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The Buck Lake Trail remains close to the shoreline of the second largest lake and therefore, with few exceptions, is relatively level. It is easily ac-cessed with a short walk from the two main lodges or from three designated parking areas.

View from the bird sanctuary (#3)

The trail passes over an abandoned beaver dam which borders a secluded bird sanctuary and intercepts two por-tage routes. A rest cabin is located at the south end of Buck Lake to warm up in during the winter.

Buck Lake Lodge (#1)

Hickory Creek Ravine (#4)

Access to Trail Start at either Buck Lake Landing or alterna-tively from the High-Poverty Road Junction, both of which have ample space to park cars.

Trail Links The trail links up with the Buck Lookout, Ascension and Kalonga Wetland trails, providing opportunities to extend your hike.

Distance 8.5 km

Number of Steps 10,700

Diffi culty Easy to moderate

Trail Description Although signifi cantly shorter than the Solitaire Trail, this trail has as many points of interest and equally attractive features.

BU C K LA K E TR A I L

1. Buck Lake Lodge2. Buck Lake Landing3. Bird Sanctuary4. Hickory Creek Ravine5. Link Road6. High – Poverty Road Junction7. Settlers’ Farms

8. Mountain Ash Trees9. Red Oak Trees10. Spring Water Chute11. Fox Den12. Thegar’s Rest13. Winter Ice Cliffs14. Poverty Portage and Bridgeway

15. Osprey Island16. Wil Quinn’s Rest Cabin17. Quartz Outcrop18. Helve Creek and Portage19. Nugget Creek20. Ascension Trail21. Boardwalk

POINTS OF INTEREST

Trails Alternative Return Route Poverty Lake Link Trail Country Roads

BUCK LAKEBuck Lake Lookout

Limberlost Lodge

Buck Lake Lodge

Beaver Dam

Buck Lake Road

Ascension Trail

To Poverty Lake

To High LakeTo Turtle Lake

To Maniwaki Fishing Lodge

LAKESOLITAIRE

3

4

5

6

7

89

1011

13

12

14

15

1718

20

21

1619

To Helve Lake

2

HIGHLAKE

1

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Buck Lake Landing, a natural starting point for your hike, was cleared and levelled in the early 1900s to store logs cut during the summer and fl oated across Buck Lake. Today it provides an area to park, picnic or swim.

At the north end of the lake you pass through a secluded bird sanctuary where Sandhill Cranes and Great Blue Herons breed in the grassy wetlands created by an abandoned beaver dam. Crossing the beaver dam is the only unprepared portion of the trail where you may expe-rience some diffi culty.

At the east end of the abandoned beaver dam, a trail will take you up to the High Lake-Poverty Road Junction, should you wish to detour around High Lake.

When you reach the stream fl owing into Poverty Lake at the southeast corner of Buck Lake, you will fi nd an extensive board-walk crossing the stream which fl ows out of the lake. There is also a portage trail leading to Poverty Lake and a trail along the west side of the lake to Poverty Road and High Lake.

By venturing off the Buck Lake trail shortly after passing the por-tage, you should fi nd evidence

Natural water chute (#10)

Nugget Creek (#19)

B U C K L A K E T R A I L – con t inued

of an early homestead site, including underground winter storage caverns, iron stove remains and other metal ob-jects. Many of the old tools and kitchen utensils recovered from this site are displayed in Wil Quinn’s Rest Cabin.

Prior to reaching the cabin you will pass by Osprey Island where osprey have nested successfully in recent years. This area should be approached discreetly, especially during the spring and summer nesting periods.

A few hundred yards further along the lakeshore you will fi nd Wil Quinn’s Rest Cabin set on top of a rock cliff. The cabin was rebuilt in recent years and today provides an attractive place to stop for lunch or use as a base to paint the scenery or warm up.

Further along the south end of the lake you will reach the Helve Portage which provides another opportunity to extend your hike

by proceeding up to Helve Lake and returning down the Kalonga Wetland Trail.

Half way up the west side of Buck Lake, you will encounter a board-walk which enables you to pass beneath an extensive rock cliff. In the early spring, this is an attractive place to stop in the early mornings to enjoy the warm sunshine.

Poverty Portage (#14)

Helve Creek and Portage (#18)

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Safety is the Highest Priority

B U C K L A K E T R A I L – con t inued

Points of Interest GPS Co-ordinates

Trail StartBuck Lake Landing N45° 23.725 W78° 59.734Buck Lake Lookout Parking Area N45° 23.618 W78° 59.682

Bird Sanctuary N45° 23.845 W78° 59.682Link Trail to High-Poverty Junction N45° 23.863 W78° 59.742Spring Water Chute N45° 23.557 W78° 59.260Winter Ice Cliffs N45° 23.548 W78° 59.7264Poverty Portage and Bridgeway N45° 23.417 W78° 59.042Homestead Site N45° 23.390 W78° 59.044Osprey Island N45° 23.328 W78° 59.112Wil Quinn’s Rest Cabin N45° 23.317 W78° 59.104Helve Creek Portage N45° 23.255 W78° 59.190Ascension Trail Turn-off N45° 23.321 W78° 59.665Boardwalk below Rock Cliff N45° 23.542 W78° 59.715Buck Lake Lodge Detour Trail N45° 23.631 W78° 59.610

Trail Sections KM Rating

Buck Lake Landing to Bird Sanctuary 1.0 9

Bird Sanctuary to Link Trail to Poverty Road 0.2 6

Link Trail to Spring Water Chute 1.5 7

Water Chute to Ice Cliffs 0.3 8

Ice Cliffs to Poverty Portage 1.0 10

Poverty Portage to Wil Quinn’s Rest Cabin 1.0 10

Wil Quinn’s Rest Cabin to Helve Creek Portage 0.5 8

Helve Creek Portage to Ascension Trail Turn-off 1.5 10

Ascension Trail Turn-off to Boardwalk 0.5 7

Boardwalk below Rock Cliff to Lookout Parking 0.5 10

Lookout Parking Area to Buck Lake Landing 0.5 10

8.5

Ratings: 1 = very rough, 10 = high quality

Grades: 70% = level, 10% = slight grade, 20% = 20®+ grade