This weekend we're camping in the decommissioned provincial park, QEII Wildlands. It's a lesser known gem, lying within a few hours of Toronto. It’s super quiet, has stunning scenery with one of the best hikes into a campsite that you'll find.
This is a backcountry camping trip which means we’ll be away from any sort of support or vehicles. We’ll carry everything we need to survive in on our backs and be completely self reliant for the trip. This means you’ll need to pack as light as possible!
Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands (or QEII Wildlands) was decommissioned a few years back which means that it only has minimal support from Ontario Parks staff. Parts of it are nonetheless well maintained - the trails are clearly marked, campsites are in good condition and even have thunderboxes!
In recent years it’s become better known but it should still be a very quiet weekend for us with few people around. QEII is just a couple of hours North of Toronto but firmly in the Canadian shield, meaning it has the typical beautiful shield scenery - granite outcrops, lakes and pine trees.
We start the adventure with an awesome 5k hike to reach our campsite. Despite the short distance, it’s fairly challenging with truly beautiful views so we'll be taking our time - it should take about 3 hours. Along the way we'll have to descend a small rock face (don’t worry - it’s very easy to do safely) and cross several beaver dams to traverse lakes on our route.
We’ll go from forest, over lakes before crossing onto barrens (exposed rock face where trees once stood) until we end up at Sheldon Lake, a stunning lake completely circled by pine trees. This is where we’ll stop to set up camp.
The Camp
There are a few campsites for us to choose between - we’ll find somewhere with enough space for all of our tents. Everyone will be assigned a different responsibility at camp and together, we'll set up our home for the night. This involves:
Sleeping Arrangements
There's limited space on the campsite, we're sharing tents separated by gender. This will be coordinated over Discord so we can figure out who's bringing what tents in addition to those provided by Wilderness Union.
Facilities
This being backcountry, there'll be no phone reception, no electricity and no toilets. The only facilities we'll have are a Thunderbox (a wooden box over a hole as a toilet) for the most scenic loo trip of your life. This means we'll be purifying our own water and bringing our own toilet paper.
Water
There's a risk of water contamination with viruses like Giardia (beaver fever!) and bacteria so we'll be purifying water on site. We'll be providing all necessary equipment for water purification but feel free to bring your chosen method in addition.
Fire
There's no fire ban so we'll be able to have a campfire at night.
Campsite responsibilities
This trip is an opportunity to build your skills so we'll all be mucking in to make the trip a success. We'll divide up responsibilities on the campsite so you learn how to set up a tent, do a bear hang, purify water etc. We'll also share in the work to cook and keep things clean. Is there something you really want to learn while we're out? Do you have skills you could share with the group? PM us on Discord and let's work it in.
Hunting season
It's hunting season and there is some hunting in the park. While this shouldn't be happening anywhere near the trails, we should all be wearing some blaze orange clothing to make ourselves as distinctive as possible.
Saturday 14th October
06:50 - Meet at the PetroCanada next to Keele Station. We leave at 07:00. There's a Tims around the corner if you want to grab breakfast/packed lunch
07:00 - Shuttle leaves from PetroCanada at Keele
09:30 - Meet self-drivers at Devil's Lake Access Point, repack and begin hike.
13:30 - Anticipated arrival at camp
Afternoon/evening - Set up camp. Explore the area. Get toasty next to a camp fire. Group meal.
Sunday 15th October
Morning - Options for hiking, chilling at campsite then breaking down camp.
13:00 - Leave campsite after lunch
16:00 - Begin drive back to Toronto
19:00 - Anticipated arrival back to Keele Station
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
We're firmly in Fall weather territory - it's currently looking like rain is likely on Saturday but not on Sunday. It will be much cooler than our recent camping trips so you'll need to dress with that in mind. More on that later but rainwear is essential as well as extra layers for the colder nights.
We'll have tarps to shelter from the rain but the total amount expected is very low. The good news about the weather is that there should be excellent foraging opportunities!
Clothing:
As a general rule of thumb, only take what is absolutely necessary and only bring one bag! Remember that you're hiking everything in so you don't want excess weight.
Pack according to the weather. This is a suggested list:
Gear:
Camping Gear/Sleep system
We'll be providing this for those who ordered it
Personal Stuff:
Cooking
We'll be providing plates, cutlery and a mug for everyone. If you have your own pot and stove, please bring it - it will speed up the cooking process!
Period Products
Wondering how to handle camping on your period? Here's a great resource with everything you could need to know. If you still have questions, Chrissy has offered to be our resident outdoorsy Period Professor and you can message her privately on Discord.
