Hi. I’m starting to plan a canoe trip next year for 5-6 nights organised and/or wilderness camping for 4 of us. I used to be a canoe instructor, but other 3 are relatively inexperienced, though big outdoor people and physically fit. So would be nice for Grade I -II water. We are spread over the world from Scotland, New Zealand to Portland, so happy to meet anywhere in the world but would need to be able to hire canoes and canoeing kit (paddles, barrels etc). Any suggestions of rivers or regions we can explore greatly received
There are so many places you could go.
Two amazing Canadian Shield options would be Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario (I’m sure there are outfitters nearby) and the Churchill River system and general area in mid-northern Saskatchewan (Churchill River Outfitters can give you advice on an appropriate itinerary, rent you gear, and provide drop-off/pick-up as needed).
The Boundary Waters in MN and the lake country of Ontario have the best outfitters to rent whatever you need. Portage routes are well established. It is somewhat rigorous but whitewater can be avoided.
Temagami is another option Get Hap Wilson’s guide: Temagami - A Wilderness Paradise - Welcome to hapwilson.com - Hap Wilson
For an idea of options check this: https://mhoadventures.com/adventure/
Thank you so much. Great info, so will give me something to research. I’ve never paddled in North America, so would be an experience for sure. Any other suggestions more than welcome too.
Piragis is a BWCA outfitter I have enjoyed working with.
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North America, as I’m sure you are aware, includes everything from the Arctic to the tropics and great wilderness areas are plentiful.
Now is a good time to see Alaska; the Florida Everglades, not so much.
The Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit in the Interior of British Columbia is very popular. I believe there are canoe rentals there as well. They limit the number of people at any given time so as to keep the area as natural and pristine as possible. There are portages between the lakes. Very likely to see moose on this circuit.
Lila
Hi, thanks once again for your suggestions. I like the look of Bowron Lakes. I know this in in the category “Wilderness Tripping”, but are there any Canoe trails that you could suggest that are less remote in North America, so we can stock up on supplies after 2-3 days.
The Bowron circuit is really good for the less experienced… There is no reason to carry fresh food for the entire trip… You can carry dehydrated food and actually a lot of it can be found in the grocery store. We routinely pack two weeks of food in … We could do a month without a food drop.
Also the trails are cartable. Plus you get to run a short section of mild whitewater yet wind up back at the beginning of a loop… Shuttle service is not needed
I would also suggest the Yukon River Whitehorse to Carmacks… Its 250 miles but the river is swift and you can easily do fifty miles a day… It is not technical at all in that section.