Call the reservation line and ask. If the island site is closed for 2022 they wont be able to book it for you. If you already have it booked, then it's available. Not sure if this helps, but that's what I would do. Good luck.

Ahh, ok. Well hopefully someone will return your call soon. 

MartinG wrote:

They don't publish site closures publically. You also can't book a specific site (as you know). I doubt that anyone at the Camis reservation service would be able to tell you what specific sites are or are not closed. They would just see a reduction in the number of bookable sites on a lake.

I say this from a historical perspective. APP has very recently done an inventory of campsites. It's possible they are considering moving to a site specific bookings. In which case maybe the reservation service could know.

FYI the island site was closed in fall 2021. Probably should remain that way for a few years.

 
Many thanks MartinG! I suspect you are right about the Island site as I've heard that it was closed to allow for regeneration

trippythings wrote:

goneagainjon wrote:

Swift Fifteen wrote:

Call the reservation line and ask. If the island site is closed for 2022 they wont be able to book it for you. If you already have it booked, then it's available. Not sure if this helps, but that's what I would do. Good luck.

 
Thanks Swift Fifteen. The problem is that there are 3 sites and 2 permits for David Lake

There are 2 sites and 1 permit available for David Lake

 
Thanks trippythings, you are correct!

Uppa wrote:

MartinG wrote:

APP has very recently done an inventory of campsites. It's possible they are considering moving to a site specific bookings.

I am irrationally angry at you for even suggesting this. 

My stomach dropped just a bit when I read this. I was hoping that Algonquin was just too big to bother with site specific bookings, but if they’re cataloging them I have to imagine it’s only a matter of time.

The same BS would start up that already happens with car camping sites. Book a maximum length, 21-day stay for the prime site(s) you want in the backcountry 5 months in advance, because it lets you book those sites before anyone playing by the rules has access to them. Then update your booking a couple months later to remove the first two weeks of your trip, shortening it to the trip you planned all along. Sure you eat some fees in the process but hey - you got the campsites you wanted!

 

The closure of the island site on David (my namesake lake!) is sad, but probably overdue.  I stayed there for two nights on my first solo canoe trip and thought it was a wonderful campsite.  There was a barred own that visited near my tent overnight and hooted me out of my sleep!

Site specific bookings....I have color pictures of this in my head.  I keep envisioning a party paddling all day to "their site", only to find it is occupied.  It is occupied because somebody is sick, or injured, or there was an equipment failure, or in their view, the wind or rain was too lousy to allow safe travel - so they stayed put, hoping another party wouldn't show up. 

Now what?  If you are the arriving party, maybe there's an open site elsewhere.  But you probably don't know that the lake has 6 sites but only allows 5 bookings, so there is actually a site open.  Maybe there isn't an open site....so...you share the site?  You argue with them?  you go to a different lake and take your chances?  Maybe you worked your backside off to get there through torrential rain, or you fought a lot of windy, nasty conditions to get there, and maybe, just maybe your attitude in that moment is not what it might have been on a nicer day.  I worry about these kinds of encounters taking place in general.  There are a lot of campsites, a lot of people, a lot of conditions, a lot of situations, and a lot of variables in general.

For the most part, campers will follow their plan, at least that's been my experience, but stuff happens, and there are also inconsiderate people out there believe it or not, so what do you do?  I can tell you what you aren't doing, and that's calling backcountry reservations to let them sort it out.  The two parties are on their own, and you have to hope that nobody involved is a hothead. 

Lol, there are a number of people here seemingly tilting at windmills as well...personally, I'd much prefer to know that I'm paddling to a site that I chose and that is available...much better than paddling all over the lake - and sometimes back-tracking - to find the last bad vacant site or two at the end of the day ...case in point, my original post about David Lake...now that I heard unofficially through the grapevine that the island site is closed I will rebook for another lake...I saved my group 3 nites at what apparently is a crappy site (I'd add as well that people squatting on lakes they haven't booked happens already for good reasons (e.g. wind bound) and not so good reasons (i.e. don't play by the rules)...not sure I see how the problem would somehow get worse by a booking system based upon specific sites...if anything it will simply serve to identify those who aren't camping where they're booked)...I do wonder if the 21 night 'game' can be managed somehow though - what about a max of 7 nites for a given site? That way the most you're jumping the queue is potentially 6 nites...unlike car camping, I don't suspect anyone stays at a backcountry site for more than 7 nites anyway, do they?)