Random Stuff:
Got light-weight games? Bring em!
We'll be providing most meals (either vegan or meaty according to your dietary requirements) for this adventure along with tea and coffee but no milk.
You're responsible for your own breakfast (before we meet) and a packed lunch on day 1.
Saturday lunch - Packed lunch that you bring
Saturday night dinner - Gourmet hot meal
Sunday morning breakfast - Hot oatmeal
Sunday lunch - Wraps
You're welcome to bring your own burner for making tea and coffee. You should also bring your own snacks!
We'll provide the following:
No additional reservations required
Hunting - It is hunting season and there are active hunters in this park. While we don't anticipate coming across many, it's important that we're dressed in bright colours to avoid any accidents.
Ticks - Black legged ticks are in the area. You should wear pants rather than shorts to prevent them latching on and lighter colours make it easier to spot them and keep you more cool. There's no need to worry about ticks if we take a few precautions and we'll talk about doing a tick check after the hike just to confirm we haven't picked any up. You can learn more here
Getting lost - This is a wilderness location, away from help so it's important that we stay together at all times. If you get separated from the group, stop and blow your whistle/shout for help if there's no phone reception. It's unlikely that you'll have reception during this adventure. No breaking off without first discussing it with the hike leader!
Hiking injuries - Wear appropriate footwear and hike within your abilities. If you need extra support, bring hiking poles. Any injuries? Let us know in advance of the hike.
Wildlife - Bears are active in the area. We'll give you a full briefing on bear safety but rest assured that they pose very little threat to us. Want to learn more about wildlife safety? Watch the recording from our session with Ontario Park's bear expert. We'll provide all equipment necessary for a bear hang.
It's extremely important that no food is left unattended at the campsite (we've had meals stolen by raccoons before!) and at night, we'll take everything smelly out of bags and hang them in a tree, safe from wildlife.
We like to share some of the indigenous background of the areas we visit because these territories have rich histories that are easy to overlook. Indigenous communities have a connection to and respect for the land that has largely been lost since European settlement. As we strive to form a deeper connection with the land, we have much to learn from these communities. I use the Native Land map to learn more about these areas and find that developing a richer understanding leads to a greater enjoyment of the adventures.
The park is located on the traditional territories of the Missisaugas of the Credit First Nation the Anishnabe and the Huron Wendat.
This weekend we're camping in the decommissioned provincial park, QEII Wildlands. It's a lesser known gem, lying within a few hours of Toronto. It’s super quiet, has stunning scenery with one of the best hikes into a campsite that you'll find.
This is a backcountry camping trip which means we’ll be away from any sort of support or vehicles. We’ll carry everything we need to survive in on our backs and be completely self reliant for the trip. This means you’ll need to pack as light as possible!
Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands (or QEII Wildlands) was decommissioned a few years back which means that it only has minimal support from Ontario Parks staff. Parts of it are nonetheless well maintained - the trails are clearly marked, campsites are in good condition and even have thunderboxes!
In recent years it’s become better known but it should still be a very quiet weekend for us with few people around. QEII is just a couple of hours North of Toronto but firmly in the Canadian shield, meaning it has the typical beautiful shield scenery - granite outcrops, lakes and pine trees.
We start the adventure with an awesome 5k hike to reach our campsite. Despite the short distance, it’s fairly challenging with truly beautiful views so we'll be taking our time - it should take about 3 hours. Along the way we'll have to descend a small rock face (don’t worry - it’s very easy to do safely) and cross several beaver dams to traverse lakes on our route.
We’ll go from forest, over lakes before crossing onto barrens (exposed rock face where trees once stood) until we end up at Sheldon Lake, a stunning lake completely circled by pine trees. This is where we’ll stop to set up camp.
The Camp
There are a few campsites for us to choose between - we’ll find somewhere with enough space for all of our tents. Everyone will be assigned a different responsibility at camp and together, we'll set up our home for the night. This involves:
Sleeping Arrangements
There's limited space on the campsite, we're sharing tents separated by gender. This will be coordinated over Discord so we can figure out who's bringing what tents in addition to those provided by Wilderness Union.
Facilities
This being backcountry, there'll be no phone reception, no electricity and no toilets. The only facilities we'll have are a Thunderbox (a wooden box over a hole as a toilet) for the most scenic loo trip of your life. This means we'll be purifying our own water and bringing our own toilet paper.
Water
There's a risk of water contamination with viruses like Giardia (beaver fever!) and bacteria so we'll be purifying water on site. We'll be providing all necessary equipment for water purification but feel free to bring your chosen method in addition.
Fire
There's no fire ban so we'll be able to have a campfire at night.
