Review: Bon Echo Provincial Park - Abes & Essens Backpacking Trail

Location: 70 km North of Napanee

Website: Ontario Parks

Map: Google Maps

Camping Facilities: Backcountry (hike-in only)

Grade: C+
Stargazing: Excellent
Summary: An uneventful, rugged hike leading to forgettable, swampy lakes. Better off going to Joeperry/Pearson

View of Essens Lake at sunset

Thoughts: I like Bon Echo as a park, given its natural beauty, the big rock, the pictographs and its proximity to major urban centres.  However, that's also the reason you can't find a car camping site here in July and August (even though it has 528 car campsites, which is large by Ontario standards).  On top of that, most of the car camping in this park is beyond terrible.  So to enjoy this park, I opt for the less popular Joeperry Lake.  But one year, my regular camping companions and I thought we'd try something new in Bon Echo, the even less popular Abes & Essens Backpacking sites.  I'm sure you'll have  no problem booking these, no matter what time of year.  They're not extraordinarily difficult to get to, but the hike is probably beyond the imaginings of "weekend fun in the outdoors" for most Bon Echo campers.

View from a campsite on
Essens lake - note: swampy

There are two sites within a reasonable trek from the trailhead, both of which are at Essens lake.  Our site at Essens was a swampish pond of a lake, with bugs to match.  The lake is just really small and mucky. We tried to scoop some water that we could filter and drink, but found whatever we scooped up was black with silt and organic matter.  I don't know if you could have even settled the stuff out, this water was really thick.  There were also plenty of leeches to keep us company on our swims.  The site itself was on a bit of a slope, but there was a reasonably flat stretch to pitch the tent.

More swampiness on Essens

For its scenic value, the Abes/Essens trail is not worth the effort.  Even the park's literature describes the sights as "intriguing"; that doesn't strike me a strong endorsement, considering the hyperbole that's generally infused into park publications. Admittedly, the camping was at least peaceful;  not a single person in the park thought it would be a good idea to hike this trail, even in peak season.  We didn't see another soul the entire weekend.  So if you want solitude, you'll find it at Essens Lake.  And I'm willing to bet you'll find greater solitude at Abes Lake, given the distance that has to be covered to get to the sites there. Frankly speaking, the hiking trail that loops around Essens doesn't have much to offer in the way of scenery, perhaps that changes when you get up to Abes.  But I have my doubts and I don't know if its would be worth the effort to ever find out.

Abe-Essens Trail Map
 (Source: Bon Echo Park Tabloid,  2008)

Addendum:  Judging from this interesting hiking log, the trip up to Abes is not worth your time.

Review: Bon Echo Provincial Park - Joeperry Lake

Location: 70 km N of Napanee, ON
Website: Ontario Parks or Friends of Bon Echo
Map: Google Maps

Camping Facilities: Canoe-In / Backcountry Lite
Grade: B+
Stargazing: Excellent
Summary: Great backcountry experience for novices, easy access, some sites are densely clustered, but generally tolerable


Joeperry and Pearson Lakes Map
(Source: Bon Echo Park Tabloid, 2008)

Thoughts: If you're looking for a pseudo-backcountry experience without much work, Joeperry is a good option. I've been taking first-time campers here for years and I don't think I've had one person come away disappointed. It's a big enough lake to allow for a good number of campsites, but small enough that paddling to them isn't a battle.

There's an easy 500m portage to the lake, along a wide access road that has a few ups and downs (the steepest hill is right at the end, approaching the water, but you walk downhill when going into the lake, which is a relief). As well, there's a decent little beach at the north end of Joeperry.  There are usually a few families of loons that are active on this lake, plentiful deer (have had morning visits on my site on occasion), mischievous raccoons, and a pack of coyotes (often audible at night), which add an additional wilderness element. There is even some bear activity from time to time, so you'll want to hang your food properly (a cooler with a few heavy rocks on it won't cut it).

Joeperry lake from site 508

Regarding the sites - some are a touch close together, but generally you can't see other campers. You can often hear other campers, but it's a reasonably big lake, so the noise shouldn't be a big disturbance. All sites have a privy box, firepit, and picnic tables. Sites 503-511 have some positive and negative points (like all things in life).  The closest sites are all adjacent to you, so you can't see them; unless your neighbours are noisy, you will hardly know anyone else is around.  These sites can be rocky and some are difficult to dock at without getting your booties wet. That being said, they're generally the last to be booked so unless you plan early, these sites may be the only options available (though my point is that it isn't a terrible thing). Additionally, they're all connected by a footpath, so if you have a very large group, you can easily access each other's sites without having to get back into your boat.

The island sites (especially 520) are very popular, though inexplicably so in my opinion.  520 gets a lot of traffic around it from people trying to reach the 503-511, in addition to curious paddlers just exploring the lake. As well, 520 is on a slope and it can be difficult to find good spots for multiple tents. Sites 522 & 523 are flatter (though smaller as well), but we've had issues with raccoons here (heck, we've had issues with raccoons all over this lake).

Pearson lake, which is connected to Joeperry, is a reasonable option, though accessing it can be difficult. You either head south from the dock through a maze of reeds (navigable, but it might get tricky in low light) or go the long way around the island. It is a nice lake and the sites feel more remote, so if you're not arriving too late in the day, you might want to consider Pearson.

Overall, I do recommend Joeperry. It was my very first canoe-camping experience, and it changed my whole perception of what camping can be. While seasoned canoe-campers won`t find much challenge or adventure going to Joeperry, it`s probably one of the best places to take new campers to show them the wonders of Canadian shield country.

Hiking: There is only one hike in this park that I can recommend and it`s the Cliff Top Trail. Great view from the top of the rock (you have to pay to be ferried across to the trail, just a few dollars though). The Shield trail is incredibly boring with very few sights. The "lookout" towards the end of the trail was sub-par, mostly obstructed by trees. Don't even bother with the Abes and Essens Lake trail. I've hiked the 9km loop and, while mildly challenging due to its length, it is a let down. Not much scenery to be found and it can be very buggy.

Carvings of Walt Whitman Poetry
 on the Bon Echo Rock

Paddling to the Bon Echo Rock