Algonquin Adventures / Travel Question

**Posted by ricktastic89** 4/20/2017 11:22 pm

I'm going to be staying up in Mew Lake later on this year, and I wanted to hit up both of the lookouts that are on Jeffs Map along the Highland Trail. I'm curious about how long it would take for me to walk to both lookouts, either from the Highland parking lot, or from Mew Lake. I'm a fairly fast hiker, I can cover a fair amount of distance in a short time, so if I can reach both between dawn and dusk, that would be great to know!

Thanks in advance!

**Posted by Jdbonney** 4/21/2017 5:45 am

Depends on your level of fitness and how fast you hike. I've hiked the entire trail in a day but that involved leaving early, hiking at a good pace and staying out until dinner. Leaving from Mew lake makes it a little shorter.

Keep in mind the lookout on the 2nd loop of the map on the way south is no longer much of a lookout, the trees have grown up and blocked much of the view.

**Posted by ATVenture** 4/21/2017 6:49 am

I would say you should be able to see all 3 lookouts on the Highlands Trail in Approx 6 hours of hiking if you leave from Mew. That should include some time to stop and relax and have a bite to eat. Depending how you do it your looking at somewhere between 14-20km hiking. If I remember correctly from when I did the trail many years ago it took me exactly 5 hours to get to camp on Head Lake from the Highland Parking lot which is somewhere around 14km.

**Posted by andrewr0520** 4/21/2017 7:45 am

I did this trail October 2016. I stayed at Faya for 2 nights and explored during the days. I did both lookouts in one day, but I only had my camera equipment with me so it was relatively easy to hit up both. I will say that the lookout between Faya and Head Lake is not that great. As mentioned already, the trees have grown and block most of the view.

The Starling Lake lookout however is fantastic. I highly recommend checking it out.

**Posted by ricktastic89** 4/21/2017 10:11 pm

I definitely want to get to the Starling Lake lookout, Jeffs Map shows there's a lookout between the falls and the parking lot, is that one worth visiting at all?

**Posted by Jdbonney** 4/22/2017 7:07 am

Its nice. You'll notice it because the rest of the time you're staring at trees but you won't be startled.