Godda and Booth Lake Trip Report: Algonquin Provincial Park Solo Trip

 My longest back country camping trip this year was into Algonquin Provincial Park. I went from September 16-19, 4 days and 3 nights. Originally my plan was to stay until the 20th but circumstances forced me to change my original route.

Originally, I had planned on going from the Shall Lake Access Point(17) to Godda Lake for one night, then head down to Boot Lake for two nights, up to Booth Lake for one night, then home. However, during my first day, I realized that I had overestimated my capability to portage with a 75 pound canoe, and I had planned too long of a route. I altered my plans and instead spent two nights on Godda Lake and one night on Booth Lake. 

Day 1: I got to the access point at 11:10am and had everything unpacked and loaded into the canoe by 11:25am. I made my way through Farm Lake (which has super clear water) to the first portage into Kitty Lake. The portage was only 100M and was the first of the trip. It took 10 minutes to double carry. I was able to do this one easily as I had previous experience from my Ashby to Barker Lake trip with relatively short portages. It was then a short paddle over Kitty Lake onto the next portage that would take me to Booth Lake. This one was 640M and had some up and down portions. I struggled on this one with the canoe. I was able to do this one in 30 minutes double carrying. 

Once I was on Booth, it was an easy paddle with a slight head wind. The portage into Ryegrass was fairly easy to find as it was almost directly across from the island campsite on Booth. The portage was rougher than the previous two with more undergrowth close to the path and a rocky creek that needed to be crossed. I was able to do the 380M in 25 minutes double carrying. Ryegrass is a small lake and weedy at the start but it soon opened up a little and I was across it in no time at all. The landing for the portage into Rumley was rough, as it was all rocks. There was no easy way to get the canoe in or out of the landing without getting your feet a little wet. The portage was 580M which I was able to do in 30 minutes. The portage was mostly uphill, and much like the one into Ryegrass, there was a considerable amount of undergrowth to contend with. 

Once into Rumley Lake it was rather difficult finding the portage, as the far side of the lake has numerous spots that look as if they could be the portage. The yellow portage sign is also hidden behind a leaning tree which makes it hard to spot but eventually I was able to find it. This portage was brutal in my opinion. This was probably because I bit off more than I could chew and should have planned to end my day on Booth instead of Godda. At this point, it's almost 4pm and I still have the 1380M portage then a paddle across Godda to my desired site. I started the portage carrying my bags, and it just seemed to keep going. Once I finally made it to the end and dropped my bags, I started to dread having to carry the canoe. Once I got back to the canoe and picked it up, I made it maybe 300M through the undergrowth until my back couldn't carry the boat anymore. I resorted to dragging it the rest of the way. Lucky for me, the portage had few rocks and was mostly comprised of moss and dirt, so the canoe got out with only some minor cosmetic scratches. Double carrying the portage took me 1.5ish hours. 

Once on Godda I was able to find my camp site easily and set up camp. The site is located across from both portages that lead into the lake and is on a peninsula. The landing was a little rough and I got my foot wet, but that may have been due to me being done and tired at this point. Once camp was setup I made a fire, had some food and had an early night. 

On Day 1, I covered 21KM, which comprised both paddling and portaging.

View heading into Farm Lake from the access point.

Common Mergansers.

Bald Eagle.

Looking at Booth Lake from the portage, heading into Ryegrass.

Ryegrass Lake.

 

Rumley Lake.

 

My campsite on Godda.

Day 2: My original plan for Day 2 was to head down into Boot Lake but after yesterday I changed my plans. I was able to get enough cell service to ask my wife to change my reservation for me, so that I was able to stay on Godda Lake another night. This day was primarily a rest and recovery day from yesterday.

I got up to see the sun rise and as the camp faces East, it was a nice show. I then took the boat out and went looking for a creek or something that would lead me into Blake Lake, which is a little lake just West of Godda. I was unable to find the creek. Later that day I tried to bushwhack to the lake but the woods were too thick so I turned back. That will have to be for another trip, maybe in the spring before the undergrowth comes up. After not finding a way into Black Lake, I continued paddling around the lake some more and entered a marshy bit that had a few channels but did not actually lead anywhere. I did see some birds and a spiderweb covered in dew in the marsh, which made it worthwhile. 

After the marsh, I headed to the portage that leads into Mole Lake. Because I was going to do this portage tomorrow and had struggled yesterday with some of the longer ones, I wanted to scout this one out to get a feel for it and identify some spots that I could dump my stuff and have a rest at. This portage had less undergrowth than the ones into Rumley or Ryegrass, but it was more hilly. I was happy I was walking it downhill as uphill would have been hard. Once I was done the portage, I paddled back to the campsite and made lunch and relaxed with a book. 

Later that afternoon, I went and checked out the other campsite on Godda, which was nice but not as nice as the one I was staying on. Later that night, there was a full moon which I was able to watch rise from the campsite. The moon was so bright and the sky was so clear that it was casting shadows.

Godda Lake in the morning.

Watching the sunrise.

A dew filled spiderweb.

Yellow-Rumped Warbler.

Slug on a mushroom.

A view of my campsite from the portage into Mole.

A mushroom before it opened.

A mushroom after it opened.

The full moon.

