Site Details
Closest Access Point: Sec Lake (Access # 20)
Distance to Access Point: 1.5-2 KM
Difficulty of Travel From Access Point: Easy if paddling in from Sec Lake, easy/medium if carrying in from Norm’s or Sec along the low maintenance carries.
Maintenance Level: Regular
Date Visited: November, 2022 (also, July 2017)
This is a basic site that doubles as the start of a portage. On the plus side, it’s Wet’s one and only campsite so you’ve got the lake to yourself. On the negative side, being one end of a portage means that anyone going from Wet to Norm’s Lake/Wet to Sec is going to drop by and say hi (this probably isn’t as bad as it sounds. Neither of those seem likely to be high traffic routes from what I’ve seen).
Terrain: This is a flat site that rises gradually as you start to follow the portage up to Norm’s Lake. The site itself isn’t all that large, but it’s hard to say where the site ends and the road that the portage follows begins. Either way, the terrain is easy to navigate without many obstacles or hazards.
Canoe Landing: The last time I was at this site, November 2022, there was a large tree trunk across the front of the site where you would likely pull up your canoe. If that’s still there, it narrows down the area you have to load and unload. Just to the left of the trunk (looking at it from the lake), there’s a spot you can pull up. There’s room for one canoe, and the footing is uncertain. The underwater approach does have some rocks, but I don’t recall actually hitting any of them.
Fire Pit: The fire pit didn’t change much in the five years between my visits to this site. It’s a jumble of rocks, located towards the front of the site. It’s got a very nice view out to the water.
Tent Sites: There’s room for a few tents here, although I would say that the overall dimensions of the site make it more suitable for smaller groups. What do I mean by that? Well, you can pitch a tent behind the site where the site bleeds into the portage. But the actual site area isn’t all that large. A big group would have room to sleep, but might feel cramped trying to navigate the site itself.
Swimmability: As far as swimming goes, it’s not the most appealing looking spot. The shoreline is a mix of dirt, root and rock. The underwater terrain is more of the same (minus the roots I guess).
Accessories: The site had been cleaned up and cleaned out when I came back through in 2022. In 2017 there were a few benches and log chairs. In 2022 there was a single log bench.
Views: The view is west across Wet. From the water, it’s a nice spot to watch the sun go down. There are a few trees dotting the site, which means views from the site’s interior can be semi-obstructed. I would imagine the trees provide a degree of protection on a windy day.
Notes: I’ve only ever passed through this site. A buddy of mine actually stayed on it for a night and had this to say:
“It’s always nice hunkering down on the only spot on a lake, and Wet Lake fits that bill. You’re certainly far more likely to obtain that feeling of not being near anyone here than on nearby Sec lake. That being said, it should be pointed out that this site is on the portage route to Norm lake. … Firewood was super easy to find for me … Swimming entry I remember being pretty reasonable … The view (as can be seen the above picture) was stunning and included a perfect view of the setting sun.
Fun fact: this site is probably the most catalogued site report I have. I’ve got pictures from three different trips here: July 2017, May 2022, November 2022.
Related Trip Report: Sec Lake Exploratory