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2/28/2018 6:52 am  #1


Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

We are planning a 5 day trip on this loop. Will likely push out early afternoon and head to White Birch. Any recommendations on best camp site? Worth going down to the southern site on Water Clear, or is White Birch nice?

Day two we plan on staying on one of the small lakes. Thoughts on Club vs. Mouse vs. Big Thunder? Looking for remote, beautiful, with an opportunity to catch some trout. Heard the beach on Mouse is nice, but Big Thunder also looks great.

Day 3/4, we plan on spending on one of the islands on Maple. Any recommendations for best island site? We will be taking our day off here, so something where we can relax and enjoy and fish. 

Finally we will do night 5 somewhere on Maple Creek. Is there a nice site along the river? 

Couple additional questions: Will this route be busy second week of May? Heard some complaints about truck noise, is that an issue on this route? Also, does it make more sense to go counter-clockwise, or is clock-wise better? 

Two years ago we did Cedar-Petawawa-Luckless-Catfish (Shangri La for 2 nights)- Falls- Cedar. Last year we did, Cedar- Laurel- Little Cauchon- Carl Wilson- Bug- Cedar. Will this year's proposed route give us a similar adventure? Other must-do loops that you'd recommend (we are coming from Vermont)? 

Thanks everyone. Dying to get out there!

 

2/28/2018 9:14 am  #2


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

I did this trip sometime ago.  Some points to note:

(1) in my opinion, better campsites on Waterclear than on Whitebirch.  Whitebirch campsites are all closely connected so not much privacy.  I stayed on the final site going down Waterclear at the far end and it was a great site.

​(2) I would camp on Mouse on your day 2.  Do not know about site on Thunder.  Mouse has some nice campsites and speckled trout fishing.

​(3) The first island you come to upon entering Maple has two nice campsites on it.  I camped on this island and the site was large and excellent.

​(4) I wouldn't camp on any site on Maple Creek.  Depending on water conditions, one of the sites always gets swamped with creek water. The other one is small and I didn't like it either.  Seeing you will be going downhill all the way to Kioshkokwi,  I would go all the way down to Kioshkokwi and camp on a site there.

It is better to go clockwise.  You will realize this as you end your trip going downhill on the portages on Maple Creek.  I never heard any truck noise on my trip.

​I would definitely say you will see others on this trip who will mainly be fisherpersons, but not too many.

Hope this helps and have a great trip!

Bo

Last edited by boknows (2/28/2018 9:24 am)


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2/28/2018 9:16 am  #3


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

Hey Perry, 

I did that loop last September, although I paddled through Mink rather than WaterClear. I spent a night on Mouse and two nights on Maple (on a gorgeous island site). I posted a two-part trip video of the loop if it's helpful to you. Part 1 is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k6M3ATjsF4

Club: I don't think any of the sites on Club are terribly nice. The two beach sites on Mouse are both very nice (two sites that share a beach, to be more specific). I took a close look at the Big Thunder site from the water and liked the look of it, but didn't get out to check it closer. It's in the part two video. 

The Maple Creek sites are terrible. Unless you're doing that for fishing reasons I'd suggest another night on Maple Lake and then just straight out to the access point - it's not that far. 

Nothing will yet be busy the second week of May. Regarding truck noise, there's a site somewhere that outlines the Algonquin logging plans for the coming year that should give you a good idea if you have anything to worry about. I imagine someone will post that link shortly or I'll track it down myself and post it as a followup. 

It is much nicer going down Maple Creek than up it - a couple of the portages along there are very steep. I'd suggest clockwise. 

Edit: Even though I said Clockwise and Bo said Counter-clockwise, we're both recommending the same direction. Bo's just confused about how a clock works ;)

Last edited by Uppa (2/28/2018 9:21 am)

 

2/28/2018 9:24 am  #4


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

You are right Uppa....clockwise it is....going to have a coffee now! LOL


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2/28/2018 2:11 pm  #5


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

Yo Bo!  I thought I'd chime in on the White Birch part of things.  I stayed on that lake with my son one night in 2016.  We took the middle campsite in the cluster of three, and I liked it a lot.  We were alone on the lake, so that makes a bit of a difference, still, the water access is good, the put-in/take-out is nice, and kind of protected from predominant wind.  There's a long, rocky slope area, good view of the evening sky, nice tent sites.  

