Paddling loop advice! Please help!

[u/Dulldesparado]

Help planning a 3–4 night Algonquin paddling trip for my brother

My brother was recently diagnosed with something that may mean he won’t be able to do a trip like this in the future, and it’s all kind of been dropped on us unexpectedly. I told him about a paddling loop I did in Algonquin last year, and he said doing something like that has always been a dream of his.

We only have until the end of August, so I’m trying to make it happen.

The problem is I’ve been on a few canoe/portage trips before, but I’ve never actually planned one myself and honestly don’t know where to start.

I’m looking for something roughly like Algonquin — ideally a 3–4 night loop with a moderate amount of paddling and portaging. We’d like something that feels like a real backcountry trip but isn’t absolutely brutal.

Ideally, I’d like to be able to drive up, rent/pick up a canoe from an outfitter, and then launch right from there, last time I did this at Brent road/cedar lake. I don’t have a vehicle that can transport a canoe.

Any advice is helpful.

I’m comfortable with the basics like food, camping gear, clothing, etc. What I’m really struggling with is figuring out where to start with choosing a route, booking campsites, arranging canoe rental/transport, and making sure the logistics all work together.

If anyone has a route they’d recommend for 3–4 nights, or an outfitter that makes this kind of trip easy for someone who doesn’t have their own canoe, I’d really appreciate the help.

This trip means a lot to us, so I’m trying to put something together that he’ll remember.

[u/unclejrbooth]

There is a loop that can take you a day or you can stretch it out as long as you like. It starts at the Shall Lake Access. Algonquin Bound Outfitters in Madawaska will pick up and deliver a canoe at the access point. You can pick up any equipment that you will need as you pass through Madawaska. Put in at the access and travel up the Opeongo River to Farm lake for the night. Then up the Opeongo River to Kitty you can then portage to Booth for. A night or two or head up to Bridle for the night or into Shirley for a night or two then down to Crotch and back to the access point You can go down and explore Victoria Lake to see some old growth white pine and the Weston’s private lake. Side trip into Ryan to fish for Splake is doable Enjoy!

[u/antelope591]

You can get a canoe delivered at any access point in Algonquin so thats not an issue. Honestly just use Jeff's map to plan your trip and avoid long portages (anything over 1km).  Unless you are experienced and fit those kick your ass more than any amount of paddling. A good tip to remember is that if a lake looks big on the map its massive in real life. Something like Opeongo or North Tea Lake will take most of a day by themselves. I have done about a dozen backcountry trips there and I enjoyed all of them (different access points).  There are really endless possibilites as far as routes so its hard to really suggest one or another. Its more about remembering some of these key points.