Killarney Campsites

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Killarney Portages

 
Below is a list of Killarney Portages.
 
They are listed alphabetically. So if you are going between any two lakes, search for one of the lakes and look for the portage description.
Because some people will go from lake A to B and others from lake B to A, there will be two idendical descriptions for each portage.
 
The difficulty rating is just like school - from A (very easy) to E (which is horrendously difficult). 
 
The pictureque rating is just like the campsite ratings (A is amazing to E which is just one step up from the local garbage dump).
 
The difficulty rating is NOT based on the length of the portage. It is based on other factors such as changes in elevation, footing,
width of path, streams/water to cross etc. 
 



Start Lake Finish Lake Length Difficulty Rating Picturesque Rating Comments
Artist  Muriel 900 A B This portage is not 900 anymore. From the Artist end, do a short - like 50 m short - portage into an unnamed swamp, paddle if for a bit and then it is a flat perhaps 100 m portage to Muriel. 
Baie Fine Three Narrows 1320 E B This is called "The Pig" for a reason. It is steep going to both directions, full of largish rocks that seems to be designed to twist an ankle and the Three Narrows end is a garbage dump. On the upside, you will get bragging rights if you do it and a short side trip to Topaz Lake (look at the map) is worth any hardship. Take note, if  you  are going or coming from Artist Lake, the portage is actually longer.  
Balsam Three Mile 30 A- A Unique, fun portage as there is a manual lift over (platform on rails that you haul) so you don't have to unload your canoe !! The challenge is finding the small channel to this portage at NW corner of Three Mile Lake. It is a narrow water lily filled channel at the north edge of the larger bay in that corner. Obvious from Balsam side.
Bear  Goose 200 B D The portage is actually longer - perhaps 400m long as Goose Lake would be better named Goose Shit Lake. The shore line is deep with mud and you actually have to walk down the shore for some time before getting to a point that you can put in your canoe. Goose is one unpleasant lake. It is like they took all of the ugly in Killarney and dumped it in this lake.
Bell  Unnamed Stream 745 C D Pretty flat but there is some water at the unnamed stream end. Usually very busy with lots of novice campers. Take your stuff well away from the water to make sure it does not get mixed up with other camper's equipment if  you are making  more than 1 trip.
Bell  Johnnie 300 A C light rise in elevation from J to Bell, damp at the Johnny Lake end, Good footing, crosses Bell Lake Access Road and follows turnoff to Bell Lake Access parking, and ends at Bell Lake Access. Toilet facilities at Bell Lake access. 
Carmichael/Nellie Murray 1470 D B Very steep for the first 1/3 (if you were coming from Murray) and again very steep for a short stretch about 1/2 way through. Other than that, it is a pretty pleasant walk. 
Carmichael/Nellie Grace 2085 D+ B Surprisingly steep going in both directions. Portage crosses a creek near the Grace Lake end. You could, I guess, walk on top of the beaver damn (the path seems to indicate that people do it). We put the stuff in the canoe.
Cat Lake Winkle 510 A C Look at the map. Just about no contour lines. Yup - flat and, it turns out boring. Kind of steep at the Cat Lake end I guess.
Clearsilver Johnnie 830 B C Mostly flat. Mostly dry. Mostly just trees. 
Cranberry Bay Grace 1745 B B The ONLY thing difficult about this portage is the length and really even that overstates it. This is a flat walk in the woods. It does not get easier.
David Great Mountain 2945 C C This is a beautiful walk along a low lying marsh area. I have never done it in bug season but it would be awful then. Trail is well marked.
David Unnamed Stream 200 A D Wide and almost entirely flat. Good put ins at both ends (rock at the unnamed stream end and sand at the David Lake end).
Fish Lake Unnamed Pond 300 A C Flat and a little wet. 
Fish Lake Great Mountain 470 B B A little steep on the Fish Lake end but otherwise easy. From Fish lake, the portage is uphill almost the entire length of the portage. Dan Brown (a local trapper) has a small cabin on the Fish Lake end - it might help you find the portage
Fish Lake Unnamed Stream 130 A C Pretty flat and wide. There is a log crossing the unnamed stream. We found that you could get your canoe under it, climb on top of the log and get in the canoe on the other side. No need to portage around the log.
