Let me tell you about a trip we will probably not make again. After spending time this summer at the cabin doing some landscaping and maintenance and totally rebuilding and painting our canoe trailer we very seldom pull, we had to hit the road somewhere. Our usual go to place the Narrows in Prince Albert National Park has become very popular. A new breed of campers along with generators have taken over and that atmosphere of backcountry camping has disappeared for us, time for a less popular spot. A young lady, a full time nomad I had done a post on was staying in Beaver Glen and it was time for a visit to swap stories of our travels before she heads south.
On our way into the park we spent several days at Sandy Lake campground, camping along the shoreline. In late August there were lots of spots open and very quiet, the lake is great for boating and fishing as it’s fairly large and wide open. We liked the first come no reservations campground. On to Beaver Glen where we spent several days and had a great visit with our friend Cara and her dog Bruno. The campgrounds were quiet at this time of year that was until the weekenders came and the limited sites were all booked. It’s actually quieter than the Narrows campground as there is power supplied, no need for a generator.
Now the start of the trip I will probably not take again… we left looking for provincial recreation sites, thinking they may be like the ones we found in BC or the BLM land down south, we were wrong. We took Highway 240 in the south of the park heading west looking for Blue Heron campsite. Many backroads later we stopped a local resident who was walking on a rural road and asked where the campground was. She had never heard of Blue Heron and checked with her neighbour who did not know of it but gave us directions to a campsite at Fish Lake. We headed out to Fish Lake marked Blue Heron in the Back Roads Maps and found basically a rundown campground with very small sites even our truck camper was too large for some sites at $20 per night. We moved on.
We knew one of our favourite regional park campgrounds in Big River would be our next stop over in our search for provincial recreation campgrounds. We had never travelled north of Big River past Nesslin Lake off Highway 922, be warned this is a logging road, wide and well graveled, but a logging road. There are hundreds of beautiful lakes in our north and very few roads to them. Our first stop was at Nesslin where we had been many years ago, this has been a provincial leased campground and has it ever grown since we were there and way too busy for us. As it was pretty much shut down for the season so we kept moving north. The road into Nesslin is quite the drive but in wet rainy weather it could be a lot of fun for sure.
On our way north the logging trucks started, it’s marked a logging road and most drivers treat it that way, you get out of their way, and there is no slowing down. For the next mile you cannot see for dust and fear another is behind also using the entire road. These guys do not share, at some points we had our flashers on the dust was so bad with no wind to clear it. We tried to stay out of their way, they have a job to do, the disappointing thing is when we were in BC all logging roads have a radio frequency one can call on so we know where the trucks are and they know where we are. We felt safe as we could pull over in advance and let them do their jobs. Having purchased the radio just for that use we could not find any channels on line or advertised anywhere we could use on our northern roads so it’s every person for themselves. It’s got to be an industry secret in Saskatchewan.
Next stop Zig Zag Bay recreation site on Delaronde Lake, this provincial campground is also leased out to private operators and locked up for the season. Ok, so we moved on to the next rec site on our trusty Backroad Maps, Hackett Lake Recreation Site, also a provincial leased out campsite, the campsite was open and very well kept. The campground host said they were open for hunters and they had closed the other site as family demand had dropped later in the season. I don’t put the cost on the operators but we found the rates high for the services offered and being right on a dusty logging highway. It was fairly early so we stopped for lunch glad to be off the logging highway for a spell. Even the camp host admitted they waited for a break between the early long haul and the short haul loads to travel for supplies. We had only driven for the morning and our camper which is usually well sealed was full of a fine dust, everywhere. The highway is wide and in fairly decent shape better than some paved highways we have travelled; it was the constant pounding of heavy logging trucks that crushed the gravel in to a fine black pepper like powder and it got in everywhere. I had to replace my air filter on the truck when we got back home.
Our break was over and we headed to Smoothstone Lake Recreation Site. Well the lull in the trucks was just that, there were even more coming and going, we would pull over when we saw them coming and stop as there was a blinding dust that followed for miles as it was a calm day. Well we did not find a sign for Smoothstone Lake Recreation Site but we took a side road off the highway heading north toward the large lake on our map. At this point any pull off would do for the night. A sign finally read Smoothstone Lake Lodge this has to be the place we figured but no, it was as advertised a lodge. This place is fantastic, it’s well-kept log cabins and site is second to none that we have seen and way out in the beautiful wilderness. We met Carolyn Gliege who was preparing supper for the hunters who were out with her husband Lyndon on a bear hunt. She informed us the provincial recreation site we were looking for was left abandoned and was no longer in use but the site was still there. Carolyn gave us directions after a short visit and we headed out, time to find a spot for the night, they did not offer camping sites there.
