Our Process for Exploring Crown Land: Rewards & Challenges

Follow us on a canoe-camping trip as we explore a short Crown land canoe route and discover what's around it. We also try to demystify how we find new Crown land locations for camping.
LINKS:
Crown Land Part 1: Why hike and camp on Crown land?
• Crown Land Camping & H...
Crown Land Part 2: How to find Crown Land in Ontario?
• Crown Land - Part 2: H...

[@MikeProut]

Martin! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! I’ve been fortunate enough to know some families that have been cottagers for multiple generations and have imparted Crowland hiking and canoe routes to me. Spent the better part of the last ten years enjoying Crowland with my daughter a few friends. Great video and thanks for taking us along! Looking forward to more videos! Cheers. Mike

[@PineMartyn]

Glad you enjoyed it, Mike. Cheers, - Martin

[@ImOnAnEffinBoat]

the joyful smile you give when talking about the tree growing out of the rotting stump

[@TheCampingCanuck]

Thanks for the great video!

[@PineMartyn]

You're welcome. It was a pleasure making it. Cheers, - Martin

[@PinetreeLine]

Great information Martin! I use the same techniques to find Crown Land areas. Thanks!

[@PineMartyn]

Glad to hear we are of similar minds on this. Cheers, - Martin

[@Woodswalker1965]

That was awesome. Quite a bit of work to reach camp but the payoff was huge! Thanks for sharing your trip! Wade

[@PineMartyn]

Thanks Wade. The trip to the campsite was actually very easy this time, though the reconnaissance trip about 10 days prior was actually what took us time: Time to find a place the best place to park and put-in onto the water, time to explore the lakes and look for ways through to the next, time to clear the portages...and of course waiting out big thunderstorms that moved in on us unexpectedly. lol Cheers, - Martin

[@KevinOutdoors]

The 'canoe shelter'. I will remember that one!

[@PineMartyn]

One only has to portage once in pouring rain for one to realize what a terrific umbrella/shelter a canoe overhead is. All you need is to perch the bow of the canoe on a tree limb or in the fork of a tree and rest the stern end on the ground and you have a very serviceable shelter which one can stand or sit under. In very windy conditions it's advisable to lash the canoe to the tree so it doesn't get blown off the limb. Cheers, - Martin

[@adreabrooks11]

In the old days, the voyageurs and coureurs de bois would often use their (much larger) canoes as shelters, simply by lashing them down with a stake or two to keep one side elevated (with the opposite gunwale on the ground). Apparently, it was less hassle than setting up an oilcloth shelter - at least, when the weather wasn't really nasty.

[@outdooraddventure]

I'm a Hunter and a Target shooter and I love Crown Land I have some Crown Land in Haliburton that I want to clean up people have their lawn chairs burned in fire rings fire rings willow trees take a little work but it's going to be worth it in the end

[@FrancisRoyCA]

Finally got around to watching the rest of the video. Glad you enjoyed the wine. Cheers. :) Later: The character of the Ontario wild, while similar to BC has a different character. It seems calm and mellow. BC is rougher, more savage. Most running water is green, but one can find some incredible crystalline streams, and of course, there's more wild-life, and not all of it friendly. BC camping involves rifles. One thing about BC land is that it is either wildly overgrown, with a lot of conifer, and a lot of sharp stone, being newer mountains than what's on the shield.

[@canadianpaddler4482]

Great presentation .. Glad to see you both out and exploring. I feel so spoiled . but love your diligence in encouraging others to get out there. If you ever want to explore my neck of the woods give me a call.

[@PineMartyn]

Thanks Earle! You are indeed very fortunate to be surrounded by Crown land as you are. You can expect some hot-tenting videos this winter. Gratefully, - Martin

[@georgedpost]

When Martin was showing us around the bug tent, I had a chuckle. His hat kinda looked like a pith helmet, and for a moment I thought I was watching Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom. Only this is better!

[@PineMartyn]

I remember that show and Marlin Perkins from when I was a boy! Actually, the brim of my Tilley hat tends to cast a shadow on my face, so I curl the brim up in front, which looks a little goofy, but at least my face isn't in shadow. So glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers, - Martin

[@MeetMeOutside]

Really nice seeing you folks ! Been missing your videos. Awesome process for finding great areas to explore ! Peace ✌️

[@PineMartyn]

Thank you, Cragdwella. Peace to you also, - Martin

[@jamieporter6305]

Thanks again Martin, very inspiring.

