Site Details
Closest Access Point: Opeongo Lake (#11)
Distance to Access Point: ~40 KM (coming from both Lavielle and Big Crow) – This is a day 2 destination.
Difficulty of Travel From Access Point: Medium
Maintenance Level: Regular
Date Visited: September, 2022
This is the first site you come across as you exit the Crow River coming from Big Crow Lake, and it’s a nice spot. It’s not overly big, I don’t think I’d stay here with a large group, but it’s certainly doable for a smaller group or a solo tripper.
Terrain: The site occupies a small point on Crow Bay’s south shore. It feels like it’s just been hacked out of the woods, in a good way. The terrain is uneven, but navigable. The fire pit is slightly above the tent area, and is slightly below where you’d find the thunderbox (I believe, my memory on that point is a bit hazy). Be prepared for some mild up and down as you walk around the site.
Canoe Landing: Not the easiest canoe landing I’ve ever navigated. The shoreline is a mix of plant growth and larger rocks. The landing area is visible coming from the river, but isn’t an easy pull up. We ended up pulling up sideways to the landing area and climbing out onto the rocks before beaching the boat. On the plus side, the underwater approach was mostly clear, although I do recall getting hung up on a submerged log as I was trying to pull out.
Fire Pit: The fire pit is towards the back of the site. It’s a nicely laid out pit area and the fire pit is in good shape. My only complaint would be that the pit feels enclosed. You’ve got a narrow, semi-obstructed window to the north and other than that it’s trees in every direction.
Tent Sites: There are a couple of decent tent pads. The ground is level enough, although you might find it challenging if you were trying to put more than a three or four person tent up.
Swimmability: I’m going to admit that I didn’t do a thorough check of the shoreline around this site. It could be that there’s a better spot to swim from than the one pictured, but if not, this is a pretty meh swimming site. The underwater terrain is uneven and the entry area is small.
Thunderbox: The thunderbox is up a short path out the back of the site. If I recall correctly, there is a small hill between the box and the rest of the site. The box itself is in good shape.
Accessories: Reusing a picture here because it’s the best view of the site’s benches, which are its lone accessories. It’s a nice bench set up though. Solidly built, wide surface. Useful for sitting and meal prep if it comes to it.
Views: This is an enclosed site. The growth along the shoreline is thick, and the trees are tall. There is a small window out to Crow Bay, but otherwise you’re not getting much of a view from the site’s interior. Down by the water isn’t much better, as the dense underbrush doesn’t really provide a comfortable spot to sit and watch.
Notes: This report sounds more negative than it should be, I think. I actually liked this site. I guess it’s a case of the whole being more than the sum of its parts. I’d stay here, despite the fact that I apparently don’t have much positive to say about it.
Related Trip Report: Crow River Loop(ish): Proulx to Dickson and Everything in Between