Algonquin - Backcountry

---

---

Park Advisories

Due to the late spring arrival in Algonquin Provincial Park, there are the following delays and closures:

Opening dates delayed until May 3rd (subject to change):
• Rock Lake, Tea Lake, Whitefish, Achray, Brent, and Kiosk Campgrounds
• All backcountry campsites, ranger cabins, portages and access points

Closures:
• Western Uplands and Highland Backpacking trails are closed due to flooding.
• Whiskey Rapids trail and Track and Tower hiking trails are closed and the first boardwalk on Spruce Bog trail are closed due to localized flooding.
• Rock Lake, Centennial Ridges and Arowhon roads are closed at Hwy 60.
Barron Canyon Road is closed at Sand Lake Gate office.
• Tea Lake Dam Picnic Area is closed due to flooding.

Interior winter camping protocol will remain in effect until Friday, April 26th (last night to camp is Friday). After that point, for safety reasons, NO permits for the interior will be issued until the tentative interior opening date of May 3rd.

Mew Lake Campground is open year-round and camping is available. Most areas in the Park are still impacted with winter conditions, flooding or inaccessible due to snow-covered roads. In addition, interior lakes are expected to remain ice covered for another few weeks. Long term weather forecast is showing slow relief from winter. Conditions are being monitored and we will be updating this information regularly.

---

Watershed Conditions Statement – Flood Watch
Algonquin Provincial Park
April 18, 2019

Algonquin Provincial Park is advising park visitors that high water levels and flow conditions are expected throughout the area on lakes, rivers and other tributaries over the course of the next week. A combination of warm daytime high temperatures, precipitation forecasted in the range of 50 to 60 mm over the next three days, and an above average snow water equivalent left in the remaining snowpack will result in increased runoff as the snow pack melts. This runoff will cause an increase in the water levels on area waterbodies. The potential exists for the flooding of roadways, ditches and in low-lying seasonally flood prone areas as the melt continues to progress.

Banks and shorelines adjacent to water bodies are extremely slippery and unstable. Residents and visitors should exercise caution while around water bodies and maintain close supervision of children and pets.

Algonquin Provincial Park also advises extreme caution when using forest access roads for outdoor activities as many are seasonally inundated with water, prone to washouts and may be impassible due to current water levels. Travelling on waterbodies ice should be avoided.

Algonquin Provincial Park is closely monitoring the weather and developing watershed conditions. Further updates will be issued as appropriate.

Environment Canada bulletins can be found at http://weather.gc.ca/

---

Update to Spring Reservations in Algonquin (November 2018)

Over the past 5 years, inaccessible roads and unsafe ice conditions in many locations have delayed the spring backcountry reservations and the opening of some campground locations within Algonquin. This traditional weekend date has coincided with the spring opening date of the trout fishing season in Algonquin, which has motivated many users to access the backcountry. In response to persistent late winter conditions, Ontario Parks has modified the reservation window for backcountry camping and hiking as well as some campgrounds for spring 2019.

Reservations can be made up to five months in advance for arrival dates starting with the first Friday in May (May 3 in 2019), rather than the fourth Friday in April.
If conditions permit, we will allow access to the backcountry and select campgrounds for April 26th, 2019, on a first come, first-served basis. In some locations, the backcountry may be accessed as a day-use area once trout season opens.

This change to our reservation will impact the following backcountry and campground locations:

Canoeing or backpacking camping, and all Ranger Cabins.
The following northern Access Points: Kiosk, Brent and Achray
The following Highway 60 Corridor Campgrounds: Rock Lake, Tea Lake and Mew Lake (please note that sites 1-33 and the yurts remain reservable year-round in Mew Lake campground).

If you have comments, questions or concerns, you may send them directly to ontarioparks.com/contact



We appreciate your patience and understanding the challenges of a wilderness landscape.

---