I led high school students on hikes of the first loop of the Western Uplands Trail in Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada several times before but never hiked the entire trail. Three of my long time adventure partners and I, The Summer School Brotherhood as we call ourselves, decided this was the year to take it off the list. 

Algonquin, Ontario’s oldest provincial park, established in 1893, was intended to protect the headwaters of several rivers and to serve as a wildlife sanctuary. Today it has eight front country campgrounds and over 1900 back country campsites, accessible only by canoe, kayak, or foot. Many of the portages and backpacking trails were originally established by summer camp staff and campers, expanding their area for adventures. 

The Western Uplands, Algonquin’s longest backpacking trail, is no joke. It has three loops 36 km, 58 km, and 88km. The 36 km loop is the busiest and best maintained, but beyond that point, the crowds disperse and the difficulty increases.