Campsite responsibilities
This trip is an opportunity to build your skills so we'll all be mucking in to make the trip a success. We'll divide up responsibilities on the campsite so you learn how to set up a tent, do a bear hang, purify water etc. We'll also share in the work to cook and keep things clean. Is there something you really want to learn while we're out? Do you have skills you could share with the group? PM us on Discord and let's work it in.
Hunting season
It's hunting season and there is some hunting in the park. While this shouldn't be happening anywhere near the trails, we should all be wearing some blaze orange clothing to make ourselves as distinctive as possible.
Saturday 14th October
06:50 - Meet at the PetroCanada next to Keele Station. We leave at 07:00. There's a Tims around the corner if you want to grab breakfast/packed lunch
07:00 - Shuttle leaves from PetroCanada at Keele
09:30 - Meet self-drivers at Devil's Lake Access Point, repack and begin hike.
13:30 - Anticipated arrival at camp
Afternoon/evening - Set up camp. Explore the area. Get toasty next to a camp fire. Group meal.
Sunday 15th October
Morning - Options for hiking, chilling at campsite then breaking down camp.
13:00 - Leave campsite after lunch
16:00 - Begin drive back to Toronto
19:00 - Anticipated arrival back to Keele Station
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
We're firmly in Fall weather territory - it's currently looking like rain is likely on Saturday but not on Sunday. It will be much cooler than our recent camping trips so you'll need to dress with that in mind. More on that later but rainwear is essential as well as extra layers for the colder nights.
We'll have tarps to shelter from the rain but the total amount expected is very low. The good news about the weather is that there should be excellent foraging opportunities!
Clothing:
As a general rule of thumb, only take what is absolutely necessary and only bring one bag! Remember that you're hiking everything in so you don't want excess weight.
Pack according to the weather. This is a suggested list:
Gear:
Camping Gear/Sleep system
We'll be providing this for those who ordered it
Personal Stuff:
Cooking
We'll be providing plates, cutlery and a mug for everyone. If you have your own pot and stove, please bring it - it will speed up the cooking process!
Period Products
Wondering how to handle camping on your period? Here's a great resource with everything you could need to know. If you still have questions, Chrissy has offered to be our resident outdoorsy Period Professor and you can message her privately on Discord.
Random Stuff:
Got light-weight games? Bring em!
We'll be providing most meals (either vegan or meaty according to your dietary requirements) for this adventure along with tea and coffee but no milk.
You're responsible for your own breakfast (before we meet) and a packed lunch on day 1.
Saturday lunch - Packed lunch that you bring
Saturday night dinner - Gourmet hot meal
Sunday morning breakfast - Hot oatmeal
Sunday lunch - Wraps
You're welcome to bring your own burner for making tea and coffee. You should also bring your own snacks!
We'll provide the following:
No additional reservations required
Hunting - It is hunting season and there are active hunters in this park. While we don't anticipate coming across many, it's important that we're dressed in bright colours to avoid any accidents.
Ticks - Black legged ticks are in the area. You should wear pants rather than shorts to prevent them latching on and lighter colours make it easier to spot them and keep you more cool. There's no need to worry about ticks if we take a few precautions and we'll talk about doing a tick check after the hike just to confirm we haven't picked any up. You can learn more here
Getting lost - This is a wilderness location, away from help so it's important that we stay together at all times. If you get separated from the group, stop and blow your whistle/shout for help if there's no phone reception. It's unlikely that you'll have reception during this adventure. No breaking off without first discussing it with the hike leader!
Hiking injuries - Wear appropriate footwear and hike within your abilities. If you need extra support, bring hiking poles. Any injuries? Let us know in advance of the hike.
Wildlife - Bears are active in the area. We'll give you a full briefing on bear safety but rest assured that they pose very little threat to us. Want to learn more about wildlife safety? Watch the recording from our session with Ontario Park's bear expert. We'll provide all equipment necessary for a bear hang.
It's extremely important that no food is left unattended at the campsite (we've had meals stolen by raccoons before!) and at night, we'll take everything smelly out of bags and hang them in a tree, safe from wildlife.
We like to share some of the indigenous background of the areas we visit because these territories have rich histories that are easy to overlook. Indigenous communities have a connection to and respect for the land that has largely been lost since European settlement. As we strive to form a deeper connection with the land, we have much to learn from these communities. I use the Native Land map to learn more about these areas and find that developing a richer understanding leads to a greater enjoyment of the adventures.
The park is located on the traditional territories of the Missisaugas of the Credit First Nation the Anishnabe and the Huron Wendat.
