We're visiting a unique gem among our National Parks - Georgian Bay Islands where we'll be staying on a backcountry site on Beausoleil Island. The area is famous for its unique ecosystem of pines and dramatic rock along with crystal clear waters.
By night we should have some incredible stargazing opportunities and by day, some stunning hikes. The island location means the bug situation is much better than other areas so it should be a really special weekend to a spot not many others can say they've visited.
The adventure starts with taking two private water taxis from Honey Harbour to Beausoleil Island, a relatively short 15 minute hop.
We'll be dropped off close to the Oaks camping area so it's just a short walk to our campsites from there.
Activities
There'll be a mixture of choosing your own adventures in addition to some group hikes to some of the prettiesr spots on the island. There are great swimming opportunities if you can stand the cold of Georgian Bay as well as extraordinary stargazing if you get lucky with the cloud cover.
The two hikes we have planned are the short 4km Fairy Trail hike on the day you arrive and a 13km hike around the island for those who feel up to it on the Saturday!
The Camp
We're staying on the Oaks campsite on the North East side of the island. We've got 3 sites reserved for our group all of which are close to the water and have great views of the bay.
We're staying 6 people per site with a maximum of 2 (WU provided) tents per site.. Everyone will be assigned a different responsibility at camp and together, we'll set up our home for the night. This involves:
Sleeping Arrangements
There's limited space on the campsite, we're sharing tents separated by gender. You won't be able to bring your own tent as there are strict space limitations and rules imposed by the park. It's unlikely that there'll be trees to hang hammocks on the campsites either.
Facilities
This being backcountry, there'll be no phone reception, no electricity and only composting toilets
We'll be purifying our own water and bringing our own toilet paper.
Water
There's a risk of water contamination with viruses like Giardia (beaver fever!) and bacteria so we'll be purifying water on site. We'll be providing all necessary equipment for water purification but feel free to bring your chosen method in addition.
Fire
There's no fire ban so we'll be able to have a campfire at night.
Campsite responsibilities
This trip is an opportunity to build your skills so we'll all be mucking in to make the trip a success. We'll divide up responsibilities on the campsite so you learn how to set up a tent, do a bear hang, purify water etc. We'll also share in the work to cook and keep things clean. Is there something you really want to learn while we're out? Do you have skills you could share with the group? PM us on Discord and let's work it in.
Friday 21st June
08:00 - Self-drivers meet at the PetroCanada next to Keele Station. We leave extra time to pack up because we'll be loading the van. There's a Tims around the corner if you want to grab breakfast/packed lunch. N.B. We are on a tight timeline and won't be able to stop for washroom breaks or food on the way up.
08:15 - Shuttle leaves from PetroCanada at Keele
10:15 - Meet with self drivers at 2614 Honey Harbour Rd. Self drivers find parking (cash only)
10:30 - Load water taxis
11:00 - Boats leave
11:30 - Arrival at campsite
11:30 - 14:00 - Set up camp.
14:00 - 16:30 - Acquaint ourselves with the island by hiking the Fairy Trail
Evening - Dinner, fireside hangs, stargazing
Saturday 22nd June
Morning - Option - Chill morning at campsite or hike the 13km outer trail loop (packing lunch with you)
Afternoon - Hikers complete trail. Others chill out on the campsite, swim etc.
Sunday 23rd June
Morning - Pack up campsite to be out by 11am
11:30 - 12:00 - Water taxi back to mainland
12:30 - Celebratory lunch at Harbour House
14:00 - Leave to Toronto
16:30 - Anticipated return to Toronto
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
Clothing:
As a general rule of thumb, only take what is absolutely necessary and only bring one bag! Remember that you're hiking everything in so you don't want excess weight. You should have at least a 50L bag because you'll also have to carry some group equipment
Pack according to the weather. This is a suggested list:
Gear:
Camping Gear/Sleep system
We'll be providing tents for everybody but you will need to bring the following:
Personal Stuff:
Period Products
Wondering how to handle camping on your period? Here's a great resource with everything you could need to know. If you still have questions, member Chrissy has offered to answer questions and you can message her privately on Discord.
Random Stuff:
Got light-weight games? Bring em!
