Hi Nicola,

Water levels won't be a problem for Rain Lake. On the map it can appear to be a river but it's actually a very long, thin lake that starts right from the access point. I've never stayed on Rain but I've paddled it a few times and I can't think of any sites that have beaches. More are the typical rock/forested areas you see in much of Algonquin (but maybe someone else can correct me).

As for timings, I find Jeff's maps estimates right on the money. I paddle with my husband and we are both moderately fit and moderately experienced (we're not powerhouses but we don't dawdle). With 2 kids in tow, I would anticipate a bit longer than the estimates. But, the timing on Jeff's maps of an hour paddle to Rain is actually an hour to the sites at the end of Rain Lake. If you book a site directly on Rain you can grab a site earlier in the paddle. 

Hope this helps!

Arrive early. They are both busy.

nbywater wrote:

Hi All, First post here.

Looking for opinions on lakes on West side for a three night trip with young children (ages 6 and almost 4).  

This is not their first trip, last year we did Round Lake access point staying on the West Arm of North Tea Lake. We loved it but the paddle was a bit too far for the kids and on the way out it was very windy and challenging with children due to length and long paddle.

If you can brave North Tea, then either Bice or Rain should present no problems.

Looking at access points 3 or 4, staying on either Ralph Bice or Rain Lake for 3 nights. Which one of these has the long deck to get into the water, we did one of these access points years ago but I can't remember?

Check the map again.  Ralph Bice Lake is not an access point. Access #3 is Magnetawan Lake. There is a dock at that launch.  It's two short, easy portages from there to Bice Lake.

Rain Lake Access #4 also has a dock, but it's not necessary for launching a canoe.

What we really liked about Tea Lake was the camping sites with sandy beaches and the gradual walk into the water, and we also had our own camp site Moose which the kids loved (lucky and probably will never have that again).  Is there something comparable on either Ralph Bice or Rain Lake with sandy sites?

I don't know about Bice.  We've only stayed there once.  Other times we've travelled through.  I hate that lake.  Very choppy, nerve-wracking paddle.

There's very few sandy beach campsites on Rain Lake.  There's a big sandy area at the east end of the lake, but it's not a campsite.

Also are the time estimates on Jeff's Algonquin Map accurate? From each access point about 1hour 45min to get to Ralph Bice and about an hour to get to Rain Lake?

Again, you're confusing me.

Rain Lake is the access point.  Your drive there from Kearney might take an hour.  I can't remember.

Getting to Bice from Access #3 Magnetawan shouldn't take long because it's only 2 short portages.

With the water levels being lower this year already will the river to access Rain Lake be an issue or slow paddle?

Again, this is confusing.  Are you talking about some route from some other place TO Rain Lake? If you are, could you outline that for us. 

I don't really understand what you are trying to plan. 


Barbara

If you're looking for sandy beach campsites, why are you focusing specifically on access points 3 and 4? That's largely a rocky area. I can think of better lakes for beach campsites off access points 2, 15 and 29, though they involve longer and maybe less child-friendly journeys than Bice or Rain (specifically I'm thinking of Rosebary, Byers, Scorch, Manitou, and perhaps Club).

Barbara wrote:

Also are the time estimates on Jeff's Algonquin Map accurate? From each access point about 1hour 45min to get to Ralph Bice and about an hour to get to Rain Lake?

Again, you're confusing me.

Rain Lake is the access point.  Your drive there from Kearney might take an hour.  I can't remember.

Getting to Bice from Access #3 Magnetawan shouldn't take long because it's only 2 short portages.

With the water levels being lower this year already will the river to access Rain Lake be an issue or slow paddle?

Again, this is confusing.  Are you talking about some route from some other place TO Rain Lake? If you are, could you outline that for us.

I assume the OP was incorrectly reading "Rain Lake" on the map to refer only to the main (eastern) basin of the lake. As others have pointed out, the narrower channel between that and the access point is also part of Rain Lake and is not dependent on water levels.

I think Jeff's travel times are realistic, but based on reasonably strong/efficient paddlers.

Thanks for all the feedback much appreciated I will look into the suggestions.

I'm aware that the lakes are not at the access points, I didn't elaborate enough in my question, I apologize. What I meant to say was using those access points to get to the lakes in question.

From the maps it looks like it is a river to get to Rain Lake, my bad, it is part of the lake.  I have experienced in the past issues with paddling rivers when water levels are low and wanted to know if this could potentially be an issue on these routes I'm unfamiliar with as that would be no fun with kids.

Thanks again for all the feedback, time to plan a trip!