Freeland George 80 A C Flat. There is a dock at the George Lake end. If 80 m is still too long for you, you can put your canoe in the water in Freeland immediately after the dam - no need to walk the entire 80 m. 
Freeland Killarney 455 A B Kind of mucky at the Freeland end, otherwise this is a flat and easy portage. There is a stream running beside the portage which is worth a look if you have a few minutes. Not much else to say.
Gail Great Mountain 170 A C Down hill the entire way. 
Gem Lake Howry Lake 155 A B Flat and easy. Nice view of the stream from the Howry Lake side.
George Freeland 80 A C Flat. There is a dock at the George Lake end. If 80 m is still too long for you, you can put your canoe in the water in Freeland immediately after the dam - no need to walk the entire 80 m. 
Goose  Bear 200 B D The portage is actually longer - perhaps 400m long as Goose Lake would be better named Goose Shit Lake. The shore line is deep with mud and you actually have to walk down the shore for some time before getting to a point that you can put in your canoe. Goose is one unpleasant lake. It is like they took all of the ugly in Killarney and dumped it in this lake.
Goose  Round Otter 700 A B Flat and easy. The stream runs along much of this portage and is somewhat a nice walk. Watch for broken glass at the Goose Lake end. 
Grace Carmichael/Nellie 2085 D+ B Surprisingly steep going in both directions. Portage crosses a creek near the Grace Lake end. You could, I guess, walk on top of the beaver damn (the path seems to indicate that people do it). We put the stuff in the canoe.
Grace Cranberry Bay 1745 B B The ONLY thing difficult about this portage is the length and really even that overstates it. This is a flat walk in the woods. It does not get easier.
Great Mountain David 2945 C C This is a beautiful walk along a low lying marsh area. I have never done it in bug season but it would be awful then. Trail is well marked.
Great Mountain Fish Lake 470 B B A little steep on the Fish Lake end but otherwise easy. From Fish lake, the portage is uphill almost the entire length of the portage. Dan Brown (a local trapper) has a small cabin on the Fish Lake end - it might help you find the portage
Great Mountain Little Mountain 60 A A A portage this short? Of course it is easy. The view on both ends is great. There is a log in the water which seems to block your access to Little Mountain Lake via canoe but there is a notch cut out of it on the south end.
Great Mountain Gail 170 B C Relatively steep climb from Great Mountain to Gail but not too bad.
Howry Creek Howry Creek 210 A B Flat, easy portage. Very pleasant. Not much else to say.
Howry Lake Gem Lake 155 A B Flat and easy. Nice view of the stream from the Howry Lake side.
Howry Lake Cat Lake 700 B C Not too steep, not too picturesque. This gets B and C grades in my book.
Howry Lake Cat Lake 700 B C Not too steep, not too picturesque. This gets B and C grades in my book.
Johnnie Clearsilver 830 B C Mostly flat. Mostly dry. Mostly just trees. 
Johnnie Bell 300 A C light rise in elevation from J to Bell, damp at the Johnny Lake end, Good footing, crosses Bell Lake Access Road and follows turnoff to Bell Lake Access parking, and ends at Bell Lake Access. Toilet facilities at Bell Lake access. 
Killarney Three Narrows 3160 C A Aside from the length, this is a wonderful portage. Very picturesque particularly going from Killarney to Three Narrows. There is a great place to sit to the right of the portage at the Killarney Lake end. There is some water to cross but not too terrible. 
Killarney Norway 1390 A B This is a flat portage and can be kind of wet. There is a short-cut though. If you take the bay to the south of the portage (coming from Killarney), you can paddle up the stream for about 200 m. At that point you have to portage around a beaver dam. The dam is a true monument to the river rodent work ethic so this is no lift over. Depending on the water levels in the steam you may have to push through muck until you get to the dam. You can then paddle for about all but the last 200 m before Norway (exit the stream on the north side). 
Killarney Freeland 455 A B Kind of mucky at the Freeland end, otherwise this is a flat and easy portage. There is a stream running beside the portage which is worth a look if you have a few minutes. Not much else to say.
Little Mountain Great Mountain 61 A A A portage this short? Of course it is easy. The view on both ends is great. There is a log in the water which seems to block your access to Little Mountain Lake via canoe but there is a notch cut out of it on the south end.