[@PineMartyn]

Thank you very much, Jamie. Cheers to you, - Martin

[@BushCraftBums]

Awesome video! Looks like an amazing time! Thanks for taking us along! Blessings BCB

[@PineMartyn]

You're most welcome, and thank you. Pass along my regards to all the Bushcraft Bums! :-) Cheers, - Martin

[@oscarparedes5308]

Awesome video!! If it's possible maybe you both can show us about your adventures gear, having the proper gear for a particular season of the year makes a big difference. Anyway, you both are very pleasant to watch and hear. Thanks for your efforts.

[@PineMartyn]

Thanks for the kind words. I have always been somewhat reticent about making videos about gear or kit, since so many channels are devoted to that already, but I have gotten a lot of requests over the years, so I am thinking perhaps I should makes some videos about our gear choices, since, as you say, the right gear for the season is pretty important. Cheers, - Martin

[@alf3553]

Nice to see you two again. Great video thanks.

[@PineMartyn]

That's nice of you to say. Thank you, in turn. Cheers, - Martin

[@mproulx028]

Happy to see you back! Thanks again for these great videos. I learn dehydrated food with your wife a couple years ago and now crown land. I didn’t had luck finding a Quebec crown land website but I’m still searching. Thanks again and can’t wait for your next videos!

[@PineMartyn]

I hope you find some Crown lands in Quebec to explore. More videos forthcoming! Cheers, - Martin

[@tsavage4185]

Great video. Crown land is all ours to enjoy and use, it was nice to see the process you use to discover new places. Adventure whether spontaneous or carefully planned and executed is always fun and interesting, if you have the right attitude. Thank you for this wonderful video, it was great to see you back out in the hinterland. Cheers

[@PineMartyn]

Right you are! Outdoor recreation can be planned down to the smallest detail or left much more open, but either way, our Crown lands will always provide surprises for us when we're out there and even the best laid plans will have to be changed on the spot. Thanks for the comment. Cheers , - Martin

[@hikecampfish]

Great video Martin, I wouldn't say I'm new to crown land or backcountry camping in Ontario but I still learned a lot from your vids.

[@PineMartyn]

That's very encouraging to hear. Thanks. - Martin

[@packhorsetriumph5319]

Another great video, thanks!

[@PineMartyn]

You're welcome, and thank you too. Cheers, - Martin

[@TraceyTruly]

Thank-you both for a beautifully filmed take along! Gorgeous nature! I am nowhere near your levels of outdoorness but always some5hing to be learned and applied, even to a short hike. :) The water filtration bag looks very handy!

[@PineMartyn]

Thank you Tracey. Passing on what we've learned from others and on our own is what this channel's all about, so we're pleased when people glean anything from our videos. Keep on hiking! Cheers, - Martin

[@trevortaylor5501]

Thanks for the vids I'm going to try to find and camp on crown land. Who ever knew you could do this. Cheers!

[@jccapwell]

Thank you for a great video. Now you can whisper the location of this trip to us: promise we won’t tell. LOL. Look forward to seeing you again at the Symposium.

[@PineMartyn]

LOL. Thanks for understanding. I definitely plan to be at the Ontario Winter Camping Symposium this November as well as the Ontario Backcountry Canoeing Symposium next spring. See you there! Cheers, - Martin

[@steveforsythe9264]

Thanks for this video, it is so informative and certainly looked like a fun trip. I gotta get out and give Crown Land a go...cheers!

[@PineMartyn]

Please do. You won't regret it. Not every day trip onto Crown land will result in a great camping location, but it happens frequently enough to be worthwhile and even the day trips on their own are fun and memorable. Cheers, - Martin

[@Rmccleary1]

Thanks for the great video! I look forward to exploring more.

[@PineMartyn]

We hope you'll give it a try. Cheers, - Martin

[@Rmccleary1]

It's something I've always wanted to do but haven't found the right spots yet. I look forward to checking out your videos on choosing and creating a crown land campsite and hopefully find my spots.

[@MrFreeGman]

I love your content, especially because it appears that you're exploring areas right around where I used to spend my summers as a kid. Feels like home. I'm inspired to try some crown camping myself this summer.

