Paddling Temagami

With over 250,000 lakes, Ontario is a paddler’s paradise. Recently, James and I finally made it up to Temagami: a small community just past North Bay (about 5 hours north of Toronto) that is home to many beautiful interconnected lakes.

We could have brought our kayak, but we decided to be walking Canadian stereotypes and rent a canoe instead.

We based our trip out of Smoothwater Outfitters: an adventure company that coordinates canoeing trips in the region. They have lodging options, but will also allow you to set up a tent on their property, which is what we did.

You can’t go wrong with Smoothwater and their knowledgeable staff, high-quality gear, and absolutely delicious food. We will definitely be back, likely for a multiday canoeing/camping excursion (which they will plan for you!)

We brought our small dog Mango on this trip. Mango has not been the biggest fan of kayaking in the past, so we weren’t sure how this would go. But, it turns out that she loves canoeing! Something about the deep hull makes her feel safe. Stick a dog bed under the yoke and she’s happy all day.

Paddling right by our tent!

Having confirmed that Mango enjoys canoeing, we ventured to a bigger lake down the road on the second day. Despite being inhabited by the occasional cottage, we didn’t see anyone else on the lake all day. That’s a major advantage of driving a bit further north than, say, the Muskoka region. Tranquility even in the middle of summer.

There were lots of rocky places to dock the canoe and enjoy a peaceful swim.

Always check the weather report. Things can go from sunny to stormy real quick!