Outdoor Family Adventuring

I have several favourites when it comes to our provincial parks system – I love camping at Grundy Lake, Killbear, Balsam Lake and more recently, Algonquin. It is easy to fall into a sense of security and continue to book where we know but Ontario is massive and there are provincial parks across this province that are just waiting to be discovered. With this sense of adventure in mind (and, to be honest, a lack of options south of Sudbury) we made a last minute decision to book three days, four nights at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park in mid-June. We had never been to this park before but a quick Google and a perusal of a couple Facebook groups dedicated to Ontario Provincial Parks had convinced me that this was going to be a park we would fall in love with. How right I was.

Samuel de Champlain is located between North Bay and Mattawa Ontario, one of the most gorgeous spots in the near north of Ontario. The options for adventure and exploration are endless here and we made a small dent in a to do list that will likely take several more trips to complete!

Our drive up was slow, peppered with stops. When you’re traveling with young kids, long car trips almost always become extra long car trips. Bathroom stops, diaper explosions, snack wants and coffee needs, plus just a general need to get the kids out of the car and stretching their legs can quickly add an hour or two onto your trip schedule. For this trip, I think we made a few unnecessary stops, but eventually we made it. The entire drive we were driving into dark, menacing clouds accompanied by a thunderstorm warning but about an hour outside of North Bay the skies cleared and by the time we hit Callander, we knew we were in for a gorgeous sunset. We stopped for firewood in Callander at a gas station as the sun was preparing to set and we weren’t sure if the park office would be open when we arrived (hot tip: the park office is only open 11am-6pm so this was a good stop decision!). We made one more stop at the Lake Nippising Lookout to watch the sunset. We knew this stop would mean setting up in the dark which is never fun with young kids but honestly, no regrets! I’m glad we took some time to take this in and enjoy the view.

Driving into Samuel de Champlain in the dark was an interesting introduction to the park. The clear skies and bright moon illuminated the Amable du Fond River and the deep forest within which the park is located. It was gorgeous, even at 10:30pm. We found our site, set up as quickly as possible and then it was time for a campfire under the stars! Our kids were over-tired, the kind of tired that hits kids with an extra shot of adrenaline but with a little luck and white noise, we got them down and had a quiet, kid-free beer around the fire before turning in ourselves.

The morning was chilly but warmed quickly. It was our first chance to really see the campsite in the daylight and I was pleasantly surprised. We booked campsite #102 which was on the top of a loop, but a loop that was not heavily travelled due to being above the main campground roads. The site was large, flat and fairly private as far as Ontario Parks campsites go. I didn’t have one complaint and I can get picky about my campsites! If you’re travelling with kids, I would definitely recommend this site. There is a flushing vault washroom a quick walk away, the beach is nearby with parking but easily within walking distance and the water tap is just off to the side, but not directly on, the site. All pluses in my mind for car camping!

Our major adventure of the day was a day trip to the Eau Clair Gorge Conservation Area to complete the Eau Clair Gorge Hike. This hike is a self guided 1.9km hike through the significant human and natural history of the area. The terrain ranges from rocky, to huge tree roots to cliff drops into rushing rapids and it is a must-see and must-do if you’re up this way. My 5 year old managed quite well although the final climb got to his little legs a bit and he needed a piggy back ride from daddy. My toddler, who would have given me heart attacks the whole way if she walked, was up on my back in the ErgoBaby 360; from her vantage point on my back she could take in all the views and I could relax and enjoy the hike. Our evening was spent on our site and taking a walk around the park – at sunset I gave my partner a bit of break and took the kids for a walk along the water and the views were breathtaking. The kids were so tired from the hike and the adventures of the day that they both passed out easily by 9:30pm which was fantastic for us parents!

Morning came, and holy moly, my girl was up with the birds! It was chilly and while I would normally make a coffee at the site, the chill in the air and the knowledge that there was a Tim Hortons 15 minutes away in Mattawa won out and I tossed her in the car for a little drive with the heat on while the boys got an hour or two more of sleep. The drive was unreal – the mist rising was incredible and like nothing I had ever seen before. I was careful and drove extremely safely because the fog was incredibly thick along parts of the highway. Once I procured my coffee and breakfast sandwich I parked down by the Ottawa River and took in the beauty with my girl.

The view was incredible at 7:00am. We stood on the rocks looking towards the bridge and just watched as the mist rose in real time. Caoimhe stepped into the river a few times, because she has never met a body of water she didn’t want to explore. The pictures speak for themselves and I’ll just let them tell the story.

We got back to the site and settled in for a lazy morning before starting our day – a big breaky and fresh coffee is always on the camping menu! Despite the chilly start to the day, the temperatures rose quickly and we headed to the beach for a few hours. The beach at Samuel de Champlain is lovely; Moore Lake is shallow, calm and a kids paradise! There is also a small “playground” on the beach although it is really just a set of swings and a see-saw (nothing spectacular but a few swings are fun enough!). Once the kids were sufficiently waterlogged, we packed them up in the car and headed out of the park for a car nap. If you have been reading along with me for awhile, you know that in my opinion, the car nap is the holy grail of naps when it’s hot and the tent isn’t an option. Our kids both passed out quickly and we took a long, meandering drive through Mattawa and along 522 just enjoying the scenery and quiet kids. We got back to the site and our evening began.

Evenings can be hard when camping with kids – I find it to be the most stressful time of every trip. Between dinner prep and fire starting and mosquitos teeming and bathroom breaks and clothes changing … it is a hectic time and as parents we are often bouncing from one task to the next as quickly as possible. One of my biggest tips for parents who are new to camping: do not stress the meals! Kraft Dinner, Alphaghettis, sandwiches … whatever is easiest, feed them that. It’s fine. Once dinner is wrapped up, the kids are in their cozy warm night clothes and the parents have cracked a beer, all the stress melts away around the campfire which is where we spent our final night.

This was a quick last minute trip; we had two full days to spend at the park and we barely made a dent in the activities and exploration available! There are multiple trails available within the park, along with several canoeing and boating options and of course, the famous rapids! One of the highlights of Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park is the natural “Lazy River” right in the middle of the park. Bring your floaty tube and spend some time floating down the river – this is defintely top of our to-do list when we return!

Speaking of returning – every year we book a full week of camping and for 2022, we are heading back to Samuel de Champlain for that long trip. This park stole our hearts and we can’t wait to be back!