Free canoe route guides and canoe camping resources for exploring Ontario.
- 5
- Route guides
- 125 km
- Paddling mapped
- 7,790 m
- Portaging measured
- 3
- Parks covered
Meet EJ
I’m EJ, the paddler behind Between Lakes. I started portaging in 2024 and quickly fell in love with it. I’ve always enjoyed camping, exploring new places and taking on physical challenges. Canoe camping brings all three together, and I think it’s one of the best ways to experience Ontario’s lakes, forests and scenery.
I’m always looking to learn more, explore new routes and discover more of what Ontario has to offer. I created Between Lakes to collect what I’ve learned on my own trips and share it with the canoe camping community. I also want to make it easier for paddlers to share their own routes and experiences, so the site can grow into a resource built around both my trips and the knowledge of others.
The story behind Between Lakes
Planning a canoe trip often means piecing together information from different sources. Portage details might be buried in an old forum post, campsite information in a Reddit thread, and park rules somewhere else entirely.
Between Lakes brings useful trip information together in one place. The site covers canoe routes, portages, trip planning and gear, with practical information to help you prepare for your next outing.
My own trips have taken me to places including Algonquin, French River, Kawartha Highlands and Killarney. I’ll continue adding routes as I explore more of Ontario, and I welcome submissions from other paddlers who want to share their routes and knowledge with the community.
How the guides are put together
Between Lakes combines first-hand experience, reliable reference information and contributions from the canoe camping community.
First-hand experience
My personal route guides are based on trips I’ve paddled, with details about distances, portages, campsites and what I learned along the way.
Reliable information
I check park rules, permits, reservations and access details against official sources where applicable.
Free resources
All route guides, canoe camping resources and trip-planning information are free to access, with no subscriptions or paywalls.
Independent gear reviews
I buy the gear I review and share my experience with the products I use. My comparisons focus on practical differences, performance and value.
Routes submitted by other paddlers will be identified as contributions, so readers can tell whose experience a guide is based on.
Where I’ve paddled
Explore the Ontario routes I’ve paddled, with more coming soon. The site will also feature routes submitted by fellow paddlers, helping build a broader collection of trips and experiences from across the province.
- May 2025Canoe Lake loopAlgonquin Park. 3 days, 24.35km, 3 portages.
- July 2025Magnetawan Lake canoe routeAlgonquin Park. 3 days, 21.6km, 8 portages.
- September 2025French River figure-8 portage loop French River. 4 days, 38.3km, 3 portages.
- May 2026Serpentine Lake loopKawartha Highlands. 4 days, 22.50km, 7 portages.
- July 2026Tepee Lake canoe routeAlgonquin Park. 2 days, 17.8km, 2 portages.
How the site is funded
Between Lakes is supported in part by affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
I buy the gear I review, and companies don’t pay to be featured or decide which products I recommend. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
