Lake Algonquin Park and provides the best tips for planning the ultimate 2 day canoe trip.
Little Island Lake Algonquin is the perfect location for a quick weekend getaway in the backcountry. It’s a secluded lake with only a few portages on the route and an access point right off of Highway 60. Definitely the ultimate 2 day canoe trip! This trip report is part of my series where I share my adventures exploring various parts of Ontario’s oldest provincial park. My hope is that it will help you to get outside and enjoy some of the amazing natural wonders that Ontario has to offer.
Algonquin Backcountry Map and Route Overview
This route is a simple out-and-back to Little Island Lake Algonquin Park that can easily be done in 2 days and 1 night. If you’re interested in a longer trip, check out this Smoke Lake Loop. The complete route is about 14 km total with only 4 portages, the longest being about 900m. This route is appropriate for intermediate canoe campers who have experience with longer portages and navigating larger lakes. Reservations must be made on the Ontario Parks website. Bookings are available 5 months in advance. For canoe camping, bookings are lake specific not site specific. This means you will not book a specific site online but will pick an available site on the lake once you arrive.
How To Get To Algonquin Provincial Park
Algonquin Provincial Park is about a 3 hour drive from the GTA. The access point to begin this route is Access Point #6 – Smoke Lake. The drive to this access point is on paved roads with multiple well maintained stops along the way. If you’re driving from Toronto, I highly recommend checking out Webers. It’s a great stop for lunch or dinner, or a coffee since there is a Starbucks on site. In addition, they have a great park space to sit and eat, clean bathrooms and affordable food.
Once you arrive at the access point note that the parking lot is gravel. You will be able to pull up to the dock, unload your items and then park in the lot. Ensure you register your vehicle while making your Ontario Parks booking so you can park in the lot overnight. The access point has outhouses, garbage disposal and fresh water available at the back of the lot.
The Best Outfitter
The Portage Outpost is one of our favourite outfitters in the park. They offer a variety of canoe rental options including free delivery to your access point. In addition, they rent full canoe camping gear and provide guided trips as well. I love stopping in here because they have the most lovely staff team and the cutest outdoor gear store. I’ve been renting from them for years and have always had a really positive experience. You can reserve online at PortageOutpost.com and check in with them once you arrive in the park to grab paddles, lifejackets or any other gear you might need. If you’re looking for an extensive and detailed canoe trip packing list you can find that here.
Day 1 – Smoke Lake to Little Island Lake
Daily Stats:
- 7 km total
- 2 portages – longest is 900m
The adventure to Little Island Lake Algonquin starts at Smoke Lake, Access Point #6. As I’ve mentioned in previous trip reports, Smoke Lake tends to be quite windy. I would recommend sticking to the shoreline as much as possible. Plus, Smoke Lake is a location in Algonquin Park where cottages are allowed so it’s nice to paddle by and check out the beautiful properties.
The paddle down Smoke and into Koochie Bay is short and if the wind is on your side, it’s a nice easy paddle. Since this is such a short trip, you can take your time. We stopped and had lunch at the start of the first portage of the day. This portage was from Smoke Lake into Koochie Lake, about 900m. The portage landing is perfect with a nice sandy beach and rocks to sit on to eat. Plus, the breeze coming from the lake kept us relatively bug free.
Next, there is a very short paddle through Koochie Lake. Although, I would argue it should be called Koochie Pond. Beware of the bugs, the “fresh” pond smell and the mucky water at the portage headed into Little Island Lake. My recommendation is to paddle through here quickly and get onto the next 225m portage.
After the last portage, we enjoyed the paddle through Little Island Lake. The water on this lake is so clear making it great for paddling and admiring the light rays that stream down under the water. Little Island Lake has a variety of campsites with most on the island and one on main land. Choose a site that works for you and enjoy the rest of the afternoon on the lake! We love swimming here and many people enjoy fishing on this lake as well. I’ve included a map above and reviewed the sites I’ve stayed at later on in this article.
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Day 2 – Little Island Lake back to Smoke Lake
Daily Stats:
- 7 km total
- 2 portages – longest is 900m
This 2 day canoe trip is a true out-and-back therefore Day 2 you will head back the exact way you came. My recommendation is to enjoy a slow morning at camp since you know it’s a short trip back to the access point. Go for a swim, paddle around the lake to explore and head out after you’ve had some lunch.
The portages on the way back into Smoke Lake are now all downhill which is a nice perk and I’ve found the trip out always to be faster going than the trip in.
Little Island Lake Algonquin Campsite Reviews
Little Island Lake has five campsites. Four of these sites are on the island and one is on land. I’ve stayed at the three sites in red below.
Island Sites
Island Site 1:
- I stayed at this site on my most recent trip to Little Island Lake. The site is in good condition with a nice thunderbox and great fire pit area. It has an excellent swimming rock which we really enjoyed. There are two good flat tent spots, other spots are on an angle. In addition, there are multiple trees for hammocks.
Island Site 2:
- I stayed at this site in 2019 but on my latest trip we checked it out and it’s also in great condition. Sadly there was someone on this site or else we would have jumped at the chance to stay there again. It’s probably my favourite site on the lake. The little point offers great swimming and there is a perfect spot for your hammock on the point as well which is the best place to watch the sunset.
Land Sites
Land Site 1:
- This land site is great for a large group. There are multiple tent sites and it has an awesome fire pit set-up. There is also a little point to the right of the site where you can do some swimming off the rocks and enjoy the sunset. This site is more sheltered than the others and a great spot to camp if the weather is windy or rainy. We were able to start a great fire here in the rain due to how sheltered it was.
There you have it! This post was the complete 2 day canoe camping trip guide to Little Island Lake Algonquin Park. Happy paddling!
