Take a side trip to the Historical Plaque from when they flooded the three lakes, located just past campsite H8. This route has been on our list for quite a while but due to its length and high level of difficulty it has been postpone multiple times before. Maybe more mental. The trail descent to Little Mountain (clockwise travel along the Silhouette trail) is probably the most intimidating, exposed part of the trail - heading down shear white quartzite. Due to its length and rugged nature, the trail requires a good level of physical conditioning on part of the hiker, and should be carefully planned. Bring along a buddy to ensure safety. WAGON ROAD LAKE TO LITTLE SHEGUIANDAH LAKE La Cloche Silhouette Trail, Killarney Provincial Park Difficulty: Strenuous; Length: 80 km loop; It’s tough all right, but the mountain-top vistas are worth the effort. The favorite means of transport from Chicago to the Lake was a seaplane variant of a Ford Trimotor. Due to the limited number of sites, it is recommended to book early. No specialized kit is required for this trail over other backpacking trips. There are two great campsites on the lake. Keep a map at hand during this section as it intersects with the remainder of the day hike trail to Silver Peak accessing from Bell Lake and a portage. )Highest Point: 545 m at the summit of Silver PeakElevation Gain: ~2,200 mBest Time: July to September (bugs are worse in June and it starts to cool off in late September)Permits: Book 6 months in advance on the Ontario Parks website, the campsites book up almost immediately!Difficulty: Moderate-DifficultHow to get there: Driving is the best option but sometimes Parkbus offers routes up to the park. 1076 Hwy 637, It is also one of the nicest lakes on the trail. These tree varieties almost never grow together, and it is only around David Lake where geographic conditions allow such a combination. Click Here To See Our Day Hike option for The Crack Trail. This gives a lovely view overlooking the valley. Such an event could cause the water to rise quickly. We didn’t take many pics on this day, but we couldn’t help stopping for this trillium, the first of many we saw. Tales have been told that Coppock (co-founder/builder of the Miami Seaquarium, 1955, the home of “Flipper”) had also in the late 20's built the cabin owned by William Hale Thompson (Big Bill), one of Chicago’s most flamboyant mayors. It’s nearly 80 kilometers (about that if you walk through the George Lake Campground in order to make it back to your car at the one end of the trail) and the terrain is rugged AF. SHIGAUG LAKE – H31, H32 It runs for about 85 kilometers through the LaCloche mountain range in Killarney Provincial Park, with stunning scenery throughout the entire trail. In the days leading up to our trip, my brain was overloaded with all possible “what ifs”, each involving various degrees of plausibility. LITTLE MOUNTAIN LAKE – H33 The trail markers lead the way down to the bottom of the ridge after we leave the Crack. Subsequent tectonism over a billion years later folded and faulted the quartzite into the La Cloche Mountains during the  Penokean Orogeny, a mountain-building stage in the Canadian Shield‘s geological history around 1.1 billion years ago. In high water they are quite impressive. This lake is beautiful, secluded, and a great place to spot wildlife! There is no trail here, be equipped with a map and compass if trying to find them. If you have reserved H7 on Topaz for the night, continue following the red markers around the lake to your site. KILLARNEY, Ontario. Bear in mind the walking is tricky with a heavy pack so I would recommend no more than 12 to 15 km a day unless you have a light pack, are very strong/experienced or enjoy pain! Race Report: La Cloche Silhouette Trail, Killarney. Along this section of the trail, there is almost a 30m descent. However, modern technology confirmed it only to be 78 km, including the Silver Peak side trail, and that extra/imagined 22 km probably represents the numerous miniature ups and downs and trip hazards the trail has to offer. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It is also prone to large numbers of mosquitos. This is an excellent swimming area with colorful stone shorelines and a tiny island to swim to! In 2004, 3 kms were added around H8, to bypass a bridge. Jackson Lake, Killarney Provincial Park, http://killarneyoutfitters.com/LSTrail/La_Cloche_Silhouette_Trail_Distances.jpg, http://www.killarneyoutfitters.com/complete-outfitting.php, (large file) Down load/or save here: http://killarneyoutfitters.com/LSTrail/Jeffs_Map.jpg. Impressive views southward are not to be missed. LUMSDEN LAKE TO ACID LAKE Our all inclusive outfitting package is designed for the first time backpacker wishing to experience a world class trip while utilising the