I visited this site in August, 2017 and, frankly, I’m surprised we were able to explore it without having to walk through someone’s vacation. This site is awesome. I feel like it should be taken pretty much every day of the summer. It’s right on Cedar, so easily accessible from the Brent access point. It’s got pretty much everything you could ask for in a site: lots of room, good tent spots, great swimming, privacy (the closest sites aren’t close at all) and, most importantly, it’s got artifacts all over it from the Park’s earlier days (including a couple of partially submerged and fully submerged rail ties and axles, so watch your step). I highly recommend giving this spot a visit.
Canoe Landing/Terrain: The canoe landing is a wide, sandy beach. 1,000 monkeys working for 1,000 years could not invent a better canoe landing. The site terrain is nice and flat, as is the short hike back to the ruins of the Dish-Kaduk Lodge that are the site’s main attraction.
Tent Sites: I counted at least four decent ones, including a nice little point spot just up the shore towards Little Cedar from the site’s beach. You could fit a large group on this site comfortably.
Fire Pit: Decent. It’s well built with a high lakeside wall to protect your fire from an onshore wind. There’s only one log bench near the pit, so you may end up fighting your friends for a place to sit. That being said, if you’re not planning on portaging off Cedar you could always pack in a few extra camp chairs. There’s a grill that gets a 3/5 on the “I’m not putting anything that’s going in my stomach on that thing” scale. Good for supporting a pot or a pan, maybe not something you want to put your food on directly.
Accessories: Oh man, so many accessories. As I mentioned off the top, this is the site of an old lodge. There are remnants of it and of the old CN Rail line all over the site. There’s an old stove near the fire pit, rail car axles in and under the water, and, the piece de resistance, the still standing fireplace and chimney of the Kish-Kaduk Lodge just a short walk back from the site.
Swimability: Extremely swimmable. The beach in front of the site is fantastic. Just watch where you’re stepping, there’s a bunch of crap underwater that’s probably just waiting to give you tetanus if you cut yourself on it.
Thunderbox: On the trail back to the lodge remains. It’s located in a small circle of pine saplings, so built in air freshener at least? It’s in good condition.
Views: Great views across Cedar Lake and even better views back in time. There is a decent amount of shoreline tree cover, so some of the site would have an obstructed view, but it’s not bad at all. Would likely help cut the wind on a breezy day.
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