Here are two photos, one looking out from that campsite.  The southernmost campsite in the cluster of three is on the peninsula on the left.  The entrance to that campsite is around the peninsula.  We hiked over there, it was ok, but I felt like it wasn't really facing the lake as much as it was facing the marshy stuff.

The second photo is looking back from that southernmost campsite toward the middle campsite.  The put-in/take-out is on the right.  You can see a little of our yellow tent in the photo.  There was a pair of pileated woodpeckers just in back of our site, beating the heck out of a couple favorite trees. 

We weren't really aware of the campsite to the north of us.  it was very much hidden from view.

 

 

2/28/2018 2:59 pm  #6


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

Dontgroandaddy,

​Your photos re campsites on Whitebirch look fabulous.  When I read Perry's original post, I believed Perry was looking for remote campsites, which is why I mentioned the one on Waterclear Lake which is totally remote and a long distance away from other campsites.  I have canoed through Whitebirch quite a few times over the years but have never camped on it due to the proximity of the 5 sites and I really prefer a site not close to others.  I am glad you and your son had a great time on your Whitebirch site but, as I said earlier, I think the original poster wanted a more remote and private site.  Maybe I am wrong and misread what he wanted?


CAMPING IS WHEN YOU SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO LIVE LIKE A HOMELESS PERSON!
 

2/28/2018 4:55 pm  #7


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

Bo - sometimes I'm not sure exactly where my head is at.  I actually thought you were the original poster, when in fact you were the latest to respond.  Sorry about that!  I should have started my post off with something more like "PERRY!"   And by the way, I agree with you - those clustered campsites would not give the feel of remoteness if they are occupied.  My son and I got kind of lucky to be alone on the lake.   

 

2/28/2018 5:07 pm  #8


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

Not a problem dontgroandaddy!

Cheers!

Bo



 


CAMPING IS WHEN YOU SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO LIVE LIKE A HOMELESS PERSON!
 

2/28/2018 7:59 pm  #9


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

I did the opposite loop in that region, Kiosk to Manitou, Three Mile, Maple, then back to Kiosk. I agree with the others that going from Maple --> Kiosk is the better way to travel (although in my route it actually was counterclockwise!)

Also agree that the southernmost island site on Maple is the nicest, the only downside is that it's very close to the other site; but in early May the lake will be quiet and I would think if you get to the site first, any other travellers would take a different site instead of opting to camp right beside you. The northern island looked nice as well, but it's more enclosed and at water level so you don't get the same views and exposure.

Here's the report with more detail and pics: http://www.myccr.com/phpbbforum/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=44357&start=0


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3/03/2018 11:35 am  #10


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

Thanks everyone! That's super helpful advice. We like to camp along a river to change things up, but the sites are really that bad on Maple Creek? Any pics? I hate camping on the lake that we pull out of the next day, it's like you can see the end of your trip. Know what I mean?

I know it would be a lot more paddling, but thoughts on Kiosk-Waterclear-Maple-Manitou-Amable (or reverse)? Does Manitou have houses on it? Motorboat traffic? Are the sites on Amable nice? 

Also, any other recommendations for good loops that I'm not seeing? Like I said, we are coming from Vermont, so Kiosk and Cedar are a manageable drive for pushing out the same day. Western side of the park would probably be tough. 

     Thread Starter
 

3/03/2018 12:04 pm  #11


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

Sorry trippythings, just read your post and it was really helpful! Looked like an amazing trip. 

     Thread Starter
 

3/04/2018 1:53 pm  #12


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

Regarding camping on the lake you're pulling out from I get that - but I didn't suggest you spend the last night on Kiosk, but to spend a second night on Maple. It's really not far from Maple Lake to the Kiosk access point. I just checked video timestamps and from my island campsite on Maple (one of the two on the South end) I was four hours to the Kiosk access point, and that was solo in a kayak. 