We'll be providing most meals (either vegan or meaty according to your dietary requirements) for this adventure along with tea and coffee but no milk.
Please ensure that your dietary requirements and allergy info are up to date in your account.
You're responsible for your own breakfast (before we meet) and a packed lunch on day 1. We'll be going for a group lunch at a restaurant on the final day that is additional.
Friday lunch - Packed lunch that you bring
Friday dinner - Hot dinner
Saturday breakfast - TBD, provided
Saturday lunch - Wraps
Saturday night dinner - Hot meal
Sunday morning breakfast - Hot oatmeal
Sunday lunch - Lunch at the Harbour House restaurant
You're welcome to bring your own burner for making tea and coffee. You should also bring your own snacks!
We'll provide the following:
Self-drivers - Please note that you'll need to pay $10 parking per day in cash at Honey Harbour
Ticks - Black legged ticks are in the area. You should wear pants rather than shorts to prevent them latching on and lighter colours make it easier to spot them and keep you more cool. There's no need to worry about ticks if we take a few precautions and we'll talk about doing a tick check after the hike just to confirm we haven't picked any up. You can learn more here
Getting lost - We'll have a check-in, check-out procedure at the campsite. No going off on your own without first talking with one of our two guides.
Heat stroke - It's going to be very hot so it's important you cover up appropriately and ensure that you're drinking plenty of water.
Hiking injuries - Wear appropriate footwear and hike within your abilities. If you need extra support, bring hiking poles. Any injuries? Let us know in advance of the hike.
Wildlife - Bears are active in the area. We'll give you a full briefing on bear safety but rest assured that they pose very little threat to us. Want to learn more about wildlife safety? Watch the recording from our session with Ontario Park's bear expert. We'll provide all equipment necessary for a bear hang.
It's extremely important that no food is left unattended at the campsite (we've had meals stolen by raccoons before!) and at night, we'll take everything smelly out of bags and hang them in a tree, safe from wildlife.
The Massasauga rattlesnake, Ontario's only poisonous snake, calls Beausoleil Island home. No need to be worried but do give them space if you see one. They're very shy and prefers to hide or retreat from enemies rather than bite them; if threatened, it will shake its tail as a warning and strike only as a last resort to protect itself if it can not escape.
Water danger - Georgian Bay can be very cold and unpredictable. Swimming is only allowed under supervision and if you can't swim, you should keep out of the water.
From this excellent Parks Canada background on Georgian Bay that's well worth reading.
The islands of Georgian Bay are witness to a long history of human settlement and are long known as a place of refuge, serving as a stopping place and seasonal campsites. Archaeological findings demonstrate human activity and settlement on the islands dating back over 5,500 years.
Following contact with European settlers, Indigenous peoples struggled to maintain their cultural practices while Euro-Canadians rapidly began to settle the area. Beausoleil Island is named after Louis Beausoleil, a Métis settler whose 1819 homestead stood at the island’s southern tip. As relationships and settlement patterns evolved over time, different Indigenous groups made use of the Georgian Bay area. Several movements, traditions and relationships of First Nations in the area are commemorated by related designations of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, including the displacement of the Anishinaabeg of southern Georgian Bay from their reserve lands in Coldwater-Narrows in the 1830s, which is recognized as a national historic event.
Beausoleil Island, with its sandy beaches and ample fishing, created an ideal destination for the Anishinaabeg to trade goods and forge relationships. For periods of time, settlement of Beausoleil Island included two reserve villages (1838-1856) and then post-reserve homesteads. From Beausoleil Island, members of Beausoleil First Nation moved to their present-day reserve lands on Christian Island. Beausoleil Island remains a cultural landscape and a place of memory that reflects on the Anishinaabeg people’s presence, relationship with the land and displacement. Beausoleil Island is the setting of many Anishinaabe oral traditions and serves as a link to the resources, routines and ceremonies that reflect the traditional way of life of Anishinaabeg peoples. This long and significant heritage of generational ties to these lands and waters, which anchors the collective memory and culture of Anishinaabeg peoples of southern Georgian Bay, led to the recognition of Beausoleil Island as a national historic site in 2011. The nomination of Beausoleil Island as a national historic site was initiated by the park’s Cultural Advisory Circle.
