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9/18/2015 6:48 am  #1


Thanksgiving

Sorry - dumb question. Writing from the States, am thinking of coming up Oct 10-12th; but that is your Thanksgiving. I was hoping to stay at Mew Lake Fri, stay backcountry one night with the Highlands short loop and than maybe canoe camp Sun night on lake with a brief portage. A nice buffet of Algonquin's offerings.

But since I found out it is Thanksgiving I am thinking the park may be a bit crowded? I mean, it's a big park but...

John

 

9/18/2015 7:37 am  #2


Re: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving weekend can be one of the busiest weekends in the park, depending on how the colours are at that time.  I was there two years ago that weekend and I've never seen crowds like that.  All the trails were packed and the parking lots had cars and buses lined up for a km down the sides of the road.  I think the backcountry would not be as busy but the Highlands is a popular trail with easy access so you may find it too very busy.  Not to discourage you but do you have the option of coming another time?

 

9/18/2015 9:33 am  #3


Re: Thanksgiving

Hmm... Thanksgiving weekend is after the fall colours peak and the end of lake/brook trout season, and it can be getting cold at night by then. Looking at CAMIS now for Saturday the 10th, most interior (canoe route) lakes in the Hwy 60 area have total vacancy or close to it. You certainly wouldn't see that a month before the August or Labour Day long weekend. On the Highland Trail, Head and Harness Lakes have one booking right now between them total, though Provoking looks busier and Faya is taken. The campgrounds do look more than 50% booked, which would be consistent with Steve E's recollection of frontcountry facilities being busy. But my guess is you wouldn't find the interior part of your trip all that crowded, especially the canoeing part. For a lot of people canoeing season is done by then.

 

9/18/2015 9:39 am  #4


Re: Thanksgiving

I think our Thanksgiving is a bit later this year (at least I think it is).  I would say that all the crowds are tied directly to the peak of the colours.  If you clickhereyou can check out the colour status... I'd bet that if the leaves have turned (i.e. colours have passed) that you would not find it very busy. 

 

9/18/2015 9:49 am  #5


Re: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the second Monday of October, so the long weekend can range from October 6-8 to October 12-14. This year it's October 10-12 so yes it's on the late side but actually earlier than in 2013, when the monday fell on the 14th. As one can see on the fall colours page the average peak date is September 27, and in 2013 it was 2 days later than that... so who really knows. One factor of course is that not everyone knows what's up... since Thanksgiving weekend is great for fall colours in much of southern Ontario, people might assume it's a good time to go see them in Algonquin too.

 

9/18/2015 10:14 am  #6


Re: Thanksgiving

Ya that's a good point DanPM....I just remember seeing literally busloads pull up and dozens of people piling off and hitting the trails all at once...ugghhh the thought makes me cringe lol.  Good for them for getting up and exploring the park but if you go up for the tranquility, it can be a bit of a downer.  Having said that, I was camping at Mew Lake at that time and after about 4 pm the majority of the crowds along the trails and highway had dissipated.  I think the majority of visitors were day users.

 

Board footera

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