Algonquin Adventures / TR102: Basin & Buck Lakes

**Posted by Peek** 3/10/2021 7:13 pm

Hello members of the AAF community!

With winter coming to an end, I know we're all itching to get back to the place we love - hopefully this will tide you over for a bit.

I know it’s been a while since TOURduPARK had any new content added and I’m happy to tell you a new trip report was uploaded today.

TR 102: Basin & Buck Lakes

This report details a short, 4-night trip I took to the lower east side of Algonquin Park at the beginning of last September. It’s a bit different from other trip reports featured on my website. The major two difference are, 1: less words; 2: more photos. Pretty good deal, right? The aspect ratio for the photos has changed as well, slightly wider, slightly larger.

As an added bonus, day 2 features video footage of a squirrel declaring full-blown war on me for occupying his campsite. We negotiated a settlement, but the gist of it is I'm not allowed back on his island.

I’ll be adding the Basin Depot structure to my ruins page within a day, please ignore the ‘Click to see more’ link for the time being - thanks!

Finally, some members of this (and other forums) as well as some TDP subscribers have messaged me to advise of broken links for some trip reports. Apologies for not advising earlier, but those links are not broken. Four trip reports have been temporarily removed and are being re-worked due to content & some photos.

Removed TR’s include:

TR 53: WINTER CAMP ON THE MADAWASKA RIVER | ACCESS - TRACK & TOWER TRAIL | 2 DAYS | 5 KM | WINTER CAMPING

TR 58: LITTLE CARCAJOU - CARCAJOU - GREENLEAF | ACCESS 22 - GRAND LAKE/ACHRAY | 5 DAYS | 63 KM | 15 PORTAGES

TR 60: OPEONGO - HAILSTORM CREEK | ACCESS 11 - LAKE OPEONGO | 3 DAYS | 45 KM | 0 PORTAGES

TR 62: LITTLE CAUCHON - ERABLES - NADINE - NIPISSING RIVER | ACCESS 27 - CEDAR LAKE / BRENT | 5 DAYS | 89 KM | 21 PORTAGES

The original version of TR62 is still available on the Algonquin Adventure’s website due to the trip report contest in 2015. Once updated I’ll be submitting a revised version to Barry so it can be updated.

Anyway – I hope you like the new style (less reading, more seeing) and enjoy the report on this area of Algonquin Park. I hope to have another trip report published soon.

As always, thank you for your support!

**Posted by Steve E** 3/10/2021 9:03 pm

Awesome trip report Peek! I have spent the past two late falls in that area and really enjoyed it. Hoping to take my son up the first week in May and was planning to stay on Buck for a few nights, but apparently the backcountry is closed April 1 - May 14. If they open up early we'll aim for that spot or Basin (or even the crappy one by the hydro site). We're also considering scoping out some crown land sites in the area.

Again, I LOVED the pics and they really took me back there! Thanks for sharing!

**Posted by AlgonquinLakes** 3/10/2021 10:54 pm

Great report and great pics. I’m heading to Basin for my first trip in May so this is awesome to have ahead of time.

**Posted by Peek** 3/11/2021 8:09 am

Thanks Steve, glad you enjoyed it. As you probably know, there are a lot of crown options in the area immediately south of Basin (Couchain, Stringers, etc.). Could be worth checking out.

Thanks Drew - I'm sure you'll enjoy your time in this area - I did!

**Posted by Steve E** 3/11/2021 9:00 am

Peek not sure if you know the answer, but I found some camp spots along those lakes you mentioned but they seem to be in the area of the Bonnechere River Provincial Park surrounded by crown land. Do you know if you can camp on those spots if they are part of the Bonnechere waterway park? I see it is actually a non-operating park so I'm not sure what the rules are for camping in those?

**Posted by Peek** 3/11/2021 9:18 am

Hey Steve, I asked Ontario Parks this question a few years back when I was booking a trip that ended with two nights in a non-operating park (in my case, Oxtongue River PP). The answer was: no permit required, no fees and it's first come first serve (obviously). The four campsites on Couchain lake would fall under this as well.

**Posted by Steve E** 3/11/2021 9:19 am

Thanks Peek, I'm going to send you a PM if you don't mind....

**Posted by MartinG** 3/11/2021 10:35 am

They are the equivalent of Crown Land campsites. You will find them occupied pretty much all summer. Some of them with RV's or trailers.

**Posted by Steve E** 3/11/2021 10:36 am

MartinG wrote:
They are the equivalent of Crown Land campsites. You will find them occupied pretty much all summer. Some of them with RV's or trailers.

Thanks...Hopefully early May they are vacant!

**Posted by MartinG** 3/11/2021 10:38 am

There is also a massive site along the Bonnechere river inside the park. Driveable several firepits and thunderboxes. Maybe loggers or Algonquians use it.

**Posted by Steve E** 3/11/2021 10:39 am

MartinG wrote:
There is also a massive site along the Bonnechere river inside the park. Driveable several firepits and thunderboxes. Maybe loggers or Algonquians use it.

Lol ok gonna PM you now too! Thanks

**Posted by Peek** 3/11/2021 2:28 pm

MartinG wrote:
There is also a massive site along the Bonnechere river inside the park. Drivable several firepits and thunderboxes. Maybe loggers or Algonquians use it.

Lol I left that out of the report on purpose. But since the cats outta the bag now - here is the location. It's the 'road' immediately before Buck Lake, here are my GPS tracks from that little adventure.

I stopped driving about 25% of the way in, just due to the fallen debris + the fact my car wasn't even 2 weeks old and I was trying to be nice to it lol.

**Posted by Steve E** 3/11/2021 2:51 pm

Peek wrote:
MartinG wrote:
There is also a massive site along the Bonnechere river inside the park. Drivable several firepits and thunderboxes. Maybe loggers or Algonquians use it.
Lol I left that out of the report on purpose. But since the cats outta the bag now - here is the location. It's the 'road' immediately before Buck Lake, here are my GPS tracks from that little adventure.

I stopped driving about 25% of the way in, just due to the fallen debris + the fact my car wasn't even 2 weeks old and I was trying to be nice to it lol.

Lol the best thing that can happen to a new vehicle is that first scratch eh?

**Posted by Peek** 3/11/2021 3:45 pm

Lol Steve the only thing worse would be the sound of a brand new boat scraping across a submerged rock you weren't expecting to be in the middle of a freakin lake.

**Posted by yellowcanoe** 3/11/2021 4:38 pm

Steve E wrote:
Lol the best thing that can happen to a new vehicle is that first scratch eh?

The first thing we did with our new Nissan Kicks two years ago was drive it to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and have our friend Glenn, a former AO employee, drill a bunch of holes in the roof to install a set of Yakima roof rails.

**Posted by GordK** 3/11/2021 11:05 pm

Great TR Peek. Nice to see the Basin Depot being kept up so well - looking forward to seeing the rest of the pictures of it.

**Posted by Peek** 3/12/2021 12:25 pm

Thanks Gord - I'm glad you enjoyed it!

GordK wrote:
Nice to see the Basin Depot being kept up so well - looking forward to seeing the rest of the pictures of it.

Ask and ye shall receive... Basin Depot Cabin

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