We're visiting a unique gem among our National Parks - Georgian Bay Islands where we'll be staying on a backcountry site on Beausoleil Island. The area is famous for its unique ecosystem of pines and dramatic rock along with crystal clear waters.
By night we should have some incredible stargazing opportunities and by day, some stunning hikes. The island location means the bug situation is much better than other areas so it should be a really special weekend to a spot not many others can say they've visited.
The adventure starts with taking two private water taxis from Honey Harbour to Beausoleil Island, a relatively short 15 minute hop.
We'll be dropped off close to the Oaks camping area so it's just a short walk to our campsites from there.
Activities
There'll be a mixture of choosing your own adventures in addition to some group hikes to some of the prettiesr spots on the island. There are great swimming opportunities if you can stand the cold of Georgian Bay as well as extraordinary stargazing if you get lucky with the cloud cover.
The two hikes we have planned are the short 4km Fairy Trail hike on the day you arrive and a 13km hike around the island for those who feel up to it on the Saturday!
The Camp
We're staying on the Oaks campsite on the North East side of the island. We've got 3 sites reserved for our group all of which are close to the water and have great views of the bay.
We're staying 6 people per site with a maximum of 2 (WU provided) tents per site.. Everyone will be assigned a different responsibility at camp and together, we'll set up our home for the night. This involves:
Sleeping Arrangements
There's limited space on the campsite, we're sharing tents separated by gender. You won't be able to bring your own tent as there are strict space limitations and rules imposed by the park. It's unlikely that there'll be trees to hang hammocks on the campsites either.
Facilities
This being backcountry, there'll be no phone reception, no electricity and only composting toilets
We'll be purifying our own water and bringing our own toilet paper.
Water
There's a risk of water contamination with viruses like Giardia (beaver fever!) and bacteria so we'll be purifying water on site. We'll be providing all necessary equipment for water purification but feel free to bring your chosen method in addition.
Fire
There's no fire ban so we'll be able to have a campfire at night.
Campsite responsibilities
This trip is an opportunity to build your skills so we'll all be mucking in to make the trip a success. We'll divide up responsibilities on the campsite so you learn how to set up a tent, do a bear hang, purify water etc. We'll also share in the work to cook and keep things clean. Is there something you really want to learn while we're out? Do you have skills you could share with the group? PM us on Discord and let's work it in.
Friday 21st June
08:00 - Self-drivers meet at the PetroCanada next to Keele Station. We leave extra time to pack up because we'll be loading the van. There's a Tims around the corner if you want to grab breakfast/packed lunch. N.B. We are on a tight timeline and won't be able to stop for washroom breaks or food on the way up.
08:15 - Shuttle leaves from PetroCanada at Keele
10:15 - Meet with self drivers at 2614 Honey Harbour Rd. Self drivers find parking (cash only)
10:30 - Load water taxis
11:00 - Boats leave
11:30 - Arrival at campsite
11:30 - 14:00 - Set up camp.
14:00 - 16:30 - Acquaint ourselves with the island by hiking the Fairy Trail
Evening - Dinner, fireside hangs, stargazing
Saturday 22nd June
Morning - Option - Chill morning at campsite or hike the 13km outer trail loop (packing lunch with you)
Afternoon - Hikers complete trail. Others chill out on the campsite, swim etc.
Sunday 23rd June
Morning - Pack up campsite to be out by 11am
11:30 - 12:00 - Water taxi back to mainland
12:30 - Celebratory lunch at Harbour House
14:00 - Leave to Toronto
16:30 - Anticipated return to Toronto
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
Clothing:
As a general rule of thumb, only take what is absolutely necessary and only bring one bag! Remember that you're hiking everything in so you don't want excess weight. You should have at least a 50L bag because you'll also have to carry some group equipment
Pack according to the weather. This is a suggested list:
Gear:
Camping Gear/Sleep system
We'll be providing tents for everybody but you will need to bring the following:
Personal Stuff:
Period Products
Wondering how to handle camping on your period? Here's a great resource with everything you could need to know. If you still have questions, member Chrissy has offered to answer questions and you can message her privately on Discord.
Random Stuff:
Got light-weight games? Bring em!