finest equipment, service and food available. We tried to estimate how much we would eat and then packed accordingly (3,000-4,000 calories per day?!). MOOSE PASS For those with energy to spare, there are some lakes just north of the trail to explore in this region such as the clearest lake in the park Whiskeyjack Lake having similar waters to the ultra clear Nellie Lake. H22 The La Cloche Silhouette Trail is a 78-kilometre (48 mi) backpacking loop across the white quartzite peaks of the La Cloche mountain range. The terrain varies greatly, from dense forest to swamps, stream crossings, rockslides and ridges with some very steep sections. Hiking the La Cloche Silhouette Trail in Killarney Provincial Park is a challenge and I’m writing this a few days after completing it in 6 days and 5 nights. *Trail can be very muddy and slippery during heavy rain fall or a day or two after. Distance: 78-100 km . Be on the lookout for the moose, beaver, muskrat, and herons who feed on these plants. Moose pass is one of the most difficult sections of the La Cloche Silhouette trail. After Little Mountain Lake it is approximately 5.2 km to the intersection of the hiking sites of David and Boundary Lake! This is a great place to see some wildlife - if quiet! We’ll ensure that you are good to go! Sealey’s Lake is located in the marshy bog lands of the park. Follow along the day hike trail for another kilometer until reaching Kakakise Lake, here there is an intersecting portage from Killarney Lake on your right; continue past here along the trail. Large boulders broken away from the rock faces provide the "stairs" which must be negotiated to reach the bottom. Eventually, the path will lead to a water fall with no route around! Hiking the La Cloche Silhouette Trail in Killarney Provincial Park is a challenge and I’m writing this a few days after completing it in 6 days and 5 nights. La Cloche Silhouette Trail. The trail follows lakes, crosses streams, and is home to many species of wildlife. Located in Killarney Provincial Park, the La Cloche Silhouette loop is a seven to ten day hike approximately 100 km in length. It is also prone to large numbers of mosquitos. We've listed the difficulty rating and the length of time it takes to complete these epic treks. H1 has many flat quartzite rocks to tan or jump in for a swim! The trail at this point becomes increasingly rocky and hilly. HEAVEN LAKE TO PROULX LAKE AND LITTLE SUPERIOR LAKE Paddlers may find their way to this lake when tripping George Lake as only a sliver of sloping land separates the two lakes. La Cloche Silhouette Trail - Record - 9hrs 25mins 45sec. ....Tom Simon, LA CLOCHE SILHOUETTE TRAIL, Killarney Provincial Park. It is worth the short detour to Baie Fine and view this picturesque spot. When the trail begins to descend, there is a bedrock outcrop just to the west of the trail. The campsite on this lake is located on a gentle slope up from the water’s edge. Most obvious is the significant Silver Peak just left of middle but less obvious is the uncountable number of little ups and downs you go through along the trail without gaining any real elevation. While quite nice, Heaven doesn’t get the name from its beauty; it gets that name from its location. The trail is situated in Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. Difficulty – 8 Views – 8.5 Time – 8 hours Campsite – 9. It is a rugged steep bushwhack to the top from campsite H4. However, due to its steepness and isolation the project was cancelled and Silver Peak’s natural beauty was protected. hiking through the backcountry of Killarney Provincial Park. Of the two sites, H32 on the far side of the lake is preferred. SEALEY’S LAKE TO WAGON ROAD LAKE (we know how hungry hikers get and a group travels on its stomach, 2000 - 3000 calories a day). Please stay out of the creek, as the watershed upstream has many beaver dams which break every now and again. While not as nice as some of its larger, deeper brethren, it is a good spot to spend the night. ( Log Out /  Cliffs with crumbling boulders below and clear water make for some stellar views. The climb from Moose Pass stream, through an old growth hemlock stand is steep and the footing can be slippery. As always we recommend having a map, compass, good shoes, and a buddy when venturing like this. The next section of the La Cloche Silhouette Trail was used as an old logging road and has been nicknamed “The Pig” portage; keep your map out to confirm the correct arm of the trail as it intersects with several other portages. Are you a seasoned adventurer? The trail to reach this lake can get very wet after rainfall and can sometimes be overgrown, watch for trail markers! ACID LAKE TO CAVE LAKE This lake looms over George Lake on its northern shores and empties into George by a small stream. The La Cloche Silhouette