I chose this trip as my first solo canoe trip because I wanted a destination that was close to home, not too challenging, but still scenic. The Herb & Gun Lake Loop described in Kevin Callan’s “A Paddler’s Guid To Cottage Country” seemed ideal. None of the portages were long or difficult and it would give me a chance to find a few geocaches on the way.
First Day
Even after driving from Stouffville to Dorset and stopping for a hearty lunch I still had more than enough time to make it to my campsite before nightfall. There was a bit of a breeze when I started and I had to do some vigorous paddling to get going, but the wind soon cooperated and by the time I sailed past the last of the cottages near the put in point I was moving along easily. It was one of those bright sunny days that just overwhelms you with the beauty of the area, warm, but not hot.
Half way along Herb Lake I paddled past a campsite populated by young women in bikinis. I tried not to gawk so as to give them their privacy, but they called out happy helloes and I waved back. It was a long and slightly awkward paddle across the bay in front of their site.
The narrows at the south end of Herb is very scenic. The water level was high enough that the small dam between Herb and Ernest Lakes was awash and I didn’t have to do a lift over, just a shimmy. The Ernst to Brandy portage is quite flat except for a sudden drop at the end. It’s a very easy carry and I was able to manage my pack and canoe at the same time.
The lift over in the middle of the pond was the only one that required me to get out of the canoe. After sliding the canoe over (and getting a soaker) I was starting to wonder if I’d missed the portage. It’s a good thing that I was looking for the sign because I almost went right past it to the falls. The Brandy Falls portage is very scenic where the stream tips over the rocks between the two lakes.
The water winds back and forth through some reeds before opening out onto Gunn Lake. It may have been the perfect weather, or the sun glinting off the water, but Gunn Lake seemed like an ideal spot to be at the time. The pictures on the HHWT websites often don’t do the campsites justice and make the place look a bit dull, but on this bright September day Gunn Lake was truly spectacular.
Even after a late start thanks to the drive, I got to my site by four o’clock and still had plenty of time to make camp, cook dinner and wash up before sunset. With all of my chores done I was able to relax and read my book. I hadn’t been thrilled with my site at first, but it really grew on me as I enjoyed the view of the bay and watched the full moon rise over this pretty little lake. The local beaver had a lodge nearby and was patrolling the bay next to my site, diving frequently with a loud slap of the tail.
I had been a bit worried about sleeping in my hammock in the cool September night, but other than a small draft on my bum I was quite comfortable, and the chill in the air kept all of the bugs away.
Second Day
Reversing my route back to Herb Lake was quite easy. Not only was the weather still perfect, but the wind had obligingly reversed itself so I was paddling with the breeze again. I met some Kayakers at the end of the Herb portage and we chatted briefly about the park and camping in the area.
I took a detour to Knife Lake on the way out to grab a geocache. Since I wasn’t going to camp I didn’t need to bring my pack and made quick work of the first portage. The water between the two lakes is very scenic and deserving of a loftier title than ‘pond’. I think of ponds as overgrown marshy puddles, not scenic pools shadowed by majestic granite hills.
The first portage looked much shorter than the second on my map, but still neither was really of any consequence. When I started the second the sign said 141m, so I was kind of surprised when I saw the water ahead after just a few steps. I checked the sign on Knife Lake, and it too said 141m, but I suspect that someone added a 100m to the length of this short walk on the signs.
When I paddled back through the Herb the girls in their bikinis were gone and I had a quiet paddle back to my car. A loon surfaced right next to my canoe just as I was in view of the takeout point. I still had time to visit the fire tower in Dorset before driving home.
Tips
The Haliburton Highlands Water Trails are a managed camping area and require a reservation for overnight camping. The have an excellent website for online reservations. Campsites are booked individually rather than by the lake so you know you know that your site will be available if you arrive late.
Difficulty
- All of the portages are flat, relatively level and mercifully short.
- There are one or two lift overs depending on water levels, neither of which are very difficult.
- The trip can be easily completed in two days, or even done as a day trip with an early start.
Comfort
The area isn’t particularly marshy or boggy, but I would expect there to be quite a few bugs in the late spring, early summer.
Remoteness
- There are a few cottages on Herb Lake near the put in point, but it doesn’t take long to leave them behind. I saw a much more rustic looking hunt camp on Knife Lake. While the cottages mean that it isn’t a full backcountry experience they were out of the way.
- I did see an aluminum fishing boat at the end of the portage to Gun Lake, so it is possible to encounter powerboats on any of the lakes. I didn’t on my trip but in peak season it is probably quite likely.
- While I didn’t experience much traffic on my trip I expect that in the peak season it gets pretty busy and potentially a bit rowdy. The lack of portages for the Herb Lake sites would be very appealing to partiers, and Gun Lake isn’t much harder to get to.