Backpacking the Arkon Loop in Frontenac Provincial Park was our first ever attempt at backpacking! I’m writing this trip report just in case you were thinking of trying backpacking for the first time. We weren’t sure how exactly to go about it, and maybe you feel the same. We didn’t do everything perfectly. At one point, one of us MIGHT have said “this is the worst adventure we’ve ever been on,” but we bounced back and it turned out to be pretty great!

The Arkon Loop was perfect for our first attempt. It’s a pretty short loop, so we only had to hike out 5.1 kilometres to get to our campsite. Plus, the trail was really flat and really well traveled. And our dog was allowed to come with us!

Making the Reservation

We were planning to only stay one night, and booked campsite 7A for a Saturday night in July. Because Frontenac is a Provincial Park in Ontario, we were able to register for the campsite online. We registered here: http://www.ontarioparks.com/reservations.

First things first, we had to create an account. We received an email letting us know we had done so successfully. Then we were able to make our reservation right away.

All the campsites in Frontenac are considered “backcountry.” We had to choose this as our reservation type in order to see which sites were actually available.

After reserving site 7A, we got an email confirming our reservation. It included information like the park address, as well as our reference and reservation numbers. We also got a handy reminder email about a week before our trip.

We booked our site in May, in order to make sure we got one. These sites fill up fast for the year!

Getting Packed

We’re pretty lucky that we already spend a lot of time hiking, and some time camping. This helped us have an idea of what we should bring. Regardless, we started getting our gear together a week ahead of time.

Packing early for trips lets us take the time to make sure we have what we need. I find I ALWAYS remember things throughout the week that we didn’t remember at first. It’s nice to give yourself that extra time.

I also like to have everything spread out so I can see it, because that also helps me think about anything I’ve missed. Our dining room becomes VERY messy in the week or so before a trip.

Check out the end of this trip report for a full breakdown of our gear.

Pack Weight

Not being backpacking experts, I have no idea what an ideal pack weight is, especially for just one night. We also didn’t research how best to actually pack our packs. We just kind of went with what fit where, and what seemed to make sense at the time.

A lot of people are obsessed with getting their pack to weigh as little as possible, but we’re just not there yet. Ultra lite gear is super expensive in most cases. I’m just not prepared to be spending that kind of money for a few nights out in a year. That doesn’t mean I don’t keep an eye out on Kijiji though!

Ultraliters, please stop reading now.

Between the two of us, we were going to be packing in 36.8 pounds of gear. My pack weighed 16.6 pounds, and my husband’s weighed 20.2 pounds.

The weightiest things we brought were our tent (from Walmart, cringe!) and the bear barrel we brought. The tent weighed in at 5.4 pounds, and the bear barrel at 4.6 pounds.

Splitting our Gear

We tried to divide our gear as equally as possible. Since we both had a sleeping pad, bag, and pillow, we each carried one of those. I carried our tent (and didn’t have too much room left over). My husband strapped the bear barrel with the food and our stove onto his pack. It turns out it was a REALLY bad call on how we positioned it.

We also carried our own clothing, and split up the water. For the little odds and ends, like our mini lantern and stuff for the dog, we just put wherever it would fit. Anything we thought we might need while hiking, we put into the tops of our packs (like the first aid kit).

The biggest mistake that we made when packing was hanging that bear barrel. Having so much weight hanging off the pack put a lot of extra strain on my husband’s shoulders as we were walking in, and it totally could have been avoided. Live and learn!

Hiking In

We hiked less than 5 kilometres on the Arkon Loop Trail in order to get to campsite 7 at Frontenac Provincial Park. We’ll often hike upwards of 10 kilometres in a day with no problems, so we were surprised how challenging we found hiking with the added weight.

Luckily, my pack has adjustable straps. I was able to stop and experiment along the way with what fit felt the best.

