Hey folks, I've never done back country in Algonquin so have some questions.

From the booking website it looks like there are sites available the weekend I want to go but I'm worried about site selection since you can't reserve. We've got a large family (7) - are all the sites on Stratton big enough for us?

I guess that's my biggest concern is that we'll get there and won't be able to find a suitable site.

How many tents?

MikeD.

Probably 2 larger like MEC wanderer 4. Or 1 slightly smaller

We also have 2 hammocks

Also - I paid $61 for 3 nights.

Does that sound right or will there be another charge coming?

Most if not all the sites will likely take 2 or 3 tents, might be tight. All that to say I've never had an issue and usually trip with 4 tents.

There is a really, and I mean really great site almost all the way down Stratton on the left called "The Flinstsone" site as it has large flagstone benches surrounding a great firepit. That one usually goes quick and the challenge is that if you pass up a spot on the way down, and find Flintsone occupied, you have to backtrack ......

Keep in mind that not all the sites on the lake are for paddlers. Some are designated for hikers only. On one trip I was told at the gate that all sites for paddlers were booked, including mine. I arrived late on a Friday to find no free campsites. After inquiring with folks on the occupied sites It became clear that a hiking party had occupied a paddle site. Not hard to figure out as they did not have a canoe . They reluctantly vacated after some words.

Enjoy the lake/falls. The food hanging cables they provide are awesome. When I was last there the raccoons were particularly troublesome. I have a picture of about 5 raccoons swarming my barrel, hanging from the suspension cables. The bastards chewed by barrel harness.

$61.00 seems normal.

MikeD.

You have just paid a deposit. ~$6/night for a jr., ~$13/night for an adult. Plus $10 reservation fee. So, could owe another $100-200.

Just got back, and we checked out quite a few sites on Stratton (which is a small, narrow lake) shaped like a check mark. I agree most of the sites would take 2 good sized tents. We saw a number of sites that had 3 plus dining shelter. We stayed on 2 that could easily take 3. Is your Scout and Vent in hammocks? Every site had a place for those. Eerie weather- 8 consecutive days of NO WIND (not even a breath), all the way to the canyon and back (Friday morning, had a deluge for about 4 hours). and NO bugs (could sit out at night as long as we wanted!

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Present: Slip, Slap and Slop, hide from the sun! Past: Get some colour in those cheeks! Paddle Naked!

Thanks a lot for the update I really appreciate it. Yes my 14 and 16 year olds will probably be in hammocks. My idea since we'll have 3 vehicles is 2 hold one canoe at the first sight we like and then move forward and see if we find a better one. if you take gmrs radios we should be able to find the best site on the lake without worrying about losing a site.

We found that the hardest part of this trip was finding a place that had good swimming (we prefer deep water drop off, rocks to dive in, or a sandy area to walk in) as many take out's or possible swimming areas were very weedy. The site with the beach, right at the bottom of the lake beside the portage would be best for your little ones. The sites around the corner where you head to the water slide did not seem as good as the points in the rest of the lake (the one where the lake makes the turn was the most weedy of all). There was one site on the slide arm that had a sandy take out, but it was shallow water and we did not get close enough to see how the weeds were (people on the site). The second point from the end had deep water swimming, and a small sandy take out that might meet your requirements. Certainly large enough, and lots of erratics to climb!

This entire route had more water and land snakes (as well as frogs) than I have have seen in years! Every site but one had a resident gartersnake (not sure if they were s common or Butlers as they was too shy) , and our site on Opalescent had northern water snake that was (no kidding! I measured with my paddle) one that was a meter long. Def. saw a fox snake, and in the water a very light coloured snake that could have been a milk snake. Also saw Leopard, green, bull, wood frogs and lots of toads, one moose (just upstream of the dam into Grand), 2 hummingbirds, beaver in Ooze, lots of loon families, Canada geese, mergansers, bass. Sorry, got side tracked there...

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Present: Slip, Slap and Slop, hide from the sun! Past: Get some colour in those cheeks! Paddle Naked!

Would it be safe to assume there is next to no chance of finding deadfall especially this late in the season? Because this is a heavily traveled area?

If so we should probably bring a couple of bundles of wood from Achray, no?

I know in some places where the sites are picked clean you can just paddle around the lake and find driftwood and other deadfall elsewhere along the lake. Would this be the case on Stratton or would the above hold true for the whole lake - that it is pretty-much picked clean.

WE had no trouble finding kindling for our two evenings of fire, but on those 2 sides, it looked like the rangers had been through to remove some dead trees, cut them up, and left them by the fire pit. When we left home there was a fire ban, so we did not even bring a saw. Did not see to many people on the other side of the lakes at any time, so I don't think going across would be a problem.

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Present: Slip, Slap and Slop, hide from the sun! Past: Get some colour in those cheeks! Paddle Naked!

Grab a bag of wood if you want but if there is none available near the site, just grab your saw and go for a paddle, find a place to land and walk 20 feet into the bush. Bringing back a canoe load should not be a problem.

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Cheers
Rob

The north shore of Stratton is dominated by pine forest with a few poplars, red maples and red oaks mixed in. You might find some dead oaks for a decent fire, but the good stuff is on the south shore where sugar maple stands are. About 2/3 of the way east, sugar maples come close to the water and you should be able to find some dead maple stems in there. If not, there will be much more on the other side of the railway... that's probably farther than most will want to go, but still, for a fire that's the envy of everyone else on the lake, go for the maple.

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So to get to the water slide - just paddle to the end of the lake and look for the falls?

Judging by the map it looks like you then have to take a path up one set of falls or something?

Not quiet. The lake is a backwards J shape. Paddle all the way from the top of the J to the end of the jay. There. There is a swampy area on your left as you face the shore. You should see some canoes pulled up on the rocks (it is a little steep). Then take any path to the slide. It is about a 5 min walk. Easier for adults than little people. Lots of nice flat rock/sloped flat rock to sit out on, not a lot of shade.

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Present: Slip, Slap and Slop, hide from the sun! Past: Get some colour in those cheeks! Paddle Naked!