Site Details
Closest Access Point: Kiosk (Access # 29)
Distance to Access Point: 19.8 KM (1 Day)
Difficulty of Travel From Access Point: Easy (depending on the wind on Manitou)
Maintenance Level: Regular
Date Visited: May, 2022
This site straddles the narrow part of Manitou’s southernmost island. I really liked the look and feel of this site. It’s big, open and well laid out. It’s got nice views, good swimming and lots of tent space.
Terrain: This is a very flat site. It’s situated where the island narrows and can be accessed on both sides. Ground cover is mostly grass, with a mix of dirt and pine needles back between the trees. Very easy to get around.
Canoe Landing: There are good landing spots on either side of the island. Both sides have well defined pull up areas. The southeast side is a bit rockier, but still very approachable. We came in on the northwest and had no problems.
Fire Pit: The fire pit is nicely placed near the tree line. It’s got a great view to the southeast. It’s well constructed, with slightly higher walls on the windward side.
Tent Sites: This is a very flat site, so lots of places to pitch a tent. There are a few pads back behind the fire pit, and the grassy area would work for a couple more tents as well.
Swimmability: I did not swim here, but it seems very swimmable. As I mentioned, you can access the water on both sides of the island and the underwater terrain is a mix of sand, small pebbles and some larger rocks. Nothing too difficult to navigate.
Accessories: The log benches around the fire pit are solid, but basic. There’s a small bushcraft counter someone has nailed in place, which is handy, but, also, please don’t nail things to trees.
Views: Predominately unobstructed views out to the water from most of the site. There is tree cover along the shoreline to either side of the site, but there’s a nice big window for the site itself.
Notes: The only thing I wonder about with this site is how bad the bugs might get. I find that grassy sites can be pretty buggy, especially in the spring. That aside, I would happily stay here for a night or two.