Trail meanders through hardwood forests and eventually up and over the La Cloche mountain range – whose quartzite peaks shine in the sun’s rays. PROULX LAKE AND LITTLE SUPERIOR LAKE TO THE CRACK SILVER LAKE – H37, H38 Time: 5-8days . Plenty of evidence remains on every rock outcrop in the form of glacial striations and chattermarks of the last glaciation. After passing over each creek keep a map at hand to ensure the correct direction of the trail has been chosen. This site has good potential for off trail exploration. Bogs, marshes and swamps grow a variety of plants such as sundew, leather leaf, pitcher plan, and cranberry. There is quite a bit of elevation to tackle in this section however spectacular views of Kirk Creek can be seen! Although this trail takes up to 10 days to do in its entirety,hikers can take shorter hikes starting from two trailheads in George Lake Campground. Unlike the two lakes before it, this one is in the lowlands and isn’t a dead lake; that means Cave Lake has an ample stock of fish! It is also a very steep and exposed climb. It does have beautiful surroundings, and the frogs can put on quite a concert during spring evenings. Despite the lack of ski facilities, Silver Peak’s mixture of pink granite and white quartzite still draws tourists to its base. Gulch Hill is a peak looming over Acid Lake, and the view looking north at the top is stunning. I planned to hike the trail in 5 nights, so I decided to camp at the park before setting out early on June 24th. Best time to go: May to October. The trail does go right past the campsite, but traffic isn’t too heavy on this remote stretch of the circuit. Nonetheless, it is a nice site. If you prefer to hike inclines with a heavy pack and declines with a lighter pack counter clockwise is suggested. Please Subscribe, I will to camp, film and post video my whole life! Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Little Mountain Lake is also along a canoe route connecting Great Mountain Lake and Kirk Creek, so there may be the bit of paddling traffic. As with Sealey’s Lake, Wagon Road Lake is located in the marshy bog lands of the park. There is a small stream that flows from a couple of smaller lakes to the north and if water levels are down there may not be any water in the stream at H23. (Day hikers should leave sufficient time to retrace their steps along the trail back to the campground.) After 2 previous 4-day hiking trips along the La Cloche Silhouette Trail at Killarney Provincial Park (1st trip 2 days in clockwise, 2 days out, and 2nd trip 2 days in counterclockwise, 2 days out), I knew that I wanted to hike the entire trail in one go.My friend Cheryl and I did some research and finally settled on an 8-day route from May 5-12 (after ice out but before the black fly season! From this lake there are excellent views of the rising hills of Blue Ridge and Silver Peak. Beaver feed piles can be seen along the way. The Canada day long weekends Friday was a short shift and with 3 days off I figured I could do the trail in 4 days 3 nights. Pack a lunch and enjoy spectacular views of the park and Georgian Bay from the highest point in Killarney Provincial Park. The trail from this section leads along the stunning white quartzite ridge tops of the Killarney Ridge. Cave Lake is named after the small cave in a rocky outcrop on the lake. Including a detailed trail guide.More info: Try visiting the Friends of Killarney Park for more information on guides. The trail starts at a set of stairs, which lead to a wooden bridge passing over George Lake. In the spirit of sharing this knowledge we have put together some trips to help you enjoy your trip on the La Cloche Silhouette Trail. There is an amazing view from the quartzite ridge on the east side of Silver Lake. SEALEY’S LAKE - H50 The journey begins! Our staff will facilitate and coach you through the entire procedure; initial preparations, route planning and permitting. There are many game trails and old logging roads along the way as well, watch for the markers! This section of the trail is quite easy with no extreme inclines or declines. Try using the trail to Hemlock Lake and use the stream that links the two lakes to create reference points. The exposed quartzite peak is rewarding with a spectacular 360-degree view of KPP and the vast waters of Georgian Bay. Both lakes are a little ways off the trail and we only suggest checking them out if choosing not to hike Silver Peak today. At one time, Silver Peak was destined to be a ski resort that would compete with Mount Tremblant. Guidebook and Map| Hard copies of map available at local outfitters, including Lefebvre’s, Mountain Eq… The LaCloche Silhouette trail in Killarney Provincial Park is one of the most rugged trails in Ontario. Sitting at an elevation of 543m (nearly the height of