Parking
Highland Backpacking Trailhead on Highway 60 at km 29.7, near Bat Lake; parking and a pit toilet.
Overview
About Highland Backpacking Trail
Why go
- A true backcountry circuit with lakeside camps
- The signed rocky lookout adds a memorable view
Heads up
- Repeated steep, rocky climbs are tiring under a full pack
- Fewer dependable refill points on the eastern side
Forested stretches open onto several lakes, with backcountry campsites around Head Lake and Harness Lake. A signed rocky lookout spur on the outer route offers the broadest view reported from the trail; it adds about half a kilometre round trip. Keep an eye out for the sign so you can decide before walking past it.
Parkwolf’s verdictLakeside camps and a worthwhile spurMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Algonquin map
Full mapElevation396–507 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
4 active Algonquin alerts
- ClosureProvoking Falls Bridge ClosedMentions this trailThe 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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Algonquin Tour Guide
Your drive to Highland Backpacking Trail, 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.
See the Algonquin audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Highland Backpacking Trail0:00 / 0:23
“The Highland Backpacking Trail is ahead, a route for a planned trip camping beside forest lakes.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Algonquin Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Bat Lake Trail
- Lake of Two Rivers Store and Cafe
- Hemlock Bluff Trail
- Killarney Lodge
- 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
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Highland Backpacking Trail
The longer loopHighland Backpacking Trail has two loop options: a shorter route around Provoking Lake and the…
Highland Backpacking Trail has two loop options: a shorter route around Provoking Lake and the longer outer circuit. This guide follows the outer loop through the Head and Harness Lake area; follow the outer-loop signs where the routes divide. It is a backcountry trip, not a casual day walk. Plan two to three days, with about 18 hours of walking for the full circuit.
The route recorded here measures about 42 km (26.1 miles) from the trailhead and back. The park’s published outer-loop figure is 35 km, and the available route descriptions do not reconcile that figure with the full mapped line. Check the park’s route map when planning.
Hard, uneven groundExpect repeated steep climbs, rocky footing, side slopes and sharp turns.
Expect repeated steep climbs, rocky footing, side slopes and sharp turns. The rolling terrain takes time under a full pack, so the mileage understates the effort. Wet periods can leave muddy sections, especially underfoot in lower areas.
Water and overnight rulesTrip accounts describe longer stretches between dependable water sources on the eastern side.
Trip accounts describe longer stretches between dependable water sources on the eastern side. Plan refills before that section and treat water from lakes or streams. A valid backcountry camping permit is required to use the trail; permits can be reserved up to five months ahead. Dogs are allowed on leash, no longer than 2 m, but keep them out of the waters beside backcountry campsites where campers collect drinking water.
Getting to the trailheadStart at the Highland Backpacking Trailhead on Highway 60 at km 29.7, near Bat Lake.
Start at the Highland Backpacking Trailhead on Highway 60 at km 29.7, near Bat Lake. There is parking and a pit toilet at the trailhead. Treat the lot as the start and finish of the trip rather than a place to resupply once you are on the route.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Algonquin
1,237 sightingsMooseMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
245 sightingsEastern WolfMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
331 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
604 sightingsLoonMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
110 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
192 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Algonquin. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
