Camping on Grace Lake: a Photo Diary

 

Grace lake is one of the many lakes scattered around Killarney Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. It’s accessible from the park’s northern access points, namely Widgawa Lodge. The advantage of a northern access point is that it’s less busy than others; the drawback is that it takes longer to get there from the main Ontario urban centers such as Toronto and Ottawa.

Grace lake was a frequented spot by the Group of Seven’s Franklin Carmichael. It was where this famous picture of him was taken. 

It’s a gorgeous spot well deserving of the artist’s attention. 

Getting to Grace lake requires a relatively short canoe trip and a portage. It’s also a short but rigorous portage to the breathtaking, clear-watered, Nellie Lake. There are three campsites to choose from, and they tend to be less busy than the Nellie Lake sites, which makes this a perfect base camp to explore Nellie lake and more of the park.

Here follows a photo diary of a portage trip two friends and I took to Grace lake in the summer of 2019. We’re soon returning to this spot in 2020 as we loved it so much. (How better to social distance than in the middle of nature? Travel itches can be scratched in quarantine!) 

Mist hangs over the lake as we arrive chased by thunder, presaging a storm.

Warm fire and cool rain.

Whiskey to warm up.

The storm passes, leaving cotton candy skies.

Up bright and early and ready to hit the water, and portage to Nellie Lake.

Clear blue waters of Nellie lake, at this idyllic swimming spot.

Things cooked on campfire taste 10x better.

Sunrise progression

Lilypads as far as the eye can see on the canoe trip back.

Gen