Closest Access Point: Canoe Lake (Access Point #5)
Distance To Access Point: 6.5KM (1 – 1.5 hours)
Difficulty of Travel From Access Point: Easy.
Maintenance Level: Regular
Date of Visit: June, 2020
This is a small and pretty basic site on Joe’s western shore. The only thing it really has going for it is that it’s easy to get to and it’s the closest site in the Park to the Joe Lake cliffs. Otherwise, it’s not really that exciting.
Terrain: This is a flat and compact site. It’s got a rocky shoreline that slopes up to a bare patch of dirt where the site proper is. There are a couple of downed trees on the south side of the site that make an already small site seem smaller, but odds are those will be cleared away fairly soon.
Canoe Landing: The entire front of the site is gradually sloping rock that hits the water and keeps on sloping down. You can pull your boat up sideways to the shore and get in and out pretty much anywhere you want along the front of the site. There are no significant underwater obstacles to make the approach more difficult.
Fire Pit: Decent fire pit. Someone has taken the time to build a nice set of walls that would cut any onshore breeze.
Swimability: The site is swimmable enough, you can wade in from multiple spots along the shore, but much more important is its proximity to the Joe Lake Cliffs. Between the cliffs and the reasonable on site option you’re not going to have trouble getting those trunks wet.
Tent Sites: There’s enough room for at least a couple of tents on the site proper. Given how small the site is, you’re definitely going to hear your buddy in the next tent snoring, but at least you won’t be sleeping on a slope.
Thunderbox: The thunderbox a decent walk back into the woods. It’s in pretty good shape considering how much use it must get.
Accessories: There’s a nice three bench horseshoe set up around the fire. That’s about it.
Views: There isn’t much tree coverage along the shoreline of the site proper. You’ve got a nice view of the cottage on Joe Island that’s almost directly across from you, as well as a good vantage point to watch people jumping off the cliffs or paddling up from the Joe Lake portage.
Notes: This is a fine site if you’re looking for something close to the Cliffs or the Joe Lake portage. Other than that, there are better options on both Joe and Tepee and, if you feel like a bit more work, Little Doe and Tom Thomson.
Related Trip Report: The Brent Crawl
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