Paddling the Barron Canyon in Algonquin Provincial Park

Paddling the Barron Canyon was stunning! I headed up to Algonquin this summer with some friends to paddle this beautiful route for the first time, and we all agreed it was so worth the trip from Ottawa.

We put together a shuttle from one end of the route to the other, so all in our route was roughly 10 km long. This included four short portages. The paddling itself was super easy and calm. The portages were well marked, and all under 500 metres so not terribly challenging in terms of distance- but the terrain was a bit rocky, so they shouldn’t be underestimated!

All in all, we still felt as though it was a perfect paddle for almost anyone- especially if you like stunning views of rocky cliffs.

We also had enough time at the end of the day to hike the Barron Canyon Trail at the top of the cliffs, which I also recommend. This short trail (only 1.5 km!) had some amazing views of the Canyon.

Quick Facts

Length: 10 km (9 km paddling, 1.1 portaging)
Portage Distances: From west to east- 160 metres, 100 metres, 440 metres, and 420 metres.
Difficulty: Moderate (On a scale of easy-moderate-hard).
Trailhead Coordinates:
Brigham Lake Parking Lot: 45.890669, -77.681408
Barron River Parking Lot: 45.872132, -77.560393
Washroom at Trailheads: Yes, at both ends.
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Cell Reception: None
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Parking: Free, but a day pass is required for the park.

Our Route

Since we had the ability to run a shuttle (two cars, one parked at each end of the route) versus paddling out and back, we planned our route around this.

Starting from the west side at the Brigham Lake parking lot made things easier in two ways: we would be paddling downstream, and we would get most of the portaging out of the way early!

This parking lot had space for about thirty cars, but was filling up nicely by the time we arrived! You can use these coordinates to get there: 45.890669, -77.681408. There was a sign at the side of Barron Canyon Road that let us know we had arrived. And a very tiny (and tilty!) outhouse near the back of the parking lot.

We all met at the Brigham Lake parking lot, dropped off the boats, and then drove back to the east side of our route to leave a car at the Barron River parking lot, where we would be getting out. You can use these coordinates to get there: 45.872132, -77.560393.

This parking lot was a little bigger than Brigham, and the bathroom was MUCH nicer- it actually had enough space for us to change.

Getting Started

First things first, we had to portage! Back at the Brigham lake Parking Lot, we followed the signs at the trailhead, carrying our boats down a semi-steep little hill. We walked past a campsite at the bottom of the hill, and put our boats into he water close by. This little trek was only 160 metres. One portage down, three to go!

The shoreline was a bit rocky, but we helped each other into our boats and we were off! This section of the river was incredibly calm, and we enjoyed paddling easily through the forest.

Brigham Lake

Brigham Lake opened up a bit, but was a small little lake, and we paddled across it quickly, looking for the portage sign. At the eastern end of the lake we paddled into a small channel, spotting the classic bright yellow Algonquin portage sign in the trees on our left hand side.

This portage was short, at only 100 metres. Almost not even worth getting out of the boat for! Then, as soon as we put back in we could literally see the next portage across from us, it, was that close. Two down, two to go!

Onto the Third Portage

The 3^rd portage was the longest, and the trail brought us right alongside the Brigham Chute and falls at first, so we could see exactly WHY we were portaging. The portage itself was really well worn, making it easy to follow. But it was also somewhat technical terrain, with lots of rocks and roots everywhere threatening to trip us up. I was wearing running shoes and happy for them (versus, say, bad sandals that could have made the terrain impossible, especially if they were wet). There were a few little hills along the way that felt TOUGH with a forty pound kayak on my shoulder. In most places, the trail was just single-track.

Getting lazy, I put my boat in BEFORE the portage sign, and quickly realized that it’s advisable to put in at or after the portage sign. It was very shallow for the first few metres, and I had to scoot my boat over some rocks to get to a spot where I could actually paddle. Oops!

The Canyon

Paddling just a short distance, the view began to change and we found ourselves surrounded by rockier and rockier terrain. Soon, it was apparent that we were in the middle of the Barron canyon, as the cliff walls soared high above us. We could actually spot tiny little hikers at the top, which was pretty cool!

We got to enjoy this dramatic scenery for just under 3 km when it began to change back to views of the forest. Also nice! Just not QUITE as visually stunning as the Canyon itself. We also began to spot a few more campsites nestled into the tress on our left hand side.

The river got a little wider, but we still had the shoreline in sight on either side of us. As we approached the final portage, we could hear Cache Falls. We spotted the portage sign on our left again and headed off for our final 420 metres on land! Again, this portage was rocky, rooty, and hilly. It was tough work, but we managed it.

Sooner than we thought, it was time to hop out. We spotted a bridge across the river and took our kayaks out of the water just before this, heading up just a few feet to the Barron Canyon Parking Lot.

Paddle Thoughts

All in, it took us just over 5 hours to complete this route. Our total distance paddling was about 9 km, and our total distance portaging was just over 1.1 km. A few of my friends couldn’t carry their boats on their own, so ended up completing the portages in two trips, helping each other carry their boats. This added some time to our trip, and so this route could definitely be completed in a shorter time. But it was also nice to take our time throughout the day and not rush!

After our paddle, we headed off to hike the Barron Canyon Trail, and it felt amazing to see such spectacular views from both the bottom and the top of the Canyon.

Honestly, I think the northeast part of Algonquin Park might just be my favorite… I’ll have to head back a few more times to make sure though!

Map

Whenever I’m hiking somewhere new, I tend to wonder about who was on, and who took care of that land before me. I’ve enjoyed using this website as a place to start learning more about the Indigenous people whose land I’m on: Native-land.ca.