Hi Reader,

It's hard to believe that we're halfway through summer! Hopefully, you've been able to get out for a camping trip (or a few!) thus far.

If you're looking at the rest of August and September with more free time than you'd like, but don't want to try finding last-minute permits / reservations, I've put together a list of some canoeing and backpacking trips in Ontario that don't require permits.

Trip Report Database

You can also find no-permit routes in Ontario by visiting my Trip Report database, and filtering for "Ontario" and "No Permits". For additional options, select "Permits & No Reservations" - this will show you trips that have a fee, but since you don't need to make a reservation you don't have to worry about availability.

Note: You'll need to be a member of Trip Reports to read the whole report. Since we're halfway through summer, new members can get 50% off their membership this year by using the code HALFWAY when signing up.

Massasauga: Moon River Loop

Distance: 33 km

Duration: 3 days

Difficulty: Beginner

This great little trip in the Muskokas is a fantastic weekend getaway that has all the hallmarks of a northern wilderness trip in the heart of cottage country. The chutes and falls along the lower Moon River provide an incredibly scenic backdrop for those looking to do a short trip without a lengthy drive from southern Ontario. It is not nearly as busy as Algonquin, the neighbouring Massassagua, or Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park which are a similar distance from the GTA. Best of all, the route is entirely on crown land and no permits or bookings are required.

Noganosh: Pickerel River to Noganosh Lake

Distance: 35 km

Duration: 4 days / 3 nights

Difficulty: Beginner

Noganosh Lake Provincial Park is a non-operating provincial park approximately 4 hours north of Toronto. Non-operating means that the area is protected by the same laws and regulations as a provincial park, but does not have any dedicated facilities (visitor center, parking lots, etc.) or staff. This means portages and campsites are not officially maintained, but it also means no permits are required to visit!

The park consists of almost entirely flat water, with a small amount of bog/marsh paddling in the north along Smokey Creek. This is an excellent trip if you are looking to bring someone portaging for the first time, or you are only looking to get away for a weekend. Be aware though, that since there are no permits to enter or stay in the park, it has the potential of getting busy over long weekends and holidays.

Magnetewan River: Wahwashkesh Lake Loop

Total Distance: 80 km

Duration: 4 days

Difficulty: Beginner / Intermediate

This route is a healthy mix of lake and river travel that offers peaceful paddling, beautiful scenery, and some pretty cool waterfalls and rapids to take photos of! There are some whitewater rapids to paddle, but if that's not your thing, they all have portages around them too.

Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands: Victoria Falls to Devil’s Lake

Total Distance: 34 km

Elevation Gain: ~70 meters

Duration: 3 days

Difficulty: Advanced

This 34 km backpacking trip follows the wilderness section of the Ganaraska Trail as it winds through various terrain and takes you across the Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Provincial Park. For three days we hiked through swamps, across beaver dams, along lakes and streams, and into some beautiful rocky outcrops and forested areas along a seldom-used section of the Ganaraska Trail.

The trail is challenging and requires a strong ability to navigate, as trail markers can be hard to find, and, in some sections, they are spread far apart. The effort is worth the reward of the variety of scenery and wildlife that is experienced along the way.

Temagami: Donald Lake Loop

Total Distance: 36 km

Duration: 4 days

Difficulty: Intermediate

A little further north in Temagami, you'll find the short and sweet Donald Lake Loop. The route starts in Kukagami Lake at the Sportsman’s Lodge and loops around through Donald Lake and a series of smaller lakes into Matagamasi Lake before making its way back into Kukagami for the return trip. Most of the lakes on this route are quite large and extra care should be taken in shoulder seasons and high winds when plotting your course.

Algoma Highlands: Flack Lake Loop

Distance: 40 km

Duration: 4 days

Difficulty: Intermediate

This 3-5 day trip in the Algoma Highlands is an incredibly scenic trip for those looking to enjoy a beautiful flatwater paddle on stunning lakes without the crowds of the more accessible provincial parks in southern Ontario. The route begins on Flack Lake just west of Mississagi Provincial Park, ascends through crown land to the eastern section of Blind River Provincial Park, dabbles in some cottage country territory on Ten-Mile Lake and returns through some stunningly beautiful crown land on its return to Flack Lake.

There's a bunch more, but I'll leave it at that for now. Remember, if you're not yet a member of Trip Reports, use the code HALFWAY to get 50% off this year.

Reply to this email if you have any questions! Have a great week and happy adventuring!

Mikaela