Manitou is a big beautiful lake with no cottages so that's a perfectly fine option as well if you're willing to add in the extra distance. 

 

3/04/2018 4:23 pm  #13


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

Uppa wrote:

Regarding camping on the lake you're pulling out from I get that - but I didn't suggest you spend the last night on Kiosk, but to spend a second night on Maple. It's really not far from Maple Lake to the Kiosk access point. I just checked video timestamps and from my island campsite on Maple (one of the two on the South end) I was four hours to the Kiosk access point, and that was solo in a kayak. 

Manitou is a big beautiful lake with no cottages so that's a perfectly fine option as well if you're willing to add in the extra distance. 

Manitou does actually have cottages and motorboats.

Also 4hrs from south of Maple to Kiosk access is pretty fast, obviously doable, but if you have non-ideal conditions it can take 5-6hrs. I still agree with your recommendation to spend an extra night on Maple and head out afterwards, but just letting OP know I would definitely budget a bit more time than 4hrs.

edit: low water levels slowed us down during the creek travel, and there was a lot of stopping to get out of the boat and drag when it bottomed-out, through muddy/sinking waters which even made dragging a slow process (3 guys in one boat). So being solo in a kayak was likely advantageous with your light load and being less likely to bottom out in the kayak. Just something for OP to consider, not only environmental factors but also his travel accomodations should be taken into consideration for something like this

Last edited by trippythings (3/04/2018 4:27 pm)


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3/04/2018 7:27 pm  #14


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

Trippythings,

​Will you please tell me where the cottages are on Manitou.  I have never seen any the many times I have been there.  Yes, there are motor boats on Manitou.  I even had my small boat and motor on Manitou many years ago.  It is not that hard to get a boat and motor to Manitou up the Amable du Fond river, across North Tea Lake, and over to Manitou.  Also, I have seen people with status cards on Manitou in a boat and motor.



 


CAMPING IS WHEN YOU SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO LIVE LIKE A HOMELESS PERSON!
 

3/04/2018 7:34 pm  #15


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

boknows wrote:

Trippythings,

​Will you please tell me where the cottages are on Manitou.  I have never seen any the many times I have been there.  Yes, there are motor boats on Manitou.  I even had my small boat and motor on Manitou many years ago.  It is not that hard to get a boat and motor to Manitou up the Amable du Fond river, across North Tea Lake, and over to Manitou.  Also, I have seen people with status cards on Manitou in a boat and motor.
 

I am going by the reference on Jeff's Map, the small black dots on the north shore, 2 just west of the portage, and 1 just east. Those usually mean cottages. I saw a group fishing on a motorboat at dusk when my group was the only reservation on the lake, so I assumed the two were related and they must have come from a cottage.


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3/04/2018 7:49 pm  #16


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

Tripppythings,

​I believe those dots you see by the portage down to the Amable du Fond river and over to Kiosk on Jeff\s map are the remains of the old Duford Farm owned by Francis and Ignace in the 1800s.  The farm was abandoned in 1916 when Ignace died.

 


CAMPING IS WHEN YOU SPEND A LOT OF MONEY TO LIVE LIKE A HOMELESS PERSON!
 

3/04/2018 8:04 pm  #17


Re: Kiosk-White Birch- Water Clear- Erables- Maple- Kiosk Advice Needed

boknows wrote:

Tripppythings,

​I believe those dots you see by the portage down to the Amable du Fond river and over to Kiosk on Jeff\s map are the remains of the old Duford Farm owned by Francis and Ignace in the 1800s.  The farm was abandoned in 1916 when Ignace died.

 

I'm not sure when this is from, but...

"There are a few cottages on the lake near the old farm, and powerboats with up to 10 HP motors are permitted, but neither does much to detract from the beauty of the place."

http://www.doe.carleton.ca/~ngt/algonquin/manitou/manitou_frames.html



 


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