05/29/2026
1. Check the thunderbox… nothing worse than finding out too late that it’s been busy.
2. Set up the tents. If it starts to rain, you’ll want somewhere to go.
3. Hang a rope in a tree for the bear bag. This is actually really important, because you don’t want to be fumbling around trying to make sure that your food won’t lure a bear into your campsite when it’s already dark or you’re too tired.
4. Gather a healthy cache of firewood. Gathering everything you need for the evening before you start the campfire is a better approach than constantly walking out into the bush to grab a few dead branches. Plus, if you have some leftover then you can use that in the morning or leave it for the next people. Remember to take only dead branches from the ground! Never cut anything that’s alive.
5. Pull your canoes up on shore, flip them over, and tuck your life jackets away. Just in case the wind picks up overnight, you don’t want to wake up and find out you’re up the creek without a way to get back.
You can have this much fun with your friends too. Pick up a canoe trip plan from algonquincanoetrips.com for step-by-step information, packing checklists, maps, and canoe route overviews.
Even if it isn’t your first canoe trip, these comprehensive documents can be helpful tools for preparing everyone in your group and getting your friends excited.