Ryan Lake – Site 9

This is a large site, built on the side of a hill. It’s also my favourite spot on Ryan. Tucked away very close to the end of the string of sites that dot Ryan’s north shore, this site feels a bit more private than some of the others on Ryan. This is despite the fact that it’s a stone’s throw across the water to Site 11, Ryan’s sole island site. 

The site is dotted by telephone pole pines. This means that the view out to the water from most of the site is semi-obstructed, but in my opinion the trees add to the view instead of detracting from it. The site is built on a bit of a hill, and as a result there’s a slight rise to navigate up from the water. The slope is gentle, however, and it doesn’t feel like you’re staying on the side of a mountain or anything.

There’s enough level ground in the site’s interior for a couple of tents at least. The fire pit area is nicely located, with a semi-obstructed (but still very pretty) view out to Ryan. There aren’t much in the way of campsite accessories beyond a tall standalone grill and a couple of logs around the fire pit.

The shoreline, like most of the campsite shorelines along Ryan, is fairly grown in. Unlike some of the other sites further west, there’s a decent break in the shoreline here for loading and unloading. You’re still not going to get more than one canoe at a time, but at least you can access the site without pushing through branches or standing in the water. 

Swimming here would be decent. The underwater terrain is relatively sandy/silty and free of obstructions. The view from the water is quite nice. You’ve got Ryan’s two islands in front of you and a decent view west towards Shirley. The view from the interior isn’t as clear, but it’s still nice.