Lillie in a canoe | The Press

For a second summer, the dog Lillie and the Westfalia Willie are exploring Quebec (and beyond) in search of new adventures.

Stephanie Morin
The Press

Lillie pricked up her ears, but didn’t deign to get up when she heard the two loons sing in the dusk. She didn’t flinch either to see the magical spectacle of the full moon reflecting in the water of the lake.

It must be said that the day had been very emotional for our little dog of almost 2 years. Lillie is already used to hiking and camping trips aboard Willie the Westfalia (left at home for the occasion). However, she had never climbed aboard a canoe… and the experience promised not to be trivial for this corgi-shetland who has never shown a great love for swimming.

For this canoe outing, we opted for Kiamika Regional Park, in the Laurentians. The place, located 200 km north of Montreal, is still little known to the general public. It must be said that the park has only existed since 2013 and that a formal reservation system was only introduced in 2019.

This veritable paradise — at least for those who want to treat themselves to a short camping trip by the water’s edge — has all the qualities to gain in popularity over the next few years.

Indeed, there are magnificent campsites here, accessible only by boat. Some offer long sandy beaches for swimming; others stand on the park’s 40 islands and islets. The majority offer great privacy, so much so that we have the impression of being alone in the world and that only the loons can disturb our peace. This is especially true in the north of the park, in the Kilby sector, where motorboats are extremely rare and where campsites are far from each other. A huge plus for those who want to escape both the city and the rest of humanity…

For Lillie, Kiamika Park will remain the place where she first set foot in a boat that was not very stable (at least in her eyes). Wearing a flotation jacket that made her look like a fluorescent orange buoy, she took a little time to understand what was going on. She moved from side to side of the canoe with a worried look, putting her paws on the gunwales with the air of wondering if it would not be better to jump out of this cursed boat!

But the constant rhythm of our paddle strokes and our reassuring presence finally calmed his fears. She sat down, sniffing the air with great sniffles. He even happened to lie down for a few moments, his head wedged between the luggage and the side of the canoe. And when the wind picked up over the Kiamika Reservoir, sending treacherous waves to us, she knew how to stay calm.

Still, when her paws found solid ground, we felt a bit relieved. As a result, he didn’t have much energy left to marvel at the song of the loons, the full moon or the starry sky. And she still had to face another novelty: sleeping in a tent, glued to her two favorite humans… But for that, no doubt, Lillie has all the skills required.

Kiamika Regional Park

Camping

The park has 115 campsites spread over an area of ​​184 km². Some are accessible by car, including around 40 in the Barrage sector where RVs are authorized. In the Kilby sector, the reservation includes canoe rental. These 10 sites are therefore mainly intended for canoe-camping. For the other 55 sites, they can be reached by motorboat, canoe or paddle board.

Dogs

Allowed on a leash anywhere in the park

Full for the summer?

There are still several campsites for rent by the end of the season, even if the weekends are busier.

Rediscover our reports from last year