7 Canoe Trip Destinations for Paddlers Who Want to Level up

Once upon a time, canoe trippers could venture into the wilderness at their own pace, free to journey at the whim of mood and weather, without worrying about rushing or stopping early at established campsites. Nowadays, venturing into Ontario’s most popular canoe tripping destinations—after making backcountry reservations months in advance—can make a canoe trip feel as sterile as booking an Airbnb. There’s a fine line between the convenience of, say, choosing and reserving a campsite based on online photos and sapping all the spontaneity out of a canoe trip. 

Fortunately, there are still plenty of places where skilled backcountry campers can get away from the crowds, fees and strict booking requirements of (admittedly beautiful) places like Killarney, Algonquin and Temagami. But the gift of experiencing ancient canoe routes away from crowds, groomed trails and serviced campsites places the onus on paddlers to safeguard these joys for future visitors by travelling responsibly and following the principles of Leave No Trace.

Are you ready to take your paddling and outdoor skills to the next level? This article highlights some remote and less-travelled provincial parks that do not have a backcountry reservation system, as well as non-operational provincial parks and Crown land where Canadians can camp for free (non-residents must purchase Crown land camping permits or use the services of an Ontario outfitter).

Paddling, hiking and camping are allowed in all these areas, though it’s often harder to suss out specific route information, launch sites and where to park a vehicle. Don’t expect to find many portage or campsite signs, firepits or pit privies—and be prepared to practice your navigation skills, struggle with logjams and clamber over plenty of deadfall along the way.

From trip planning to execution, it will take some work on your part to paddle safely and responsibly. This article will get you started. 

Blind River Provincial Park

Located just north of Elliot Lake, Blind River Provincial Park is an excellent next-step destination for those looking to get away from Central Ontario parks and try canoe tripping in a more remote Northern Ontario setting. The area is easily accessed with secure parking (for a fee) at Laurentian Lodge on Flack Lake.

Flack Lake is part of Mississagi Provincial Park, where backcountry camping permits are required (pick one up at the Park gatehouse, located just south on Highway 639).

This deep, clear body of water is your gateway to a network of interconnected lakes in the headwaters of the Blind River. Once you portage out of Flack and into the non-operational park, camping is first-come, first-served. Long and difficult carries to Astonish and Ezma lakes keep out the crowds.

From here, you can circle back to Flack Lake via Ten Mile, Bobowash and a handful of other bodies of water for a three- to four-day trip. For a longer, five- to seven-day adventure, continue southwest through Mace and Claim lakes before looping back to Ten Mile via Dunlop Lake.

Campsites and portages along these canoe routes are generally pretty obvious and easy to locate, especially when you’re using the Chrismar Adventure Map for the area.

The Shoals Provincial Park

West of the town of Chapleau on Highway 101, The Shoals is a watery labyrinth of big lakes that are ideal for canoe tripping and kayak touring, with few portages, excellent walleye fishing, and the intriguing ghost town of Nicholson, a former lumber mill and stop on the CP Rail line.

There are two main canoe routes in The Shoals: a 40-kilometre circuit north of Highway 101 starting from a boat launch (with parking) on Prairie Bee Lake, heading through a maze of islands and channels to Windermere Lake and the former Nicholson townsite; and a shorter loop south of Highway 101, starting from the former Ontario Parks campground at Little Wawa Lake and passing smaller lakes with seven portages.

Kayakers can also navigate Prairie Bee and Nicholson lakes with only a short 50-metre portage in between.

Steel River

Unlike most river canoe trips, it’s possible to make a 10- to 12-day trip on the Steel River—located north of Lake Superior between the towns of Marathon and Terrace Bay—without the need for a vehicle shuttle. The 170-kilometre Steel River loop is protected by a non-operating provincial park, featuring a mix of lakes, challenging portages, moderate whitewater and soaring surrounding topography.

As an added bonus, the route is generally doable throughout the canoeing season, with adequate water levels from late May through September.

The trip starts and ends at an inconspicuous boat launch on Santoy Lake, located off Highway 17 about 54 kilometres west of Marathon or 23 kilometres east of Terrace Bay. A 4.6-kilometre-long gravel road leads to the launch, where it’s free to park your vehicle. The Steel is notorious for its challenging portages (including “Diablo,” featuring 100 metres of vertical ascent and a tricky section of minivan-sized boulders) and its logjams, both of which are manageable for experienced paddlers.

