Major Lake Road through Algonquin. Has anyone travelled this road?

i-WERKS

i-WERKS

Well-known member
Hello Everyone. I'm planning quick trip to Driftwood Provincial Park. I punched it in Google maps and it gave me a route through Algonquin Park via Major Lake Road. Has there been anyone who has travelled through this road that can give me some input on road conditions? I'm ok with gravel roads but I've been stuck in knee deep mud before which I'd like to avoid. Seems like a really cool route but since I'm going solo, I want to avoid any possible obstacles. Thanks!

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I haven't done that one. That is hella adventurous for a solo journey. Take a satellite communicator of some form. There will be no cell service an you may have to wait days or more until someone comes by. A good portion appears to be a hydro cut which are normally pretty rough. The top end looks like an ATV trail (google street view looked at it but didn't go down it).

I've explored some of the trails north of peterson road on a street bike. It didn't go all that well. Got stuck on washed out culverts, got stuck in deep mud. Ended up dragging bike out of mud with a rope. Quite exhausting. Not nearly as far off the beaten path as you are heading.

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Alltrails has much of that route labeled as "cart path" and missing sections not even documented as trails. Not sure how sketchy that is but it sounds worse than access road.

There is no way in hell you will make that time. I wouldn't be all that surprised if crossing algonquin took longer than the entire projected trip time. I would almost put money that the route google chose is slower than going around algonquin (in either direction).
 
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Let's make a group ride out of it and help each other out in case someone needs help.
 
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Thanks GreyGhost. I guess I'll have to avoid that route for this trip.

Would love to make this a group ride but unfortunately, my departure time won't be finalized until the day of.
 
Looks like it could be a fun route.
Not one to make time on, that's for sure. Lots of long dead ends making navigation a challenge.
 
Soulcatcher668 said:
Looks like it could be a fun route.
Not one to make time on, that's for sure. Lots of long dead ends making navigation a challenge.
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Interesting to see what google maps is thinking. Just the segment across the park is ~110 km and GM thinks 2.5 hours. Averaging 44 km/h through what appears to be an ATV trail at best is very ambitious. I wonder if any of the advrider or stromtroopers riders have run it. I suspect anything more street oriented than an enduro would be a loser.

www.google.com

Mackey to 25348 ON-60

www.google.com www.google.com
 
The more I ready into this the more of a challenge this is becoming. Lol
 
oioioi said:
The more I ready into this the more of a challenge this is becoming. Lol
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LOL. I got so excited seeing this route pop up on Google Maps. I did some street views and saw a sign saying it's not a thru road and it closes at the Algonquin Park boundary but I can't seem to find that anymore.
 
I think my DL1050 would be too much of a pig for this.
 
I bet that trail won't be passable through the park. It's may be completely grown in or physically blocked. They're pretty serious about roads or trails passing through the park, at least wheeled/summer access.

There's a couple facebook groups with people who are familiar with off road riding up in the Madawaska area. Maybe get in touch with them as I'm sure they would know if it's even passable.

Here's a thread from ADVrider regarding Algonquin:
www.advrider.com

Algonquin Park

Curious about ridng east of the park all the way up to North Bay, looking at google earth there is a gas and hydro line that goes a long way. it looks...
www.advrider.com www.advrider.com
 
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Thanks xrljoel. After seeing the link, I'm definately crossing it off the list. Anyone have any inputs on Old Nipissing Road Trail? Seems like that's a bit more accessible.
 
i-WERKS said:
Thanks xrljoel. After seeing the link, I'm definately crossing it off the list. Anyone have any inputs on Old Nipissing Road Trail? Seems like that's a bit more accessible.
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If you are confident off road old nippising is good a few long water crossings and some steep rocky climbs.

Sent from the future
 
You can only operate motorcycles on the assumed paved roads in Algonquin Park. Logging, fire and hydro access roads are out of bounds.
 
i-WERKS said:
Thanks xrljoel. After seeing the link, I'm definately crossing it off the list. Anyone have any inputs on Old Nipissing Road Trail? Seems like that's a bit more accessible.
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I've been on it many times, but not the rougher sections suitable for dirt bikes. Heading north towards Commanda I've been told can even get too hairy for larger duel sports. Old Nipissing Road
 
Scuba Steve said:
I did it on a ktm1190 on trail attack 2 tires no issues. That are a 90/10 look almost like sport tires.

Sent from the future
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Oh that's interesting - did you get all the way up to Commanda on the 1190?
I've also read that the section between the 141 and the 518 get's pretty tight, but I haven't done that section either.

The section I've done many times is the one between Magnetewan and the 518, which was pretty easy and fun.
 
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