Hi Jackie - welcome

I'd start by looking at the PCI reports on the main algonquinadventures.com site to get a good idea of the nearby lakes from those access points, and see which best suits what you're looking for. You can check out the campsite reports from my website as well, but most of the reports I have are from a little bit further into the backcountry.

Keeping things at 1.5hr max I'd probably recommend Little Eagle (if available), Hambone, Ralph Bice, Rain, Ragged / Parkside Bay, or you could also consider driving a little bit further to Access #9 and going to Pen Lake.

Last edited by trippythings (7/13/2020 7:34 am)

Ralph Bice is a good one for you.  The portages to get there will present absolutely no problem for you, and there are lots of pretty open sites.  The chief difficulty there is just how far you might have to paddle for a site, and if the wind gets nasty, then you may find it tough to paddle around with the kids. 

Another to consider is Rain Lake (Access 4).  I've only been on a handful of those campsites, but it sees a lot of through-traffic with people moving toward all points east.  If you got lucky and had the main island site that would be kid friendly I think, but some of the sites on the southern side of the lake back right up to one of the hiking trails, so that's a built in activity.  A short portage to Sawyer lake might make a fun activity just to explore, and the portage to Hot Lake crosses the aforementioned trail.  That portage starts out steep, but just day-tripping for exploration it wouldn't be bad.and after that climb it is pancake flat to Hot.  Hot is a small lake, pretty, no campsites a good lake to paddle around a little bit, and hey drop a line fishing.  My memory is that Rain Lake permits motors, but limited horsepower.  I don't remember having a problem of any kind. 

The portage to Casey....my memory is that the entrance there has water that you could wade around in with the kids.  I can't promise I'm right, but I think I am.  That just now occurred to me.....There is a rumor that I might have forced my daughter off the bank and into the water when she was helping me maneuver a canoe off the portage while she was saying "wait, Wait WAIT!", but I didn't, and if that actually happened, who can know(?), she went about knee deep in the water and then complained that her only dry pair of shoes wasn't dry anymore and her face got so sad but who can remember if that even happened there's no way to know.  Anyway, I have reason to believe that little bank on that portage might be good wading area for the kiddos.  

Several discussions on this site have made reference to the high percentage of sites being reserved already.  I assume that the first ones to go are those that are accessed easier (like the O,P. describes 'little portaging and short canoe ride') and I expect the cabins are probably booked pretty solid.  Always worth a look, but the availability might be the biggest hurdle in this case.

Hi Jackie, the site is not on the island. This photo should help