the CN Tower in Toronto) this hike is surely an unforgettable adventure that will make you feel on top of the world, Click Here To See Our Day Hike option for Silver Peak. The trail itself is dedicated to the memory of The Group of Seven artist Franklin Carmichael (1890-1945) and is named for his painting "La Cloche Silhouette". This challenging yet rewarding trail covers a total distance of 78 kilometers; passing over ridges, through valley bottoms and alongside picturesque crystal clear lakes. Vast Threenarrows Lake is the product of bygone logging activity in the Killarney area. Itinerary: All backcountry campsites (there are 35 on the route) have to be booked in advance (often 6 months if you want to go in the summer – June to September is very busy) and you have to camp at those sites each night. Please keep in mind that there is a specific site reserved for each night and that camping off trail or disregarding the planned route is highly discouraged by Killarney Provincial Park. Originally named Long Lake, the body of water we see today was created in 1900 when a wooden dam was constructed across Kirk Creek (on the western end of the lake). Continue on the trail following the blue trail markers; unless a detour onto the trail is desired! Most of the time there isn’t much flow, but still an interesting place to check out. A.Y. David is a large lake, and it has a high loon population. Keep a map at hand and make sure to follow the blue trail markers! Make sure you don’t have too little or too much food, this is almost an impossible item to balance. Our convenient and personalized outfitting packages are ideal for those who enjoy self-guided wilderness adventure. Be sure to book a reservation in advanced for this trek. Be equipped if going off trail, take along a map and compass. Crystal clear water is easy to find at every campsite and most of the time hiking you are near a lake so you don’t need to carry too much with you each day. Many hikers like to leave their large pack tucked away and bring along a small day pack with water, clothing and snacks. Both years I’ve looked at it the weather just never seemed right and the time off was hard to get. A little ways northwest of Acid Lake is a nice viewpoint beside the trail. Between Bodina Lake and H21 there is a small cascading falls, in the heat of the summer this is a great spot for a quick cool off! You can travel in either direction around the loop but most backpackers travel in the clockwise direction, as in this photo hike. The trail becomes quite flat and wide (a rare occurrence, we are on the La Cloche Silhouette trail after all!) If no markers are to be seen, retrace your steps until one presents itself. Uphill Slog. This site is located on a peninsula with excellent views of Threenarrows Lake. At some point early in “Big Bill’s” ownership, the cabin was commandeered by Capone for rumored gambling debts owed by Big Bill. CAVE LAKE – H5, H6 I was right about one thing. The trail is a 78-100km backpacking trail through the La Cloche Mountains in Ontario. Although: If you have ever trekked the La Cloche Silhouette Trail, you won’t believe this accomplishment! LITTLE SHEGUAINDAH LAKE TO A.Y JACKSON LAKE VIA CRANBERRY BOG If continuing on past H21 today there is a much larger water fall before reaching Moose Pass. Follow the trail up and over Blue Ridge. Acid Lake is the second lake along the Silhouette trail, and it is just as beautiful as Lumsden. we pass the other end of Kakakise lake, leaving it behind. This is a beautiful lake with a really wild feel! The side trail to campsite H21 can be found along this next section of the trail. Having said that we finished the hike with only one cliff bar left each. Both Baie Fine and Topaz Lake can get very busy in the height of the summer season as it is a favorite spot for yachter, paddlers and hikers alike! In 1932, Group of Seven Member A.Y. Doing this will alleviate the extra effort at the end of the hike. Return to the main trail from the campsite and continue along the trail over wide open fields of exposed quartzite towards Silver Peak! Approximately 230m up “The Pig”, Topaz Lake can be found on the west side of the trail. If the straightaway is chosen, it will lead to the edge of a cliff! Permit Required?| Yes (included in camping fees). Otherwise it is suggested to leave the packs here and hike through the campground to retrieve the vehicle and return to pick up the packs. If time permits, and proper precautions are taken (map & compass), go exploring after setting up camp. TOPAZ LAKE TO THREENARROWS LAKE The ridges around Lumsden have some beautiful views of the lake, surrounding hills, and Georgian Bay. A.Y Jackson, named after the Group of Seven painter that frequently visited the area for inspiration, is very pretty and conveniently located.