Gibson-MacDonald Route | ||
| Route description submitted By: | ||
General Info | Difficulty Ratings | |
| Distance: 56 km Duration : 4 days Loop Trip : yes | River Travel : intermediate Lake Travel : intermediate Portaging : Easy Remoteness : novice | |
Portage Info | Maps Required | |
| No. of Portages : 9 Total Length: 1054 m Average Length: 117 m Longest Portage : 250 m | Topo Maps (1:50,000) 31 D/13 Penetanguishene | |
Handicapped Accessibility | GPX Data for this Route | |
 | no gpx data found | |
Route Description | ||
| Hwy 69 at Six Mile Lake Provincial Park
East then north through Six Mile Lake North through Hungry Creek P 50 m L around dam P 9 m over Muskoka Road 33 Northwest through Gibson Lake P 10 m just past Highway 69 in shallow water West on Gibson River P 200 m L around Bottleneck Rapids P 250 m R around Three Rock Chute P 25 m R around rapid (or CBR) Southeast through Georgian Bay P 10 m into McCrae Lake East through McCrae Lake P 250 m L into McDonald Lake Under Highway 69 bridge P 250 m L around dam into Six Mile Lake Southeast then west through Six Mile Lake to finish at Prov. Park | ||
General Comments | ||
Trip Log / Diary | ||
Photo Gallery | ||
User Submitted Information | ||
| Do you have any useful information to add to this route description?. Simply fill out the form at the bottom of this page and submit it. It will automatically appear as part of this route description. Please note: This is not the place to ask questions about this route. If you are seeking advice about this trip, please post your questions in the discussion forums on this site. It is also not for commercial advertising. | ||
Submitted by: Dan Berns | ||
Two legs of this route have a lot of camps: Six-Mile Lake (with heavy motor boat traffic), and Georgian Bay. The other two legs have a more remote feel, with attractive scenery. | ||
Submitted by: Jason Hoffman | ||
Great route for new trippers, just be carefull on the river in the spring where the Musquash river dumps into the Gibson river. High water makes it very hard to pass the part of the River. | ||
Submitted by: Jeff Neven | ||
The Gibson is wonderful. There are numerous very private camp sites along the Gibson. McCrae Lake can be filled with partying on weekends. Hundreds of campers and very noisy. Otherwise it is great route. | ||
Submitted by: Chris Bertelsen | ||
Bottleneck Rapids and three rock chute to Georgian Bay in the early and mid summer have some of the best snorkleing because of the rocky and clear fast moving water conditions. With little effort You can snorkle up and down the rapids using the up current. | ||
Submitted by: Kevin N. | ||
The Gibson river has a few campsites allowing you to make it an overnight trip. You'll find sites at each of the rapids or falls. Personally my favourites are just upstream from the Go Home Lake dam on River Right. Also some nice spots at Three Rock Chute. The last rapid before the bay gets swamped with boaters, so best to avoid for camping unless you need to. Alot of people like to make a loop trip out of the river, 6 Mile Lake - Gibson Lake - Gibson River - Geo. Bay - McCrae Lake - McDonald Lake - Mcdonald River. Parking is available with access to McDonald Lake off of the south bound ramp @ Georgian Bay Road & Hwy 400. Also a public parking & launch ramp @ South Gibson Lake rd (6 km paddle south of Gibson River mouth). There are sites throughout most of the route. McCrae Lake has some 70 sites. McDonald river has a few sites, but they get hit real hard with partiers & lots of trash left behind. I don't know of any sites on 6 Mile with the exception of the Prov. Park. There is one site on Hungry Creek right at the dam (not recommended, but is available). Not much on Gibson Lake. 8 sites on the Gibson River. Not aware of any on Geo. Bay between the river & McCrae. The loop is a 2 - 3 day paddle. A very nice trip especially in the "off season." As time goes on the Gibson starts to run low in spots & walking may be neccessary. The river picks up almost instantly after a good rain! Really fun play spot in high water where the Go Home Lake dam flows into the river. Fun rapids to learn & play in / on. | ||
Submitted by: Connor MacDonald | ||
I would like to make a reservation for your trail hopefully the last week of july, Thank You | ||
Submitted by: Bob Shiell | ||
A good novice trip. | ||
Submitted by: Craig Bells | ||
Note to enthusiasts: Please don't litter, I am forever cleaning up my cottage site with litter blowing across the bay from campers. Sad but true. | ||
Submitted by: Mike | ||
I did this route when I was 11, and it's changed completely since then, especially between the Musquash Dam and Georgian Bay. Thanks to a series of dams along the Musquash River built to help cottages on Go Home Lake, there are many places between Highway 400 and Three Rock Chute where you'll wanna be careful not to scrape the bottom of the river. You might even have to carry your canoe sometimes. There are really great campsites all over this trip, especially on Mcrae Lake and one on the left just past 3 Rock Chute. Also, look for a cool shrine just uphill on the right from the portage into Mcrae Lake. There will probably be a visible trail that takes you there. Another thing is that you can take your canoe out before crossing the dam. You'll end up just on the ramp to Highway 69 after about a 150 meter portage. | ||
Submitted by: Don Mink | ||
i am looking for canoe routes | ||
