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Big Crow Ranger Cabin in Algonquin Provincial Park

Lodging · Algonquin Provincial Park

Big Crow Ranger Cabin

A historic cabin stay that takes a full day to reach.

Type
Lodging
Nearest trail
Right here
  • Restrooms
DirectionsMap
Parkwolf audio tour107 stories across Algonquin’s roads

Overview

About Big Crow Ranger Cabin

Why stop

  • A rare overnight in a 1956 fire-ranger cabin

Heads up

  • The canoe approach and portages can take a full day

Map

Where it is

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LodgingBig Crow Ranger Cabin45.82402, -78.42828
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Plan your stop

Before you go

4 active Algonquin alerts

  • ClosureProvoking Falls Bridge ClosedThe Provoking Falls bridge on the Highland Backpacking Trail is closed because of safety concerns; the bridge has been removed. - Use the posted reroute, which adds 2.5 km.Official details
  • CautionLow Water on Backcountry Canoe RoutesOntario Parks currently lists low-water alerts for six backcountry canoe-route sections: - Varley Lake from Carl Wilson Lake - Latour Creek north of Rosebary Lake - Carcajou Creek north towards…Official details
See all 4 alerts
A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone
Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Algonquin Tour Guide

Your drive to Big Crow Ranger Cabin, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Algonquin Provincial Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

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  • 107 audio storiesacross Algonquin’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
  • Wildlife heatmapsfor Moose, Eastern Wolf, Black Bear, and 13 more
  • Works offlinemaps, 39 trails, 66 places, and audio download before you lose signal
  • CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
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Guide

More about Big Crow Ranger Cabin

A backcountry cabin stayBig Crow Ranger Cabin is a bookable, two-bedroom cabin on Big Crow Lake.

Big Crow Ranger Cabin is a bookable, two-bedroom cabin on Big Crow Lake. It is a remote overnight destination and canoe-trip base, not a drive-up stop or a public drop-in ranger station. Plan a full day to reach it by canoe and portage.

Plan the approachThe most direct route starts at Lake Opeongo Access Point and continues over long portages.

The most direct route starts at Lake Opeongo Access Point and continues over long portages. Park guidance says to allow a full day on the Lake Opeongo–Proulx route; time and motor restrictions also apply beyond Opeongo. Depending on your route, you may need separate backcountry campsite reservations as well as the cabin booking.

Pack for a rustic cabinInside are two bedrooms with wooden bunks, a kitchen and living area, and a wood stove.

Inside are two bedrooms with wooden bunks, a kitchen and living area, and a wood stove. There are no mattresses, running water, indoor bathroom, electricity or cell reception. The cabin does have an enclosed outdoor toilet, table, washbasin and firepit. Bring sleeping bags and pads, cooking gear, light, matches, food and drinking water; no food service is provided. Pets and tents outside the cabin are not allowed.

The old fire lookoutThe cabin, its former boathouse and a fire tower uphill were all built in 1956.

The cabin, its former boathouse and a fire tower uphill were all built in 1956. The tower stood about half a mile up a steep hill and remained in use for fire detection into the mid-1970s, among Ontario’s last working fire towers. The boathouse and tower are not part of the rental.

backcountrycabinstaycanoehistoryrustic

Wildlife

Wildlife in Algonquin

All Algonquin wildlife maps
Moose1,237 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapEastern Wolf245 sightingsEastern WolfMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapBlack Bear331 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapLoon604 sightingsLoonMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapBald Eagle110 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 11 AMSighting mapRiver Otter192 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Algonquin. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Keep exploring

Near Big Crow Ranger Cabin

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Trails nearby

ModerateBig Crow Lake Old Fire Tower Trail1.2 km · 1 hr · At the trailheadA short, steep climb to Big Crow's old fire-tower siteEasyGiant Pines Trail (Big Crow)2.8 km · 1 hr · 1.9 km awayPaddle in to walk among the old-growth pines.

Parkwolf’s Algonquin ranking

Top sights in Algonquin

All 66 places
  1. 1Barron Canyon LookoutSight
  2. 2Algonquin Logging MuseumSight
  3. 3Lake Opeongo Access Point and Opeongo StoreSight
  4. 4Canoe Lake Access Point and Portage StoreSight
  5. 5Booth's Rock LookoutSight
  6. 6LookoutSight

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