Latest update October 14/2005
This page is used by an increasing number of paddlers each year.
 Every effort is made to keep the info provided, as up to date and accurate as possible. 
If you find the info on this page useful in planning your trip then please be sure to take detailed notes when in the park. 
Upon your return be sure to email me with any updates/changes/site descriptions so we all benefit.
Thanks go out to many different people who in the past have contributed to the info on this page. (You know who you are).

This page is in NO WAY affiliated with Ontario Parks!  This is a personal webpage developed for the general publics enjoyment.

Latest Conditions & Notes
* There have been a number of campsite closures and changes in the last few years.*
Be sure to check, when you book your site, it may have been moved!
All the changes we are aware of, show up on the campsite listing below.

When you get your permit make the following recommendation to the staff. If they hear it often enough they might listen!
When a site is closed eliminate the number...or reserve that number for that spot in the future.
Don't give a new site an old number.

Three Legged Lake Access Issues 

Heavy usage of the Three Legged Lake access point is a serious issue with local cottagers.  Congestion, noise, garbage etc. are all serious 
problems at the present time.  When you pick up your permit be sure to ask about access rules.  You MUST park in the lot at the top of the hill.
For more detail read this email from a local cottager.

** The 290m portage from Three Finger Bay to Gooseneck Bay shows up in different locations depending on the
year of your map. The southern end of the portage is about 100m from the west end of the bay, and heads in a NE direction to the bay directly south of site #610.

** Parking at Pete's Place is limited to one vehicle per campsite.  Additional vehicles must be shuttled to a marina, or number of lodges a few kilometres down the road.  Expect to pay between $5-7 per vehicle per night! This irritation is a result of a deal reached to partially compensate the lodge/marina owners for revenues lost as a result of the park being created. (According to the staff at Pete's)

The new park map has the usual one kilometre grid superimposed on it.  The legend indicates that the scale for this map is such that the squares have a spacing of about 1.3 km rather than one km! Apparently there was a printing error in the
legend.  The grid is indeed the normal one km spacing.
**The grid lines are also rotated in a counter-clockwise direction by 20 degrees. This is not a problem if you are car camping but this is a wilderness park! If I use my compass with these gridlines to find may way home in the fog, over three kilometres I'll miss by a full kilometre!

Location
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 "Massasauga" is the Ojibway word for "mouth of river".
The Massasauga Provincial Park is located at the mouth of the Moon River, on the east shore of Georgian Bay.
The park is about 21 by 12 km in size encompassing hundreds of sheltered islands and inland lakes from Parry Sound south to the Moon River.

Features and Landscape
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 The Massasauga Provincial Park is a natural environment park. The landscape is very rugged with the heart of the Canadian Shield laid bare! High cliffs and huge granite outcrops dominate the landscape. The Georgian Bay shoreline is characterized by windswept trees clinging to the thin soils. The inland lakes share the same spectacular scenery. Many shoals dot the bays and channels making navigation a challenge. Be sure to keep a close eye on your map and compass to avoid getting disoriented in the maze of bays, and channels.  No roads penetrate the interior of the park making it an ideal area for short canoe trips.  Numerous campsites are scattered throughout the area. Many of the sites sit high on granite outcrops with spectacular views.

The interior of the park is dominated by two main lakes, Spider and Clear. Spider Lake is a sprawling medium size lake. It's divided into three main bodies by narrow channels. The lake is very scenic with many high cliffs and lots of granite.
Spider Lake is an easy paddle even on windy days. Many small bays as well as the irregular shape of the lake allow you to get out of the wind easily. Spider Lake has about 28 of the parks campsites. Most of the sites are situated on high points with fine views of the lake.  These sites tend to be a little rougher than those found in some other parks.  Expect to find very thin soil and uneven tent pads.  A free standing tent is a must in The Massasauga!

Short portages lead out of Spider Lake either into Georgian Bay or Clear Lake. Clear Lake is an island studded beauty of about 2 km round.  Four campsites can be found on Clear Lake the best being on the small island in the centre of the lake.
From Clear Lake you can take one of three portages into Georgian Bay or back into Spider lake to complete a loop.

Access and Reservations
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Access to the interior is limited to two places. Three Legged Lake in the north and Pete's Place on Blackstone Harbour in the south. For canoe trips through the inland lakes the northern access is most convenient.
Permits are handled through Oastler Lake Provincial Park, which is located on the east side of highway #69 adjacent to the road to Three Legged Lake.
For trips into Georgian Bay start at Pete's Place on Blackstone Harbour. You can pick up your permit at Pete's Place. Camping is only permitted on designated campsites in the interior. You reserve a specific campsite unlike areas such as Algonquin where you reserve a site on a specific lake. This makes knowledge of good sites very important.
Be sure to ask when you make your reservation so you won't be disappointed. All sites have a wooden privy, and sites on the bay also have picnic tables. Limited canoe rentals, maps, and firewood are available at both access points.

For reservations and information call  (1-888-668-7275)
They finally have the online registration website up and running.
Unfortunately the Massasauga IS NOT one of the parks you can reserve online...you must phone the reservation number.
The URL for the online reservations site........... http://www.ontarioparks.com/qa.html

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Conger Lake / Blackstone Harbour

This info is courtesy of Jenny Tucker.  She's made a number of trips to this part of the park, so if you want any
additional info let me know and I will put you in touch.

 Conger Lake - Portage not too bad,  the put in is really muddy.
The first part of Conger is very narrow but scenic. The main part of the lake is not nearly as scenic as most of Massasauga - no rocks or high land  - looks more like a small Algonquin lake.(Not that I have anything against Algonquin though, but I don't find it as scenic as Massasauga).  The GOOD part of Conger is that it is NON MOTORIZED - It is close to the road and I think in high season you would hear cars.

 When I was checking out Conger I also researched La Force - No camping sites, but looks like a pretty little lake from the road, which proved to be true. The "Massy" map shows a portage to PETE's Place, however, after struggling in mud, pulling my kayak over broken trees, and generally getting very cranky I have to tell you there is NO portage there.  I told the Park Warden - who was quite aware of this fact, and I mentioned they should revise the map to alert other unsuspecting adventuring souls such as myself. They said they would mention to get it revised - but who knows!.

Blackstone Harbour

I wouldn't advise ever camping on Blackstone during high season as there would be too much traffic for anyone liking peace and quiet, but in mid-late fall it can be great.  One advantage is being able to purchase firewood and easily get it too your site during bad weather..oh..and NO portages! You can only park ONE car per site at Pete's Place!
NOTE ---Massasauga  is advertised as a year-round park and you assume you can park and enter at Pete's Place any time of year.  This is not always the case.  This past fall for the first time, after closing (just after Thanksgiving), a gate was put up and you couldn't enter.  This is because there's been vandalism at the Park Ranger's cottage.  After closure you are supposed to enter at one of the Marinas at the end of Healey Lake Road. There is nothing in Park literature stating this.  They should definitely put this fact in their literature!

Thanks for visiting. Be sure to send me any info you might have, that can add to this page.......Blair