Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Balsam Lake Provincial Park - June 24-28

Hamiltons, Hohenadels, Harris', Curtis', Lynn and Barry, Hildebrandts, and Mittons gathered at Balsam Lake, a 2 and 1/2 to 3 hour drive from Puslinch. The park is huge - 443 hectares. There are 5 separate camping areas - Mapleview (partly electrical), Poplar Plains, Cedar Grove (partly electrical), Hawthorn Valley, and Lakeshore (partly electrical). We were camped in the Central part of Lakeshore. Sites from 40 - 82 were flat with some trees. The individual sites were large enough but lacking in privacy. Sites 92-83 were sloped and leveling the RVs was challenging. Our site - 92 was very large so we were able to park sideways on the most level part. Sites were for the most part grassy, with plenty of picnic tables.
 



Site 92
 
 After an afternoon of rain, we were able to enjoy our usual pot luck dinner on Saturday evening.




 



Bob and I went fishing both Saturday and Sunday morning and were rewarded with two nice pickerel. Another had to be released because it was in the slot size (14-21.75"). Only pickerel measuring outside of this range can be kept.
 

 
 

Sites 502-513 are located right along the lake shore. They are very private. They have been recently upgraded with sod and crushed stone driveways. Some even have break walls made from big rocks and a separate area for canoe storage (510,508). On the Ontario Parks site, all of these sites are graded as suitable for under 18' units but we figure that most of us would be able to get into these sites. 503 and 505 are the smallest and 502 is a drive-in only. 513 is a loop drive-through. 509 is a good site on the other side of the road and 507, also on the other side, is ok.

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