Carcajou Lake
May 2021 and May 2022
A 1953 map of Algonquin Park (map No. 47a) shows the old tote road that ran from Basin Depot to Carcajou Creek, and from there to the Spectacle Lakes and on to Grand Lake.​ The map indicates there was also a trail from Carcajou Creek that ran northwest parallel to Little Carcajou Lake, Wenda Lake and Carcajou Lake, and then on to a ranger cabin on Greenleaf Lake.
Province of Ontario, Department of Lands and Forests, Algonquin Provincial Park, Map No. 47a, 1953. Carcajou appears as "Karkishoo" on this map.
We wondered if any indication of that trail might still be found, and so we hiked into the area twice -- first on May 30, 2021 and again on May 10, 2022. Both times we hiked along the 9.75 km cart trail that follows the hydro line from Batise Creek to the portages into Barron Lake and Carcajou Lake.
On that first trip we only went as far as the put-in to the sedge meadow (Carcajou Creek) above Carcajou Lake. We did make our way around the edge of the meadow but not as far as the lake. As others have noted in their trip reports there are many large patches of poison ivy in this area.
On our second hike into the area, on May 10, 2022, we again walked to the put-in, but this time we bushwhacked over to the west side of the lake. This meant we had to get across one large wet area. Thankfully, there was a tree down which meant we were able to cross without getting wet -- but it required quite a balancing act. While I was crossing we heard an animal crash through the woods moving away from us -- likely a bear.
Our route in red. We did find the faint outline of a road within the area circled on the map.
Base map: Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Topographic Maps, Achray, 31-F/13, 2010​
We came out onto Carcajou Lake on the high rock wall on the west side of the lake. No sign of anyone on the lake.
During the walk back we came across two Smooth Green Snakes warming themselves in the sun.