Unluckily for my husband, his pack did not. AND the chest strap broke away from his shoulder strap just as we reached the trailhead. He was able to tie it back on, but that also proved to be a hassle because then when we stopped for a break he couldn’t set his pack down immediately. He kept having to untie it first.

It was about halfway through our hike that he began to wonder if we were on “the worst adventure we’ve ever been on.” It really goes to show how the right pack, and pack weight, can have a huge impact.

Campsite 7A

Campsite 7A was the furthest from the trail. We got to walk past D and C, and then B, on our way there. D and C were closest to the trail, and were grouped close together. The trail to 7A took us past the privy, and then we arrived at B and A, which were also quite close together.

There was actually a direct line of sight between our campsite and the one next to us. The site itself was so lovely that we really couldn’t complain.

The tent platform near the back of the site was huge. There was also a picnic table and a bench right beside the fire pit.

The site was really nice and shady, and gradually sloped down to the shore of Birch Lake. Birch Lake looked PERFECT for swimming in, and one of the first things we did was get our feet into the water. There was also a beautiful breeze that blew in off the lake, which really helped to keep us cool throughout the afternoon.

Setting up Camp and Hanging Out

After cooling off for a bit in the lake, we got around to setting up our camp. Pitching our little tent from Walmart was easy, although the ground was SUPER hard, and we had to find a small rock to hammer the tent pegs in with.

Our sleeping pads inflated really quickly, because we store them inflated in our house. We laid out our sleeping bags and inflated our little pillows, and then we were basically set.

With that done, we moved over to the picnic table to hang out and play cards for a bit. We were REALLY regretting not bringing our hammock because we kind of felt like having a nap but didn’t want to be “inside” on such a beautiful day.

The shoreline in front of site 7A is where campers who are paddling in pull their boats up to shore. It’s also the beginning of a portage route from Birch Lake to Arkon Lake. This lack of privacy might annoy some people, but we lucked out and got to meet a little group of teenagers who entertained us quite a bit while they were learning canoe rescue techniques from their older guides.

Birch Lake is also accessible to powerboats. We saw a handful of them go by (but not more than four or five). Having those boats on the water kind of took away from our sense that we were at a backcountry site. At the same time, some people might find it reassuring to have other people nearby who could help if something went wrong.

Dinner and Purifying Water

Making dinner was super easy for us. We had brought a dehydrated Good to Go meal to split. So the only thing we had to do to “prepare” dinner was boil some water in our MSR Windburner. We really like this little stove because it boils the water super quickly, and the flame never goes out in the wind (so far, anyway!). After boiling our water, we tossed it in the Good to Go bag and closed it up for twenty minutes. This allowed everything to rehydrate. The Good to Go meals are expensive, but they are SO yummy.

While we were waiting, we used the stove to purify water from the lake. We had brought about six litres of water into the camp with us, and had kind of thought that would be enough. But, we had already drank a little more than three litres. We absolutely did not want to start the next day dehydrated. There was no way we wanted to find ourselves without water on the trail heading out.

We scooped water from the lake with the bottle we were using for the dog’s water- don’t judge us, she has all her shots! Then, we poured it through our Buff into the stove, to catch any big particles. The water looked crystal clear, but we still boiled it at a “rolling boil” for two minutes, just to be safe.

There are lots of other ways to purify water, like using filters, but we don’t own one. We also could have used the water purification tabs that we keep in our first aid kit. I didn’t want to because I’m pregnant right now and I just didn’t know if they were safe. We boiled an extra two litres of water to make sure we got through the night and the next day with no problems.

Food Storage

We didn’t have a campfire, even though the fire pit would have been perfect for one. Before setting out, we had decided there was NO WAY we were lugging in a bag of wood to the campsite. It would have been much more feasible if we were paddling in.

Before packing it in for the night, we put all our food, and both our packs, into the food locker that was provided. The locker was a big metal box, designed to make it impossible for animals to access.

