Paddling — Flatwater.
The Baptiste–Elephant–Benoir tri-lakes system is the township's marquee inland-lake paddling complex — Baptiste Lake's 61-kilometre perimeter and 103-foot maximum depth flow through the York River and a channel known as the Ripples to connect with Elephant and Benoir Lakes. Lake St.
Peter Provincial Park rents canoes at the gatehouse store; Papineau Lake, Mink Lake, Bark Lake, Kamaniskeg Lake at Combermere, and the Madawaska River round out the inventory.
The brief.
Lake St. Peter is the easiest entry point — the park gatehouse store at 356 Lake St.
Peter Road rents canoes, the campground beach is the put-in, and the lake is sheltered. The Baptiste–Elephant–Benoir tri-lakes system rewards a multi-day or shuttle paddle: Baptiste Lake (61 km perimeter, max depth 103 ft, average depth 17 ft) connects to Elephant and Benoir through the York River and the Ripples channel, with municipal boat launches at North Baptiste and Big Point Papineau.
Below Egan Chutes Provincial Park, a documented 31.5-kilometre York River canoe route runs downstream from Farm Chute toward Conroy Marsh — the chutes themselves are not runnable in a canoe, with portages at Egan Chute, Flat Rapids, and Farm Chute. The standard window is mid-May through October.
Spring high water through April raises the chute portages' difficulty.
6. places.
- 01
Lake St. Peter
Recreational-class park lake; canoe rentals at the gatehouse store; sheltered for novice paddling.
- 02
Baptiste–Elephant–Benoir tri-lakes
61 km perimeter on Baptiste alone; tri-lakes connected by the York River and the Ripples channel; municipal boat launches at North Baptiste.
- 03
Papineau Lake & Creek
Big Point boat launch; Municipality-listed paddling water.
- 04
Mink Lake / Bark Lake / Kamaniskeg Lake (Combermere)
Municipality-listed paddling waters across the township.
- 05
Madawaska River
Eastern-edge paddling water through the township.
- 06
York River downstream from Farm Chute (Egan Chutes Provincial Park)
31.5 km downstream canoe route into Conroy Marsh.
Today's read.
Temperature (3.9°C) below the typical range.
By the book.
- 01The chutes inside Egan Chutes Provincial Park are not runnable in a canoe; the river drops through Egan Chute, Flat Rapids, and Farm Chute and the trails on either side serve as portages.Source ↗
- 02Egan Chutes Provincial Park has no facilities and no guard rails at the chutes; the six backcountry campsites are not on the Ontario Parks reservation system.Source ↗
- 03Hastings Highlands operates municipal boat launches at Dock Road (Herschel), North Baptiste Lake, Old Diamond Lake Road, Salmon Trout Lake, Graphite Lake, and Big Point Papineau Lake.Source ↗