Maps showing campsites

[ashil098]

Hello everyone!
I would like to spend some time canoeing and camping on the shores of Lake Kipawa this spring and summer. I am very familiar with the lake around Laniel and Baie Dorval but would like to go out further. I am just wondering if there are any maps showing camp sites for canoeists and portages into nearby lakes, if they even exsist.      Any thoughts, experience, or ideas would be fantastic thanks!

[RHYBAK]

Would that be something you look for through tourism Quebec?

[SgtCrabby]

I ran across maps like that several years ago. 
My rusty memory said it was in a ZEC website (I believe ZEC Kipawa).

Good luck;  they must exist somewhere,  just finding them isn't as easy as it should be.

[T-Bone]

Well...I'm aware of several locations where I've seen over the years of canoeists camping around the central area of the lake; probably can point them out on a map pretty easily. Though, I'd offer that the lake likely has hundreds of locations you could just 'pull up on' that would work well for a campsite.

I think checking with the ZEC is a great idea. Also probably some maps out there on Google that you could find; there is a steady stream of youth groups canoeing the system all summer long that go on 21+ day trips...probably can find one of their maps out there on the web somewhere.

[Jay Thomas]

I checked my ZEC Kipawa map. While it marks camping locations within the ZEC, it does not mark any campsites on Lake Kipawa.

Jay

[son of melvin]

I have yet to come across a map with campsites marked on Lake Kipawa proper.  But T-Bone is right, there are lots.  Aim for islands with large rock outcroppings (lots of those on Kipawa!).

You can follow this trip report with map in hand and decipher some campsite locations:
http://www.myccr.com/canoeroutes/lac-kipawa-circle-route

There's a sign posted by Taylor-Statten Camps on an island at the east end of Bedout, "World's Best Campsite" and it's a nice spot.

For surrounding lakes in the ZEC try this:
https://zeckipawa.reseauzec.com/en/canoe-camping

Algonquin Canoe Company runs trips in the area and should be able to help:
http://www.algonquincanoe.com/

[Fort Wisers]

Hey @ashil098

The above posts are great, particularity the myccr post, my wife and I have read through that post many times purely out of interest in the story.

Kipawa, as a whole doesn't have much in the way of "maintained" camp sites or portage routes.
That being said, and as already mentioned above, there are countless islands, outcrops, points, and beaches scattered around so it's pretty easy to find something by just going out and exploring. We've never had much trouble finding somewhere to pitch a tent.

Couple of things to keep in mind:
As you likely already know, its a very large lake from a canoe standpoint and made that much larger because there our endless little bays etc to explore.
So, leave yourself with lots of time when planning routes if you tend to be a bit of an explorer who may venture off course now and then.
Also be aware that storms can turn up very fast and quite unexpectedly on this lake so plan your routes accordingly, always leaving yourself in areas where you can get to shore quickly.

Here's a link to a trip my wife, kids and I did a couple of years ago:
http://kipawafishingforum.net/index.php?topic=434.0

This is just a small example of what you can find on Kipawa (which again you likely already know!)

Good luck

[limacharley]

I came across this source while looking for something else.

https://www.trakmaps.com/en/products/printed/details/kipawa-lake-291/#

They mention the map includes the following:

-Bathymetry
-Navigation hazards
-Main roads
-Marinas
-Launch ramps
-Camping sites
-Picnic sites
-Topography in 3D
-Printed on waterproof and tear-resistant synthetic paper