We had brought along the bear barrel for this purpose, but if we had known the locker was available we totally would have left it behind. We always do our absolute best to make sure that animals can’t get into our food when we’re camping. Not taking precautions would be super irresponsible for us because it can have negative effects on the animals. Smaller animals can be a real annoyance if they eat up all your food. Not to mention it might not be good for them. In places where there are bigger animals, like bears, there can be even bigger problems. If bears have access to human food it can cause them to change their patterns to the point that they are viewed as a threat to humans and might be killed or relocated.

We put our packs into the locker as well, because then we didn’t have to think twice about what was where (scented things like deodorant, sunscreen, etc., can also attract animals). The locker was HUGE, and everything fit really easily.

Sleeping

We slept super well through the night, and woke up later than we thought we would have. The campsite is so nice and shaded that I guess the sunrise didn’t have its usual opportunity to wake us.

Our sleep “system” was really basic. We each had a Thermarest Prolite Plus sleeping pad, a small backpacking pillow from MEC, and our light summer sleeping bags. At first, I was sleeping inside my sleeping bag. I roll around a LOT though, and it was getting all twisted. Even though the night got cool, I found it was easier to just unzip my sleeping bag entirely and lay it over me like a blanket.

I really like our little MEC pillows. They inflate super easily, and when they’re fully inflated are quite thick (for a backpacking pillow), and are really firm. They also deflate super easily. That made it easy to change the size and firmness throughout the night as I switched positions.

We hadn’t brought anything for our dog to sleep on. We know her super well, and knew that even if we did, she would just be cuddling up with us. There was no way we were packing in the extra weight for her. Luckily, we were right, and she was happy to crash on the Thermarest at my feet (despite all my flopping around).

Breakfast and Packing Up

There are good dehydrated breakfast meals out there, and we probably should have bough tone for breakfast. Instead, we had just brought along croissants to snack on, as well as a granola bar for each of us. Right away, we could tell that we weren’t full enough, so we had a few more leftover snacks.

Packing up camp was really quick and easy, because we had only been there for the night and had brought so little. Plus, our sleeping bags and sleeping pads are REALLY easy to get back into their stuff sacks. I hate it when you have to wrestle with your sleeping bag to get it back in the bag. Every time I roll these ones up I expect a fight and then I’m always reminded how nice and easy it is.

Despite sleeping in a bit, we were ready to go and back on the trail by 8:30 a.m.

We’ve had a few days where we started hiking earlier, and I’m starting to really love it. Not only does the early morning light lend the forest a really beautiful feeling, but the heat is SO much more bearable. We finished the Arkon Loop and were back at our car by 11 a.m.

Backpacking- Worth It?

Despite a rocky start, we really enjoyed our trip. The distance we had chosen was enough to challenge ourselves a bit, but not make things too hard. We had accounted for the distance our dog could safely go, as well as ourselves. That way, even though we experienced some discomfort, there was never a question of abandoning our destination. I really think that being well within our physical limitations contributed to a successful trip.

We definitely had the opportunity to learn a few things about our gear. The most important was how best to wear our packs. We also got some ideas of what gear we might want to add to our collection before we go backpacking again.

Even though the sites at Frontenac were still close together, it was a way more beautiful spot than what you get at most campsites. Often campsites are practically piled on top of one another, with a few trees thrown in here and there. It was a nice change.

For anyone wanting to go backpacking for the first time, I think it would be important to feel comfortable with camping in general. Car camping would be a great place. That way you’ll know you have everything you need to be (at least a little) comfortable overnight. Having done at least a few day hikes ahead of time would be helpful too. Then, once you’ve started to feel more comfortable with those two activities, you could pick a campsite that’s not too far off the beaten path to try out. I really think starting small is the key to success. And there are some great sites out there that aren’t too far to get to! Bon Echo has really lovely backcountry sites off the Abes and Essens Trail. Frontenac also has sites that are even closer to the main office than the one we stayed at.

I hope this trip report has enough info to get you there too. Let me know in the comments, or share and tag a friend to start planning your next adventure!

Map

Gear We Brought