McCrae Lake Conservation Area – The Georgian Bay’s Back Country Paradise
Just off Highway 400, heading north to Sudbury, you will find one of Ontario’s most underrated conservation area’s, that of McCrae Lake. This massive piece of Crown Land, located away from the major centers, is a popular retreat for hikers, swimmers and those who enjoy backcountry camping. The conservation area stretches from the rocky shoreline of the Georgian Bay in the west to Lake McDonald in the east and includes two sets of rapids. The first of these links Lake McDonald and McCrae Lake and the second McCrae Lake to the Georgian bay. Along the way you will have the chance to experience a stunning variety of landscapes.
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Arrival on Site
Exiting the 400, onto Georgian Bay road you will find a short dirt road leading to a parking lot for the conservation area. There are two paths heading from here, the first path north you will want to avoid unless you want to head out to the boat launch area. This boat launch will give you access to the massive Elephant Rock in the center of the lake. The second is rather hidden and is located just west of the parking lot. You will find a sign indicating the path, just keep your eyes peeled.
The Yellow Blaze Tail
The trail mentioned above is referred to as the Yellow Blaze trail on maps. It will eventually give you the option to merge onto the McCrae Lake Waterfall trail. The trail is a full 16.1 km with an elevation gain of 333 m (Out and Back) with an additional 2.4 kilometers to the first rapid as it is located off the trail. A map below will detail the attractions found at McCrae Lake, with the red line indicating the first half of the trail leading from the parking lot to the Eagles Nest, the second half of which is drawn in orange and leads to the second set of rapids. If for some reason the lot has filled up, you can park off the side of the road near the start of the blue line, an alternate start point. This old snowmobile trail intersects with the red line and will continue north as indicated in green. This is the 2.4 kilometer hike to the first set of rapids.
Starting the Hike and the Pond
Starting on the Yellow Blaze Trail from the parking lot, you will enter into the dense growth of the Georgian bay’s forests. With the exception of one ravine, you will find little of note until you hit the crossroad with the blue and green pathways.
The First Set of Rapids (McDonald to McCrae Lake)
Heading north along the green path, you will come across a deep gorge with strong currents heading into McCrae Lake. This is a popular camping spot and you will likely see many people with their tents set up and campfires started (especially on a spring day!).
Crossing the gorge is a long steel truss bridge with a wood deck.
Either approach of the bridge will give you a fantastic view of the watercourse below. It is at its most impressive during the spring melts.
From the bridge you can walk down to the edge of the falls for a fantastic view of the gorge as well as the bridge itself.
From the top of the rapid you will get an equally impressive view.
Here are a bunch more pictures for your enjoyment, it is a very photogenic area and as as such, I couldn’t help but to take a bunch of pictures.
The Pond and the Hike to the Eagles Nest
Doubling back from the first set of rapids, you will soon come across a large resses in the landscape.
The spring melts have filled up many of these drainage areas and as such they can be pretty muddy in that time of the year.
Eventually you will come across a pristine pond, filling a natural depression in the landscape. It is usually a popular photo-taking spot as you can get right near the water.
Beaver Pond and the Eagles Nest
Just before the end of the red lined area you will find a second pond held together by a beaver dam. This area is filled with smooth rocky outcroppings that are popular with picnikers and day hikers to rest at.
The beaver dam itself is located at the near end of the pond. You will notice that this pond is much smaller in stature then the last but I find it to be just as beautiful if not more.
This is a great place to stop for lunch if you have a chance.
The next step up from the beaver dam is what is referred to as the “Eagles Nest”.
This rocky promontory overlooks the lake, offering a fantastic view of its waters. Don’t look down! The lookout is so impressive as it is a straight drop down into the lake!
This is the perfect place for a panorama of the lake. Unfortunately, this area is practically a wind tunnel and it can be a tad uncomfortable up there at certain times of the year. I ended up placing my ball cap in my backpack so that it wouldn’t fly off.
On the west side you will find the peninsula covered in the next sections. This lookout area offers fantastic view of the peninsula, one of the classic pictures taken by most tourists at the park.
The Eagles Nest bluff continues along the west side, where the landscape will once again open up for an even better view of the lake landscape. You will also find a natural rock formation that almost creates an agora, making it perfect as a fire pit hangout spot.
Here are a few more pictures from along the ridgeline.
From the Peninsula to the Second Rapid (McCrae Lake to the Georgian Bay)
From the Eagles Nest, you can follow the orange line until you reach the peninsula. A steep pathway wraps downwards along the lakeside. This rock jutting into the lake is probably the most popular spot with campers in the park and you will likely see many tents set up on its perfect flats. Across the way you will find a second rocky peninsula jutting into the lake.
From the tip of the peninsula you will get a fantastic view of the Eagles Nest cliff, a rather nice feature!
From the peninsula you will find that your journey is still far from over. This is a good place to turn back if you are running out of daylight as you will have reasonably seen most of the park by this point. Furthermore the second rapid is still a long hike from the Peninsula with very little to reward you along the way.
Conclusions
McCrae Lake is one of the most overlooked parks in Ontario. Despite the abundance of trails and the allure of crown land camping, it still has not caught on. Yet this is exactly what gives the place its charm and hopefully it can remain that way!
