2.6 acres hosted by Marty K.
1 tent site
Activities
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Forest
Lake
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12 ratings · 11 reviews
Eric H.recommends
September 11, 2023
Camping with a view!
There certainly is a great view!
Overall this place was fantastic, I cant complain for a last minute grab for a weekend of camping. The view is certainly the highlight, you are perched upon a hill overlooking a small lake and secondary lake in the distance. Yes the hill looks intimidating, but it can be drove up easily with most vehicles with a small run at it, being certain to keep momentum. 9 out of 10, would return.
Claude P.
August 22, 2021
Camping with a view!
We enjoyed our time at Marty's campsite and agree with other reviews that it was well-maintained and that the views were gorgeous. That being said, because of a few issues, we do not recommend this campsite. Most of these issues could have been avoided with a clearer description of the site. We hope that this review will give potential campers a clearer sense of what to expect so they can make an informed decision.
1) The driveway / entrance: The most significant - and dangerous – issue is the driveway to the campsite. Even in my 4WD station wagon, I was unable to get up the second very steep section of the driveway and almost ditched my car as it started rolling back. I made three attempts to get up the hill with as much power as she had. This was super scary considering the sheer drop-offs. A neighbour came to talk to us, and told us you needed winter tires or a powerful truck to get up the hill (this wasn’t communicated to us prior to coming to the campsite). Thankfully, the neighbour was so kind and helped us back down and drove our stuff up to the parking section. However, potential campers should know that, if you are unable to get up the hill, you might have to walk all your stuff up this steep hill (adds 2- to 300 meters to the trek in).
The 100 meter hike to the site was much steeper than we'd anticipated, and we would have packed lighter if we'd known how twisty the path was - again, a heads-up here would have been helpful. If it had been wet, the path would have been sheer mud and super slippery.
2) The campsite: The campsite is well maintained. In addition to the toilet, firepit, and wood, there is room for 2-3 tents and a small kitchen station. We think that a picnic table would make a great addition, as we even brought a folding table for our Coleman stove.
A fair warning to potential campers: the site is right under some power lines and just off the highway, so there was constant buzzing, traffic/ATV, and neighbour noises throughout the weekend. The forest and the lake are nice, but this is not exactly a backcountry camping experience.
3) The lake / dock: The lake is beautiful to look at, but tricky to access. In our communications with the owner, we were told that those with “mobility issues” might have trouble with the path to the lake. But we are all active and strong and some of us still did not feel inspired to risk it more than once (especially for the poor swimming). The last section of the path is particularly steep, and a rope-style railing (at the very least) is needed.
If you are hoping to swim at this dock, you might be disappointed. You have to access the water by scrambling over the canoe, and the lakebed is super mucky; we were sinking up to our knees at points and worried about leeches and stepping on sticks. Bring water shoes if you go. There were lots of birds and the lake is quite lovely once you make it past the muck. Canoeing to the big lake was fun; for those who want to do the portage, know that it is slightly tricky, but very short.
If you’d like a nicer place to swim than the dock, we enjoyed our time swimming at the rapids and spent one day at nearby Marble Lake Beach which was super nice (5 minute drive).
4) Summary: We made the best of our experience and had a nice weekend in a beautiful spot. Given some of the issues listed above, we feel that the campsite is not worth the $100. Again, more information and better communication from the owner would have been appreciated (and next time we will be asking more questions !) We encourage Marty to be much clearer with guests about the risks of driving cars up the sketchy 2nd hill and also about the nature of the hike in to the site - while it is almost a "back country experience you can drive to" that last little bit of walking is definitely no walk down a flat, nicely woodchipped entry way. For all the trouble of getting to the site and packing everything in, we could have found something much more secluded and private for much cheaper. Having said all this, feel free to read other campers’ reviews, as everyone has different experiences and expectations.
Milad B.recommends
August 11, 2021
Camping with a view!
10/10 Amazing Camping Experience
Camping with a view is exactly that, camping with a VIEW. this place is so special. It offers you a camping experience unlike many others within reasonable driving distance from Toronto. The ground for the tents was perfectly flat and even. The outhouse was spotless and clean. There was enough firewood to last you a week. And my personal favourite was that it was on a hill overlooking the lake. We did not end up using the canoe because we went to Bon Echo which is only about a 15 minute drive away but the fact that it was included with the site was awesome. Marty was extremely responsive and provided excellent communication. Me and my 3 friends had a life lasting memorable experience. Highly recommend to all campers!
Sanchi I.recommends
July 19, 2021
Camping with a view!
Wonderful site + great host!
Marty's site was wonderful. The tent site was level, clean, and well-maintained, with lovely views of the lake. Marty was responsive and helpful. The stocked firewood and kindling was such a nice additional touch to make us feel welcome. We also loved having access to the canoe to explore the lake! 10/10 would recommend to other campers.
Stephanie M.recommends
July 18, 2021
Camping with a view!
Great backcountry-like getaway
Excellent backcountry-like getaway! Plenty of firewood provided, host took the extra care to provide necessities (tp, bug spray, tarp) in case you forgot.
Canoeing on the lake was fun -- there is also a short portage to a second lake. Be prepared for a bit of a precarious trip down to the water, watch your step. Entering the lake to swim is rather mucky - but the water is shallow & warm and there is a floating dock you can swim to!
Overall the best experience I've had camping without going to Algonquin. Host went above and beyond to make the to make the stay enjoyable.
Peggy C.recommends
June 27, 2021
Camping with a view!
Site with a beautiful view
The view was beautiful, with a lovely and well sized tent area. Lots of trees for tarps and hammocks. The totally stocked and stacked firewood and kindling made things so easy. The outhouse was clean and thoughtfully stocked with an emergency bin as well as all the necessities for bathroom use. Canoe and lifejackets were easy to find - but the hike to the water is not for anyone with mobility issues (but was beautiful and set up with a nice dock and chairs to enjoy the view).
Marty was readily available with info before and during our trip and was an excellent host.
The climb up the 2nd part of the driveway was a bit much for me and my 2 wheel drive car (too many logging road incidents in my 20s) but we were able to park down low and didn't mind walking our things in - if you have 4 wheel drive or a bit more guts than me, you will be fine.
Everything was clearly marked and it was a lovely trip and a gorgeous campsite, i would recommend.
Hosted by Marty K.Joined in February 2021
Response rate: 100%Response time: Within 4 hours
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