View topic - closest good canoe camping to Montreal?

I've done some 4 day trips in la Verendrye a few times but I'm looking for something a little closer to Montreal so I can do a 2 night canoe camping trip.
Any recommendations?
I'm looking for the same sort of feel as the big parks and if possible, would rather not have any busy sites. I always liked the feel of La Verendrye as you could canoe and not see anyone for 4 days in a row.

Everything closer to Montreal (ex: Tremblant, La Mauricie, Papineau-Labelle) are overcrowded at this time of the year. LV is the only decent place and a 4 hr drive from Montreal.

GG

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Do you mean just during the construction holidays in Quebec or the summer in general it is overcrowded?
Are you likely to get a camping spot to yourself in Mastigouche this time of year?

Never been to Mastigouche. Maybe the week before school starts the crowds are less in the lower parks.
GG

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Back when we visited in 1968, Montreal was real close to camping. Post Expo.

Backcountry sites might not be overbusy as most are on vacation with family. Albeit it is high summer and more paddlers are out there. You could look into the Adirondacks or Mauricie Park.

St Regis Canoe area is two hours south of Montreal. 100 minutes at its northen point

Free. First come first served. The country looks like Algonquin albeit with much higher mountains. Base elevation 2000 feet.. up to 5000 feet.

No canoe registration required.

Backcountry is not busy. I was just there last week.

Here is but one option

http://www.canoeoutfitters.com/trip-pla ... canoe-area

I have no idea why Canadians think north is the only way to go. Oftentimes up substitutes for north. I can walk on the tundra within 90 minutes of leaving home.

If you were in Quebec the Moose River Bow trip ( a loop ) is two hours away and again..up.. Very dark boreal forest with lots of moose. Its quite a shock for me to descent into Armstong QC and see village after village after village after driving through 250 km of Maine and seeing not much besides woods and water.

Jackman, Main for the Moose bow seems to be 4hrs drive from Montreal?
...or is there somewhere else you can rent canoes on the river to do that route?

Some of the sites on mastigouche and Mauricie talk about pedalo rentals along with the canoes. I don;t really want to canoe alognside pedalos in the lakes

Sure Cry of the Loon has canoe rentals

http://www.cryoftheloon.net/

I haven't seen a pedalo on much of any lake in Maine..you kind of need a certain clientele to make that worthwhile. Jackman is rustic.

The issue for me is time on this trip as it's only a weekend trip... 3 days 2 nights. Also, although I'm a Canadian resident I'm not actually Canadian so need to use my passport to cross into usa , which adds 30 minutes at least answering random questions
So that's why Quebec might be quicker. Seems I can't get to wilderness easily without driving 4 hours somewhere

La Maurice... Caribou lake... baie des 11 iles... baie Cobb, Waber falls... should be all alone except for a few party... good fishing too...
Been there the past 3-4 years in June with nefew and two friends and their kids...

Tthe best place is definitly Des Cinq Lake... 2-3 portages (longest 1k)but... feeling being far away into nature... great fishing too...

David

des cinq lacs is where? can't seem to find any info

That is a nice suggestion from Tim. Check with the park to find out how active it has been this rainy and cooler summer.

Here are links to Tim's suggestions.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/qc/mauricie/activ/activ2.aspx

For map: copy and paste the following line in your search engine:

file:///C:/Users/Admin/Downloads/carte_generale_en_web_2014.pdf

You will find Lac des Cinq at top (North) of map. I soloed there a couples of time when the park was open in the fall.

Good luck.

GG

_________________
A smart man learns from his mistakes,
A wise man learns from the mistakes of others.
*************************************
email: geraldguay@hotmail.com
http://www.geraldguay.ca

I've canoe tripped in a small group in both Mont Tremblant (SEPAQ) and La Mauricie National Park. La Mauricie was quite enjoyable. We did several portages and found quiet, isolated albeit smaller lakes in the north end of the park. You'll hear the odd bush plane. The lakes we were were shallow, and in the heat didn't offer much respite. This was about 20 years or so ago, though.

I found this for Maurice

https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/qc/mauric ... anoe/guide