Magnetawan Lake Algonquin Park

Magnetawan Lake Algonquin Park is Algonquin Park's Access Point #3. A beautiful Lake its a great destination for a back country canoe trip.

Magnetawan Lake is located within the boundaries of Algonquin Provincial Park on the west side.  Being located in the park the lake and its surroundings are protected. As an access point into Algonquin Provincial Park, the lake features a parking lot, outhouse washrooms, and a small wooden dock to launch a canoe from.

Getting There:

Magnetawan Lake (Access Point #3) is reached from the town of Kearney, Ontario.

Travelling north on Highway 11, take the Emsdale road exit and then Hwy 518 to the town of Kearney. In the town of Kearney, you'll find the Ontario Parks office located in the Kearney Community Centre and across the road from Algonquin Basecamp.

Once you have your Algonquin Park permit for day access or overnight camping, jump back on Hwy 518 and continue to follow it north. Watch for the sign for Algonquin Park on the right.

The road to Magnetawan Lake in Algonquin Park is a gravel road that is maintained by the local municipality. The road conditions vary throughout the year. It's important to drive at a safe speed along this road as wildlife is often seen crossing. The road also narrows and at times visibility is poor around some of the turns. Please be careful and respect other drivers and wildlife.

The access point at Magnetawan Lake offers a small wooden dock that's partially sheltered and makes a great spot to put in a canoe.

Many people use Magnetawan Lake as a jumping off point, without exploring or camping on the lake. I've found that this lake is a very nice one, with several spots to camp. Despite being an access point lake with a steady flow of paddlers heading in or out of the park, I've had great nights out here and have been lucky to watch a moose swim across the lake during one trip.

Goes to show that you don't need to head deep into the park to have a great experience.

I would highly recommend this lake to new campers or campers with young children. A great lake to experience Algonquin Park while still having the safety net of the access point parking lot and your vehicle close by.

Algonquin Park Canoe routes pass through the lake and four campsites can be found on the shore as well as two portages. The two portages 340 m and 125 m found on Magnetawan Lake connect this lake with Little Eagle Lake and Hambone Lake respectively.