2 Crown Land

CROWN LAND

               If you want to go 'get lost' in the woods, my first recommendation would be finding yourself Crown Land. Crown land is forests which are not deemed 'provincial parks', and are freely open to anyone interested in exploring. These forests were gifted to the queen, and although it is against the law to build on it, any one is welcomed to venture and camp on it within their means. There are no government funded out-houses, water spouts, conservation officers, signs, rules or regulations; you just go out there, find a spot to set up camp (presumably far away from anyone else), and voila! Your adventure begins. If you're in the right crown land, you’ve probably done a large portage and have ended up in an old growth forest (a forest that's been around for at least 120 years) and you probably will see maybe one or two other sets of campers on a popular day. This is what I personally call getting lost in the woods; you’re roughing it in the great outdoors. Everything you have, you’ve carried on your back. A wall of trees and miles of lakes have cut off and isolated you from the rest of the population. You’ve got to work for what you need. Although this hard work and loneliness may be frightening to some, I promise you, it pays off, and it gets easier.

              Now where is some good crown land, you ask? A family favorite for me is Temagami which translates to Deep water. Temagami is a lake up in northern Ontario.  The sights are breath taking and the adventure is one of a kind. Head north on Highway 11 ‘til Temagami lake Access Road, about an hour north of North Bay. At the end of Temagami Lake Access Road there will an arena, and a large free parking lot. Grab your canoe, unload your stuff, and head to the lake. You’ll be surrounded by small forested islands. It’s all crown land, so, unload and begin where ever you please! I’d recommend finding  a personal island to feel like you’ve truly gotten lost in the woods.

Personal photo of  Temagami at dusk