Camping season is here! Canoe, paddle board, kayak ... Doesn't matter. We are camping 250 m from the parking lot (site 42), accessible by a very short paddle or follow the trail. This is an easy trip to start off the season and a perfect trip for beginners to backcountry camping.
Parking is on the south side of 118. We are camping on Bentshoe Lake on the north side of 118. There is a small area on the north side to unload your gear but you will still need to move your car to the parking lot afterwards or just carry it over.
After setting up camp we can have lunch and collect firewood for the evening. In the afternoon we can relax, swim, hang in the hammock, fish (perch, brook trout, bass) or paddle around the lake. Perhaps a night paddle if we have a Starry sky.
On Sunday for those who would like to join we can pack day bags and lunch and paddle the Poker Lakes loop consisting of eight lakes and seven portages. The last time I did this loop I believe it took 4 to 5 hours. That was relaxed pace stopping for lunch, swimming and checking out campsites.
On Monday we can pack up slowly and stay for lunch or head out a little early and have lunch 25 minutes away on the way home at the Minden Whitewater preserve. Keep your headlamps handy. There are caves along the river!
The campsite has a limit of 10 people. The cost is $15 per person per night. Once your fee of $30 is e-transferred to me, your spot will be confirmed. Reservation fee will only be refunded if your spot is filled.
Please post in the comments if you're needing some gear, wanting or offering a ride or if you're looking for a paddle partner.
It's never guaranteed but the past few years Victoria Day weekend has been bug-free and the water's been warm enough to swim. The lakes here are small so they warm up fast.
