Suggestions? Lakeland PP (summer) Camping / Fishing with Canoe

[FIDDY]

Greetings outdoorsmen,

I'm planning an overnight trip to Lakeland provincial park in the "backcountry" camping zone which I have yet to explore.

I'd love any tips / insight on the area that you fine experienced folks may be able to offer.

I'm looking to head up from Edmonton early on a Saturday and try to arrive at a staging zone around 8-9AM. From there, load a canoe onto a dolly with my gear and hike in to one of the lakes and hopefully carry a quick enough pace to move me across the first lake and onto the second in hopes to avoid the majority of other people also enjoying nature so that I can set up in one of the more isolated designated camping areas.

I'm hoping to catch my lunch on the way in, so hopefully walleye are biting.

I'd hope to arrive at my site around mid-day to set up camp, and then set out to collect firewood and do some more fishing, keep myself entertained overnight, spend Sunday exploring / fishing before packing up and heading home.


Would love your feedback and suggestions, thank you!

Ryan.

My planned route so far is such:

[Blastoff]

Stay on an island if possible or be bear aware. For fishing just use rubber tail jigs. Pack in pack out

[capper]

I’ve stayed on that island a few times, 3 or 4 spots total between the two islands. Every time we have been we were sharing the island with 1 or 2 other groups. Depending on how isolated you want to get the McMuffin sites are usually a lot more quiet and no motorized boats. We personally have not had any issues with bears but have seen first hand evidence of bears so be aware. Enjoy the paddle!

[FIDDY]

Thanks for the replies!

For the bears, I'll have a partner with me, so hopefully we'll be noisy enough in conversation and on our feet to keep curious critters at a respectable distance and I will be packing a couple cans of bear spray with us as a last resort, before the knives and axe come out I guess

Capper, from the Jackson lake portage do you have a rough estimate for travel time to the McGuffin lake camp sites? We're only there for one night on this trip, hoping to be wise with our time!

Thanks again

[nast70]

If you look at the map, from the Jackson lake camp sites, its an easy paddle to the McGuffin portage. My sister does it every year in her kayak. The portage to McGuffin is a bit tricky to see among the reeds, look for the gap in the trees instead and aim for that.
If you want to save some time, you can trailer in your gear with an atv from the staging area to the Jackson lake camp/boat launch.
The trail in was just widened and resurfaced. I curious to what other improvements they made. When I called about the conditions of the outhouses, they were tight lipped about other things being done.
Good luck and enjoy the area!

[foxracing_23]

I would stage at the 10 mile staging area, cant open your map on my phone but it looks like on before the one you indicated. Much less dollying of your canoe that way

[FIDDY]

Originally Posted by foxracing_23

I would stage at the 10 mile staging area, cant open your map on my phone but it looks like on before the one you indicated. Much less dollying of your canoe that way

I think that's only accessible by ATV, I'm a motocross / road racing guy so unfortunately the only thing I have for hauling is my 1/2 ton!

I don't mind the hike, part of these trips for me is the challenge

[Blastoff]

From stage 10 parking lot I think it's 3 kilometres in then you hit Jackson

[FIDDY]

Originally Posted by Blastoff

From stage 10 parking lot I think it's 3 kilometres in then you hit Jackson

On this PDF map it shows the mile 10 ATV trail being 5.3KM compared to the 3KM Jackson lake staging trail

https://www.albertaparks.ca/media/64...ountry-map.pdf

[Pike fisher]

FIDDY - You are correct about the distances. Don't stop at the Mile 10 area; keep driving down the road to the Canoe Staging Area. Some people leave the portage carts in the parking lot, but there is a collection site about 50 m down the trail towards the lake where they are usually stored. Hopefully you don't have to walk the 3 km to the lake to get a cart

[Gerald_G]

Do plan your day for the possibility that you may need to hike 3km to retrieve a cart. I've had to. The hike is pretty easy.

I have seen bears in the area personally more than once, and a friend hiking the trails saw one too. Neither of us had issues with them though, just know they are around. They swim well too. My BIL saw one swimming across the lake one day.