Approximately where she sent us we found a trail leading towards the lake, no sign just a trail into the bush. We started down the trail to find it getting pretty sketchy in some spots and we did not know for how far or where it led so we turned back to the junction of the highway where we stopped to plan our next move. That’s where we met Lyndon, he was on his way back from setting up his hunters, he confirmed the abandoned site was down that road and one of the best beaches anywhere was down that road and he of all people would know. He figured we would be good with our truck camper rig being 4×4 but would probably not want to be there if it rained. There was rain in the forecast but that was tomorrow so we decided to go and watch the sky as there is no cell service here. Yes the road was sketchy but doable after we knew what was at the end. We found the site definitely abandoned and overgrown but right on the lake and it was perfect, no one around for miles. This site would not be accessible for anyone pulling a trailer or a larger RV as we had to squeeze around fallen trees and the grown in road.
After a day of dodge-em trucks and dust we cleaned the camper and enjoyed sitting outside in the quiet of the north, we had the whole abandoned campground to ourselves and the cost was right. There used to be a dock and a boat launch and I’m sure there are locals who still come here to fish but I will never tell where this place is, the fun and challenge is finding it yourself. The beautiful beach we were probably close to, but like most provincial sites the road was gated and locked. We thought we could probably walk in the next day but it looked like the rain was coming, I had made a deal with Charlotte if it started to rain in the night we would get up and drive out. That was so she could get some sleep and not worry. That night as I sat looking out the camper window after supper I caught the flash of an animal run across in front of the camper, I’m sure it was a big cat; I grabbed my camera just in time to see it leap probably 8 to 10 feet up a tree. Yep it was a bobcat perhaps a lynx I could not get close enough as it hid behind the tree watching me, and then it was gone. Just a memory just a photo of a tree and a shadow.
Well we left the next morning, would have loved to stay longer but we beat the rain out and kept it behind us the rest of the trip. The best roads are those less travelled for sure. We then took the Elaine Lake Road Highway 916 towards Lake LaRonge and Highway 2, a beautiful drive with few logging trucks and traffic. A big tip if you’re looking to book a hunt or even a getaway at a northern lodge you have to look up www.smoothstonelodge.com owned by two people in love with the north and love their lifestyle and they share the beauty of the wilderness with others. Tip 2 take Highway 2 towards Laronge and turn west on 916, that section of the drive was relaxing and beautiful well-kept road. So don’t let Highway 922 deter you from visiting the Smoothstone Lodge. I thank Carolyn and Lyndon for helping make a not so good trip one we will remember.
We did it, will I do it again probably not, I’m sure it’s beautiful in areas away from the road. However the logging trucks, the miles of trees hanging in dust and campgrounds either very popular or not open at all along the way did not excite us. For us the travel is the enjoyment and adventure and not so much the destination. For now I will leave it to the loggers and not recommend it for recreational RVing and camping in my books anyway. We have travelled logging roads in BC and some sketchy roads in the Yukon and NWT so are no strangers to these roads. We just found the recreation sites either closed or leased out and in our books the ones open a little expensive for what was offered. We have found in our home province all public land is pretty much either leased out or blocked off for recreational camping unlike Alberta and BC. The provincial parks we have are great, however unless you can plan where you will be months ahead our campsites are just about totally booked solid on weekends. Here we do not allocate a percentage of sites as first come for those travelling. We appreciated the non-reservation sites offered in many northern BC provincial parks as we travelled. And it is our hope someday we can treat travellers to this option here in Saskatchewan.
Way too long again, I should write a book sometime, anyway this is just our experience definitely not what we were expecting, but perhaps our expectations were too high. Some you win some you lose but it was well worth it…we just probably will not do that trip again.
Take care, safe travels and we hope to meet you down the road. Thanks for reading not sure what’s next haven’t made reservations yet! Perhaps London Bridge…subscribe and stay tuned.
Gerry & Charlotte…Nomads in training!
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That was quite an adventure! I love taking turns to the unplanned and finding the unexpected. I am glad that you had some positive come out of that dusty road!