[@PineMartyn]

That's a lovely comment. Thanks so much. I'm delighted you enjoy it. Cheers, - Martin

[@terryw.milburn8565]

Hay, Friends ! Many Thanks for this ! Wonderful traveling & Learning as we go ! ATB T God Bless

[@PineMartyn]

Hello again, Terry, So nice to see you in the comments. Cheers, - Martin

[@MrKokemachine]

That bird call in your intro is the sound I associate with camping. Do you know what bird it is?

[@PineMartyn]

That's the most frequently asked question on this channel. 😊. That sound is the call of the White-Throated Sparrow. Hearing it never fails to transport me back to warm summer days in the backcountry. Cheers, - Martin

[@brachas5765]

sweeeet

[@AdventureTimeOutdoors]

Martin this was a great video! You have a beautiful canoe. How much does it weigh? You found a beautiful spot to set up camp. I am going to try and find some more crown land spots. I know of some but they are a 2-3 hour drive from home but there has to be some closer to home. I cant wait to get my canoe. Its a heavy canoe so Portages will suck but I am stubborn and will make it work. The trade off is it is tuff as hell! I do prefer tuffness over light weight. Thanks for taking us along and sharing your knowledge my friend.

[@PineMartyn]

Hi Mark. We're glad you enjoyed the video. Our tandem canoe is one we bought second-hand 2 years ago to replace my beloved Nova Craft royalite prospector (which weighed nearly 60 lbs) because it was getting heavier with every passing year. Our current boat weighs around 40lbs. The royalite boat, though heavy, was virtually indestructible and had seen it's share of rivers, rapids and rocks and had the scars to prove it. Our current boat is not as hardy (being made of more brittle kevlar), so I am much more careful with it. I wish you all the best with your new boat and look forward to seeing you paddling it in some forthcoming videos. And if you're in my area, drop me a line and perhaps we can arrange to do a little paddling together on some local Crown land waterways and trade some outdoor wisdom. Cheers, - Martin

[@filmic1]

Reminds me of the experimental lakes we worked on (McGill/OMNR) north of Atikokan ON/Brown's/Clearwater. There are a whole group of small interconnected lakes with short portages, both from the road and btwn lakes. It's deceptive as it's all been clear cut with 100m or more of forest left around each lake from the road, but that was over twenty five years ago..

[@PineMartyn]

That's actually true of many places in Ontario - from the water's edge, it all looks pristine and untouched, but once you get into the woods, evidence of logging from generations prior is often present, as was the case on this trip. - Martin

[@PREPFORIT]

Nice. I have had dandelion greens But never Wine. I Like the Fire pit close to the water too. Good water collecting I need one of those.

[@PineMartyn]

I enjoy eating dandelion greens and the buds in spring and the flowers later in the season. I even tried dandelion wine when I was a lad (though I didn't care for the batch I tasted), but this wine was really delicious. Regarding the water filter (the BeFree by Katadyn), we've been really pleased with it's portability and ease of use compared to others we've tried. Cheers, - Martin

[@jeron6]

Hi sir do you know any good crown over night camping. Nice and jungle with lake for fishing . Somewhere close to sudbury . North bay area. Thank

[@rungavagairun]

You guys don't use bear bells or call out as you're moving through backcountry?

[@PineMartyn]

We don't use bear bells, as we find them very annoying. We do call out ("Getaway you bears!) rather regularly, but when we are talking to one another (or talking on camera), that's more than enough noise to alert a bear of our approach. Thanks for the question, - Martin

[@amandamccrindle7917]

Hey can I get gps coordinates?

[@xxgg]

Great! New video :D Quick question: Do you leave some sort of a note on your car dash? so that it doesn't look like your car was abandoned or anything like that?

[@PineMartyn]

No, I don't leave a note, but I have in mind to make a video devoted exclusively to the question of where to park and how to doing so safely. Cheers, - Martin

[@birdcanoe3084]

PineMartyn that would be great, i am interested in this as well

[@adreabrooks11]

@@PineMartyn I, too, would love to see this topic presented.

[@FrancisRoyCA]

I hates me the water. That means that I should learn to canoe. My uncles don't have the time or will to teach me, and my cousins want to take me out on powerboats and make me smoke joints. Come the Zombie Apocalypse, I am so screwed.

[@PineMartyn]

I'd be happy to teach you how to canoe, my friend. Perhaps we can arrange to meet next summer for a short canoe trip. Cheers, - Martin

[@FrancisRoyCA]

I would like that actually. I should save up some money and you guys can help me choose basic camping equipment, boots, clothes, minimal necessary gear.