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6/29/2018 8:02 am  #1


Reservations required for Opeongo?

I'm heading up to Opeongo for short trip on Monday July 9, I always make reservations for my spring trips, but is it really necessary this time of year on this big lake?
Thanks

 

6/29/2018 8:49 am  #2


Re: Reservations required for Opeongo?

You probably won’t be screwing anyone over by taking the last reserved site, but assuming you weren’t trying to avoid paying the reservation fee, I’d still make the reservation for the Parks tracking purposes and to avoid the chance of running into a Ranger and getting a fine for not having the required permit.


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6/29/2018 10:04 am  #3


Re: Reservations required for Opeongo?

I think he’s asking about requirement for reservation, not if he needs a permit. The answer to both: no reservation needed, permit definitely needed.

 

6/29/2018 10:07 am  #4


Re: Reservations required for Opeongo?

Jdbonney wrote:

I think he’s asking about requirement for reservation, not if he needs a permit. The answer to both: no reservation needed, permit definitely needed.

What’s the difference? Your reservation is your permit. Unless he’s asking if he needs to make a reservation IN ADVANCE (at risk of it booking up), in which case I get what you mean and I agree, he can just get the reservation/permit on the day of.


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6/29/2018 12:27 pm  #5


Re: Reservations required for Opeongo?

Just to clarify ...

You can make a booking RESERVATION to be sure you are assured permit(s) for specific lake(s). That way you eliminate the possibility of arriving at an access point office and finding all the PERMITS for your desired night(s) and lake(s) are already reserved or dispensed. 

When you make an online reservation you have to pay for both your permit(s) and reservation fee while you are online. However, you still have to CHECK-IN at the access point office and physically pick-up your hardcopy PERMIT(s). It's at this office that you either get a partial overpayment refund or pay for any additional members in your group.

Obviously, there are sometimes variations on this process in the off-season, when some offices are closed.

 

6/29/2018 1:24 pm  #6


Re: Reservations required for Opeongo?

For weekday trips (not including Friday) I have been just driving up and booking at the gate .. never had a problem do far ...  

 

6/29/2018 1:40 pm  #7


Re: Reservations required for Opeongo?

trippythings wrote:

Jdbonney wrote:

I think he’s asking about requirement for reservation, not if he needs a permit. The answer to both: no reservation needed, permit definitely needed.

What’s the difference? Your reservation is your permit. Unless he’s asking if he needs to make a reservation IN ADVANCE (at risk of it booking up), in which case I get what you mean and I agree, he can just get the reservation/permit on the day of.

 
A reservation and a permit are definitely not the same thing.

 

6/29/2018 2:06 pm  #8


Re: Reservations required for Opeongo?

Jdbonney wrote:

trippythings wrote:

Jdbonney wrote:

I think he’s asking about requirement for reservation, not if he needs a permit. The answer to both: no reservation needed, permit definitely needed.

What’s the difference? Your reservation is your permit. Unless he’s asking if he needs to make a reservation IN ADVANCE (at risk of it booking up), in which case I get what you mean and I agree, he can just get the reservation/permit on the day of.

 
A reservation and a permit are definitely not the same thing.

Absolutely correct.

A reservation is simply you paying an extra fee to guarantee your desired lakes / route. It is completely optional.

A permit is your authorization to camp within Algonquin, on the lakes you specify at the permit office when checking in. It is not optional.

If you arrive at a permit office without a reservation, you are taking a chance at not getting the lakes you want, as they may be already occupied or booked by others.

For a lake as large as Opeongo, I wouldn't ever bother with a reservation even on the busiest of long weekends. I'm sure it's possible to fill up, but its unlikely to reach full capacity in all arms + Annie Bay.

The only time it's wise to make a reservation is when you really REALLY want to secure the lakes / route without taking any chances on check in day. Otherwise, it's first come first serve at the permit office.

But yes, a reservation and a permit are absolutely not the same thing. You are not authorized to camp in AP simply with a reservation - you must check-in and convert your reservation to a permit on your day of arrival.

 

6/29/2018 2:52 pm  #9


Re: Reservations required for Opeongo?

Ope does fill up on long weekends. I spent many Friday’s evenings driving people around on the water taxi searching for the last site on the lake they had reserved.

 

6/29/2018 5:34 pm  #10


Re: Reservations required for Opeongo?

That's the rare exception but even still I'd forego the reservation for Opeongo and take my chances. Cause really, if it's reached capacity that's just too many people for me to enjoy it.

 

6/29/2018 5:47 pm  #11


Re: Reservations required for Opeongo?

Yeah, it was only long weekends and then usually just the Friday. Ope is nice for the fact that even if it’s full it’s still not too busy. Most of the sites are pretty spread out. Always a soft spot on my heart for ope.

 

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