Day 3: The plan for today was to go from Godda through Mole Lake and McCarthy Creek, into Booth Lake where I would find a campsite to stay on for the night. 

I got up with the sun again and had camp all packed up by 8:45am. After a short 5 minute paddle across Godda, I was at the 730M portage into Mole. I decided to carry the canoe first, which proved to be a good idea. Double carrying the portage, it took me 40 minutes. Once on Mole, I explored the lake a little and checked out the other campsite from the boat, which is located right on the portage into Raja. 

McCarthy Creek started off fairly easy at first but quickly got more challenging when the log jam came up. I was able to find a spot where I didn't need to lift too much but ended up with a wet foot and nearly fell in trying to haul my fully loaded boat over the logs. Once clear of the log jam, I had to deal with 4-5 beaver dams which, while relatively small, were annoying to try to get over. While stuck on one of these dams, I heard a loud grunting noise, which I initially thought was a bullfrog. However, once I stood up and looked, I realized it was a moose far in the distance. I was able to snap a few photos, and figured that he would be gone by the time I got down to where he was. I was wrong. Once I cleared the rest of the beaver dams, I paddled to where the moose had been. I looked into the forest and saw a female moose standing watching me. After a few minutes, another moose came up beside her. It looked to be a young male moose judging by the short horns. These two moose stood around for what seemed like forever but in reality was probably only 5-10 minutes, during which I was able to get 125 photos of them. I then decided I had my photos and should leave them in peace, because even though I was on the other side of the swamp, the female moose looked like she wanted me gone, which is exactly what I did. Once I got far enough away, I heard splashing and looked to see the two moose crossing the swamp and disappearing into the forest. 

Continuing down the creek I saw a great blue heron, some geese and ducks, and possibly some otters but they were gone before I could get a photo of them. I then had lunch on an island in the creek which was a good resting spot. 

I continued into Booth Lake where I checked out a couple of campsites, including one with a trail that led to the top of a cliff with a great view, before settling on one with its own private cove on and island. This site was away from the other ones on the island and felt super private. The thunder box on this site was so far away though that someone had put flagging tape up to lead you to it, otherwise it would have been impossible to find. The site itself was quite nice even though it was on a slight incline, which made finding a flat spot to set up the tent challenging.

Mist on Godda Lake.

Exactly how I found the site on Godda.

Another view of the empty site on Godda.

Looking at Godda from the portage into Mole.

One of two campsites on Mole. Would only stay here if it was my only option or ran into trouble.

Moose from a distance on McCarthy Creek.

A pair of moose.

Bull moose.

Female moose.

Male moose.

Great blue heron reflection.

McCarthy Creek from my lunch island.

Looking down towards Booth from my lunch island.

Cliff top view of my canoe.

View from my campsite on Booth.

Day 4: I had decided the previous night that I did not want to stay around another day doing nothing. I found the fun in canoe camping was going somewhere, not staying put. However, I do realize that after a hard day it is good to have a rest day built in to recharge, much like I did on Godda for Day 2.

I had camp packed up by 8:30am. The lake was full of mist and fog as I paddled towards the portage into Kitty Lake. There was so much fog at both ends, it made for a great morning paddle. The lake was also like glass, with not a ripple on it. 

I was able to do the portage into Kitty Lake in 35 minutes double carrying, which was about the same time as it took me to get into the lake on the first day. The portage was busy though, with at least 3 groups heading into Booth Lake from Kitty. The paddle over Kitty was short and I had decided that I wanted to try to run the rapids that join Kitty to Farm Lake. I pulled into the portage landing and got out and scouted the rapids to pick my path. This was my first time doing any kind of moving water, so I was excited to try. I figured the worst that could happen was I dump, but as I was on my way back home already, it wouldn't have made much of a difference if everything was already wet. I did the little rapid with only one or two bumps on some rocks. I figured if the water had been higher, I wouldn't have bumped anything. I was also happy I was able to skip the portage as well. 

The rest of the paddle was uneventful. I passed by numerous groups heading into the park but I was the only one heading out. I did pass by one lady who had chest waders on and was up to her chest in water fishing. She was just starting as I paddled by, so she hadn't had any luck yet. I made it to the access point by 11am and had everything loaded into the car by 11:20am and was headed home. 

As I was packing up my car with my gear, a logging truck fully loaded with large trees came barreling down the access point road. Why this is still allowed in 2024 in a provincial park that is suppose to be conserving nature, I don't understand and frankly should be stopped. It ruins the atmosphere of pristine that Algonquin tried to put forth to the general public.

I fished a lot this trip but didn't get a single bite. The only thing I was able to do was lose a lure which got stuck on a sunken log or rock. I figured it was because it was so hot with most of the days around 30 degrees, the fish must have been at the bottom trying to stay cool.  

Overall, it was a good trip. I learned a lot and am exited to go out on another multi-day trip sometime soon. I do need a lighter boat though, which is what I'll be shopping for this fall, and maybe a large 100L+ dry bag to carry instead of a 50L backpack, with dry bags hanging off it and a food barrel.

The morning view from my site on Booth.

Looking West down the lake into a bank of fog.

Serious Pacific coast vibes.

Misty forests always look great.

The sun is starting to poke through.