Kiosk & Parry Sound

The last week of July we headed out for another little adventure. My sister invited us to visit them at a lakeside cottage they were renting near Parry Sound. We decided to take a couple of days on the way there and do some camping on our own. Between Ottawa and Parry Sound is Algonquin Park, which we could drive either through or around. There are a number of campgrounds on Highway 60 that runs through the park, but I decided that was a little too accessible. So I looked for a more remote option and discovered Kiosk campground. Presumably so named because it sits on Kioshkokwi Lake, it is on the north edge of Algonquin, about half an hour off Highway 17 that passes along the north of the park.

Kiosk has only 24 sites and no bugs! Or maybe we lucked out due to the time of year. The site is a popular starting point for canoe campers overnighting in Algonquin Park. There were only two park staff on duty, and we didn't see them do the rounds once. It was awesome to feel completely unbothered for a change!

We had a massive pull-through site to ourselves, and even our gargantuan tent didn't do much to fill it.


Having to fit everything into the car meant cutting back on some camping items, and so this time we took just a tiny backpacking stove instead of the regular one or the barbeque. It seemed a little odd but it worked. Voilà our kitchen.


Lily had a great time playing in her wing of the tent, which served as a great screened-in nursery.


It got down to 5 degrees overnight, which wasn't so bad except Lily's hands had no protection felt freezing by morning and were rather swollen. Don't worry... we felt sort of bad. Note to self: bring mittens next time we camp in July.

After a couple of days, we packed up and continued to the cottage that awaited us near Parry Sound. It was on a nice quiet little lake with very few neighbours to bother us; it even had a great little sandy beach, complete with a dock and boats.


The only minor issue was the massive trees overhead. They prevented any sun from hitting the beach or dock until 2pm or so. That would be great if it were 30 degrees out but it wasn't that week. Overall though, a nice spot to relax for a few days.


Creemore, who puts up with ear and eyelid pulling much better than Daisy does.


Lily didn't take to the water like Carrie hoped she would, but she did get wet a time or two.