We'll be providing most meals (either vegan or meaty according to your dietary requirements) for this adventure along with tea and coffee but no milk.
Please ensure that your dietary requirements and allergy info are up to date in your account.
You're responsible for your own breakfast (before we meet) and a packed lunch on day 1. We'll be going for a group lunch at a restaurant on the final day that is additional.
Friday lunch - Packed lunch that you bring
Friday dinner - Hot dinner
Saturday breakfast - TBD, provided
Saturday lunch - Wraps
Saturday night dinner - Hot meal
Sunday morning breakfast - Hot oatmeal
Sunday lunch - Lunch at the Harbour House restaurant
You're welcome to bring your own burner for making tea and coffee. You should also bring your own snacks!
We'll provide the following:
Self-drivers - Please note that you'll need to pay $10 parking per day in cash at Honey Harbour
Ticks - Black legged ticks are in the area. You should wear pants rather than shorts to prevent them latching on and lighter colours make it easier to spot them and keep you more cool. There's no need to worry about ticks if we take a few precautions and we'll talk about doing a tick check after the hike just to confirm we haven't picked any up. You can learn more here
Getting lost - We'll have a check-in, check-out procedure at the campsite. No going off on your own without first talking with one of our two guides.
Heat stroke - It's going to be very hot so it's important you cover up appropriately and ensure that you're drinking plenty of water.
Hiking injuries - Wear appropriate footwear and hike within your abilities. If you need extra support, bring hiking poles. Any injuries? Let us know in advance of the hike.
Wildlife - Bears are active in the area. We'll give you a full briefing on bear safety but rest assured that they pose very little threat to us. Want to learn more about wildlife safety? Watch the recording from our session with Ontario Park's bear expert. We'll provide all equipment necessary for a bear hang.
It's extremely important that no food is left unattended at the campsite (we've had meals stolen by raccoons before!) and at night, we'll take everything smelly out of bags and hang them in a tree, safe from wildlife.
The Massasauga rattlesnake, Ontario's only poisonous snake, calls Beausoleil Island home. No need to be worried but do give them space if you see one. They're very shy and prefers to hide or retreat from enemies rather than bite them; if threatened, it will shake its tail as a warning and strike only as a last resort to protect itself if it can not escape.
Water danger - Georgian Bay can be very cold and unpredictable. Swimming is only allowed under supervision and if you can't swim, you should keep out of the water.
From this excellent Parks Canada background on Georgian Bay that's well worth reading.
The islands of Georgian Bay are witness to a long history of human settlement and are long known as a place of refuge, serving as a stopping place and seasonal campsites. Archaeological findings demonstrate human activity and settlement on the islands dating back over 5,500 years.
Following contact with European settlers, Indigenous peoples struggled to maintain their cultural practices while Euro-Canadians rapidly began to settle the area. Beausoleil Island is named after Louis Beausoleil, a Métis settler whose 1819 homestead stood at the island’s southern tip. As relationships and settlement patterns evolved over time, different Indigenous groups made use of the Georgian Bay area. Several movements, traditions and relationships of First Nations in the area are commemorated by related designations of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, including the displacement of the Anishinaabeg of southern Georgian Bay from their reserve lands in Coldwater-Narrows in the 1830s, which is recognized as a national historic event.
Beausoleil Island, with its sandy beaches and ample fishing, created an ideal destination for the Anishinaabeg to trade goods and forge relationships. For periods of time, settlement of Beausoleil Island included two reserve villages (1838-1856) and then post-reserve homesteads. From Beausoleil Island, members of Beausoleil First Nation moved to their present-day reserve lands on Christian Island. Beausoleil Island remains a cultural landscape and a place of memory that reflects on the Anishinaabeg people’s presence, relationship with the land and displacement. Beausoleil Island is the setting of many Anishinaabe oral traditions and serves as a link to the resources, routines and ceremonies that reflect the traditional way of life of Anishinaabeg peoples. This long and significant heritage of generational ties to these lands and waters, which anchors the collective memory and culture of Anishinaabeg peoples of southern Georgian Bay, led to the recognition of Beausoleil Island as a national historic site in 2011. The nomination of Beausoleil Island as a national historic site was initiated by the park’s Cultural Advisory Circle.