Check out this Complete Guide to Planning a Steel River Canoe Trip.

Missinaibi Headwaters

As Ontario’s most accessible James Bay trip, the historic Missinaibi River can get busy during July and early August. But it’s still a worthy bucket-list destination and a good stepping stone to more remote northern rivers.

Missinaibi Provincial Park charges backcountry camping fees but does not utilize a campsite reservation system, offering more freedom to canoe trippers looking to tackle the 10- to 12-day upper Missinaibi from Missinaibi Lake to the hamlet of Mattice on Highway 11; the lower half of the river (another 10- to 12-day journey) from Highway 11 to Moosonee; or the entire length of the river.

For a different, quieter adventure, check out the Missinaibi headwaters area, including Little Missinaibi Lake and the Little Missinaibi River. The village of Missanabie on Dog Lake is the starting point of a one-week adventure, beginning with a short train ride on the CP Budd Car to Bolkow Lake and tracing a series of Crown land lakes to the provincial park boundary and the Little Missinaibi River. You’ll encounter Missinaibi Lake’s incredible Fairy Lake pictographs on your way back to Dog Lake, via Crooked Lake and across the height of land.

Order the Chrismar Adventure Map for the area to plan your trip and read our Guide to Planning a Missinaibi River Canoe Trip.

Woodland Caribou Provincial Park

Woodland Caribou Provincial Park is one of Ontario’s largest protected areas with over 2,000 kilometres of established canoe routes. Yet this vast boreal wilderness near the town of Red Lake, in remote Northwestern Ontario, welcomes less than 1,000 visitors per year. This is wilderness paddling at its finest, with a huge network of interconnected lakes and rivers where the only limit to canoe tripping potential is your imagination. Woodland Caribou is also the gateway to longer, two- to three-week trips on the historic Bloodvein River.

As a Wilderness Class park, Woodland Caribou charges backcountry camping fees but does not sign portages or campsites, for a more pure experience. This unique landscape is influenced by regular wildfires, which drive the area’s ecology. Your best bet in planning a Woodland Caribou canoe route is to contact Goldseekers Canoe Outfitting, which offers vehicle shuttles, floatplane charters and partial and full canoe outfitting.

Read our Guide to Canoe Tripping in Woodland Caribou Provincial Park.  

Kopka River

The Kopka River is a rugged wilderness waterway and non-operational provincial park noted for its spectacular waterfalls, located just south of the immense Wabakimi Provincial Park. The Kopka is navigable throughout the paddling season, though its class I and II rapids become must-portage rock gardens in July and August. The trip’s payoff is the Seven Sisters, a series of cascades with demanding portages and incredible Canadian Shield scenery. The Kopka is a remote river that’s tough to access, with many options depending on your time and budget.

Experienced paddlers can work their way west from the road access point at Little Caribou Lake, near the town of Armstrong, 240 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, and spend a week or more traversing Wabakimi’s myriad lakes to access the Kopka near Aldridge Lake. You could also hasten your trip to Aldridge by booking a ticket for you and your canoe aboard the VIA Rail Canadian for an eight-day trip.

If you’re tight on time, consider chartering a floatplane from Mattice Lake Outfitters or Wabakimi Outfitters to the Kopka at Sandison Lake, where it’s a five- to seven-day trip to the take-out at Bukemika Lake, near Highway 527.

Read our Guide to Canoe Tripping in Wabakimi Provincial Park to help plan the first portion of your trip to the Kopka.

Mississagi River

The Mississagi River is an ancient canoe route through the heart of Northeastern Ontario’s white pine forests, from Biscotasing Lake to Lake Huron. It shares its headwaters with the Spanish River, a popular five- to seven-day trip for novice whitewater canoe trippers. If you liked the Spanish, the Mississagi is a good next step: it’s far more remote, with a mix of lakes, wetlands, and river travel, and the rugged characteristics of an unmaintained provincial park, with poorly maintained portage trails and campsites.

You can start your trip from the village of Biscotasing on the Sultan Road, an 88-kilometre gravel corridor between Highway 129 and Highway 144. Putting in at Spanish Chutes, west of Biscotasing, cuts off some big lake travel. Plan on a seven- to 10-day trip to Aubrey Falls at Highway 129. Contact Black Creek Outfitters for vehicle shuttles and pick up the Chrismar Adventure Map of the area.

Read our Guide to Planning a Mississagi River Canoe Trip.

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