How To Pack For Your Fall Canoe Trip Like A Pro (Part 1: Shelter) + Free Printable Checklist!
- Catherine van Warmerdam
- Sep 13, 2018
- 5 min read
Updated: Dec 15, 2018
So, you're heading out into the backcountry to see the fall colours? Good for you!
Us too! We are headed out on our annual fall canoe trip next week, and while I am prepping, I figured I would share my packing list with you. This post is one of a six part series that will cover packing for fall camping, including Shelter, Safety, Camp Kitchen, Personal Gear, Fun & Adventure, and Dog Items. It also includes a FREE printable PDF checklist for you to print out and use at home!
Check out the rest of the series here: Part 2: Safety, Part 3: Camp Kitchen, Part 4: Personal Gear , Part 5: Fun & Adventure, and Part 6: Dog Items by clicking the links provided. You can also grab a copy of our free printable checklist.
My husband and I have a history of canoe trips in the fall. If you ask me, September and October are some if the best times to go camping. The lake and trails are quiet since everyone has gone back to school and work. The bugs have mostly disappeared at this time of year, and the days are cooler, so you eliminate the black flies of May, the mosquitoes of June, and the sweltering heat of July and August. And the leaves, of course! I once spent a summer working at a girls’ camp in Algonquin Park, and stayed on into the fall for the Outdoor Education season. The leaves along Highway 60 are a sight to behold!
The first time we headed into the woods together was in 2015 when we visited the Haliburton Highlands Water Trails with a borrowed canoe. The second time was actually for our honeymoon. We were surprised at our wedding with a Swift Prospector canoe - best gift ever, thanks family!
We did three consecutive canoe trips to Algonquin Provincial Park, the French River, and the Temagami region. Last year, for our first anniversary, we headed to the Kawartha Highlands with our new dog, Guinness.
He has adjusted well to the trip life and has since been on subsequent trips to the Kawartha Highlands and Frontenac Provincial Park. Our trip list will include dog-related items, just in case you need them. We have yet to do a trip with kids, but I'm sure you'll find a post like that here in the future…
So here is Part 1 of our Fall Canoe Trip Packing Series, Shelter! If you'd like to jump ahead to the free printable, just click here!
Please let me know if there is anything I have forgotten, or leave a note in the comments if there is anything you just can't camp without!
- Catherine
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Part 1 of 6: Shelter
Tent
Don't forget your tent! You laugh, but I'm sure it’s been done. We have the MSR Elixir 3-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent. It realistically fits two people and a dog, so it's perfect for us! It also has two doors (no clambering over each other to pee at night!) and the fly creates two 'vestibules' that are great for storing your gear and shoes while you slumber. When we car camp, we usually bring our more spacious 5 person tent, but it is nice to have a lightweight tent for carrying across portages (and boy, is this one lightweight!) If you haven't used your tent in a while, it's always a good idea to quickly set it up in your yard a few days in advance, to make sure you have all the materials you need, and to check on the tents condition. Don't forget to do the same when you come home - that way it can dry out and you can prevent mildew.
Tarps
Our tent doesn't come with a footprint, so we usually bring two small tarps, along, one for under the tent and one for over in case of rain. Our tent has held up pretty well to rain on it's own, but a tarp can help to serve as a windbreak and shelter any gear you may have outside. We also have a large lightweight silicone tarp from Mountain Equipment Co-op that we tend to use over the camp kitchen or a hammock to provide shade and shelter.
Rope
Rope always comes in handy when setting up your site. We tend to use yellow nylon for large applications, such as hanging a hammock or slinging up the bear barrel, and paracord for anything else. I made my husband a paracord bracelet with a whistle buckle - he has yet to unravel it for emergency use, but it is nice to have on hand.
Mattresses
Some might call this a luxury, but if you have ever spent a night sleeping with nothing but a bit of fabric between you and the bare Precambrian Shield, you might just disagree. We have roll-up inflatable air mattresses that we bring with us. Mine isn’t very good, so I will be on the market for a new one in the near future and will be sure to give you a product review when I do!
Sleeping Bags
I have two sleeping bags, one lighter synthetic one for warmer weather, and one down-filled hooded mummy bag for cooler weather. I generally bring the heavier one on fall trips because it actually packs smaller than my lighter sleeping bag due to the fact that it is down-filled. I use compression sacks while camping to push the air out of my sleeping bag and make it smaller. The one I have, the Sea To Summit Event Compression Dry Sack, is also waterproof, which is awesome because no one likes a wet sleeping bag.
Pillows
I know, I was skeptical, too. In the picture above I'm pretty sure I'm using my hiking shoes as a pillow??? I used to toss all my bulky clothing into the compression sack I use for my sleeping bag and use that as a pillow, but obviously all the air escapes and leaves you with a hard lump of clothing. After many a sore neck in the morning (made much worse under the canoe!) I started tossing a small cushion in my pack, even if it does take up some space.
Dry Bags
I love dry bags. They are an item I have camped without many a time, but in having several now I realize they are so handy! We have a large 70L dry bag with backpack straps that we toss our sleeping bags and clothing inside...dry clothes can be a lifesaver out there, literally. We also have a small 10L dry bag we keep toiletries, fire-starting materials, ID, credit cards, site permits, and other items in to keep them safe and dry. And finally, we have a small watertight case for a mobile device to use in case of emergency.
So there you have it, Part 1: Shelter of our Fall Canoe Trip Packing Series.
Click the links to jump to the other articles in this series: Part 2: Safety, Part 3: Camp Kitchen, Part 4: Personal Gear , Part 5: Fun & Adventure, and Part 6: Dog Items. You can also grab a copy of our free printable checklist.
Cheers and happy camping,
- Catherine
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