highland backpacking trail

In comparison with the rest of the day trails in Algonquin Park, this was definitely the most difficult one we did. It was a lot of ups and downs, roots and rocks. It was a beautiful hike, crossing rivers and valleys. We did not go to the Skymount, but took the shortcut as we were getting tired. If you're tired at the short cuts, take them. There is a lot more walking to do and the additional incline and distance on the full length will be very tiring.We did not stay over night on the Trail. Only did the 5.5km loop.

Hiked the 2nd Loop/Yellow trail of the Highland trail in two days, cutting across the mid-section to save a few kilometres. In hindsight, it was probably not the best idea to do it in two days. Camped by Harness Lake on one of the most beautiful sites. The site would have been perfect for a bit of swimming in the summer. There was lots of room to hang a bear-bag far from the tent with no way of losing it. (The sites at Head Lake were tiny and plain in comparison.)Spotted on the trail were snakes, frogs, toads, chipmunks, squirrels, grouse, loons, and lots of other small birds. Saw signs of many other animals through droppings and tracks. We were hoping to see bigger animals (from far away) but didn’t get lucky. Although we heard a big deer or a moose walk through our site after dusk – confirmed by the hoof trails near the dishwashing area. The trail was very rocky, worn through, and muddy in many parts. The thick leaf-carpet made it difficult to take steady steps. This probably added to the difficulty of the hike. However, the fall colours were beautiful, the weather was perfect, and there were no flies and barely any mosquitoes. We were alone for the most part. We only met people on two occasions: the canoe-campers three sites over on Harness Lake and the high school backpacking field trip near the end of our journey. The hike was OK, but we’ve been on better hikes in Quebec (e.g. Saguenay Fjord and the Mauricie Park).

Three of us did the Highlands trail over 3 days. We ran into a big thunderstorm within the first 3 hours which put a damper on the weekend. We were forced to camp over at Maple Lake the first night as the trail was too slippery and dangerous to continue during the rain. Parts of the trail were turning into a waterfall. Campsite her, as were all the rest, absolutely gorgeous. It took until noon the next day to get all of our gear dried enough to continue. Even with rain gear, we got soaked.Apart from wet and slippery sections, the trail was moderately easy until you reach the northern section across the top. Lots of uphill climbing should have been easy but was much tougher carrying all the weight in your pack. We carried both a water filter plus purification tablets so no issues with water. It always appeared pristine but you can never be sure.The trail is fairly well marked but make sure you have a map with you. There are maps posted at intervals but some of them were too faded to read. Always book your campsite well in advance by contacting the park office. Camping fees are mandatory but they do allow you to scavenge for firewood, something that is prohibited at other parks.