Muriel Artist 900 A B This portage is not 900 anymore. From the Muriel end, do a 100 m or so portage to a unnamed marsh/pond, paddle for a bit then there is a short - like 50 m short - portage into Artist. 
Muriel OSA 595 B C This is way longer than 595 as Muriel is a bog where the portage meets the lake. It is not particuarly difficult or picturesque otherwise.
Murray  Carmichael/Nellie 1470 D B Very steep for the first 1/3 (if you were coming from Murray) and again very steep for a short stretch about 1/2 way through. Other than that, it is a pretty pleasant walk. 
Norway  Killarney 1390 A B This is a flat portage and can be kind of wet. There is a short-cut though. If you take left path about 200 m from Norway you come to a marshy stream. You can paddle in this for all but hte last 200 m. At that point, you have to portage around a beaver dam (this is no lift over) and then, depending on the water level on Killarney, paddle or push your way through much into Killarney proper. 
Norway  Partridge 25 A B It is 25 m so no problems. Quick rise from Norway to Partridge. Take out on Norway is via the logs in the water.
Norway  Unnamed Marsh/Stream 600 B B This portage actually starts on Partridge and not Norway but a quick look at the map and you may assume that the portage starts on Norway. The portage looks like if comes really close to Norway about 300 m in such that is possible to just go into the bay in Norway and bush wack up to the portage. I looked. No one else seems to have done it and I do not think it would be particularly easy. Also, you would miss the chance to see Partridge Lake - and you should, it is gorgeous.
OSA Muriel 595 B C This is way longer than 595 as Muriel is a bog where the portage meets the lake. It is not particuarly difficult or picturesque otherwise.
Partridge Lake Norway 25 A B It is 25 m so no problems. Quick rise from Norway to Partridge. Take out on Norway is via the logs in the water.
Partridge Lake Unnamed Marsh/Stream 600 B B A quick look at the map and you might think that this portage ends in Norway but if you are young enough to read the pale blue letters, you will see that it is Norway (I had my son read it to me). It looks like you could cut the portage in 1/2 and bush wack to Norway but I do not think it would be easy - or worth it. Partridge is a beautiful little lake and is worth seeing.
Rocky Chanel Winkle 190 B C Sort of steep at both ends. It is too short to have much of a middle. Enough said.
Round Otter Goose 700 A B Flat and easy. The stream runs along much of this portage and is somewhat a nice walk. Watch for broken glass at the Goose Lake end. 
Round Otter Unnamed Pond 105 A C I just did this portage 3 days ago but do not remember it at all so I figure it was easy and not very picturesque. If you have a better description, do tell. 
Sandy Lake Unnamed Marsh/Stream 128 A B Flat and grassy landings at both ends. Coming from the unnamed stream, it looks like you could go to the left instead of taking the portage. We tried and could not make it (did not get even close before we had to give up). Just take the portage.
Three Mile Balsam 30 A- A Unique, fun portage as there is a manual lift over (platform on rails that you haul) so you don't have to unload your canoe !! The challenge is finding the small channel to this portage at NW corner of Three Mile Lake. It is a narrow water lily filled channel at the north edge of the larger bay in that corner. Obvious from Balsam side.
Three Narrows Killarney 3160 C A Aside from the length, this is a wonderful portage. Very picturesque particularly going from Killarney to Three Narrows. There is a great place to sit to the right of the portage at the Killarney Lake end. There is some water to cross but not too terrible. 
Three Narrows Baie Fine 1320 E B This is called "The Pig" for a reason. It is steep going to both directions, full of largish rocks that seems to be designed to twist an ankle and the Three Narrows end is a garbage dump. On the upside, you will get bragging rights if you do it and a short side trip to Topaz Lake (look at the map) is worth any hardship. Take note, if  you  are going or coming from Artist Lake, the portage is actually longer.  
Three Narrows Unnamed Lake 395 B+ C This is pretty flat. There is a beach on Three Narrows. Is is just me or is that Lake pretty big to be unnamed?
Winkle Cat Lake 510 A C Look at the map. Just about no contour lines. Yup - flat and, it turns out boring. Kind of steep at the Cat Lake end I guess.
Winkle Rocky Chanel 190 B C Sort of steep at both ends. It is too short to have much of a middle. Enough said.