Whitefish Lake – Campsite #3a

Campsite #3a on Whitefish Lake is a new addition to the lake. The most recent version of Jeff’s Map v5 is outdated and does not have this campsite located on the map and instead shows a campsite on the north shore. The north shore campsite has been closed and this south island campsite has been added. Even though there are two campsites on the island, they are at opposite ends so unless you walk to the other side, or unless one group is particularly rowdy, you would still have your privacy while camping on the island. This campsite is the smaller of the two island campsites, but it’s still large enough for a big group. The front of the campsite is a big chunk of rock sloping into the water. Landing and unloading the canoe is no trouble at all. Directly in front of the rock is the fire pit that has a few flat benches for seating directly in front of it. This is a great set up with a beautiful view out onto the water, however it’s very exposed making it difficult to pitch a tarp over this area. There is one tent spot a few feet away from the fire pit, again in an exposed area adjacent to the water. Behind the campsite inland are some more, larger tent spot options that provide better shelter from the elements. The thunder box is right beside those other tent spots, so privacy is non-existent while you do your ‘business’. Behind the campsite was plenty of deadfall, offering lots of firewood. Further back you could follow a trail to a rocky opening at the southern tip of the island, which offers an amazing swimming spot and a spectacular expansive view out onto Whitefish Lake. Even though the north campsite on the island is larger than this campsite, this southern campsite is by no means a bad site and I would happily camp here again. However, it’s worth mentioning that since there are campgrounds nearby, cottages on the lake, and the pow-wow site on the north shore, this campsite does not offer much privacy. There were literally two separate groups of people that came to walk around the island from the Rock Lake campground (they obviously were not aware just how bad etiquette it is to walk through a backcountry campsite). If you’re looking for privacy and remoteness, look elsewhere. But if you’re ok with the fact that Whitefish Lake is closer to front-country camping than it is to backcountry camping, then this is a great campsite to consider.