The Barron River -- Some Photographs

Last Tuesday, I (Bob) paddled up the Barron River in eastern Algonquin Park, starting at Squirrel Rapids and proceeding to Brigham Chute and then returned by the same route. I passed by Cache Rapids, the mouth of Spoor Creek and through the Barron Canyon. I saw absolutely no one all day; my car was the only car in the parking lot and there were no signs or sounds of anyone on the river or on the trail along the canyon rim. All that spoiled my solitude were a few early season blackflies.

Diana and I have previously posted several Bushlog pages describing the Barron Canyon: Mid Fall in the Barron Canyon; Early Spring in the Barron Canyon; The Other Barron Canyon; and a notes page: The Barron Canyon. I will not repeat the descriptive material here; instead I will simply show some photographs from my day's paddling.

2008 May 13

Cache Rapids on the Barron River in Algonquin Park

The southern channel of the Barron River at Cache Rapids. (Cache Rapids are just barely out of sight from the bridge at Squirrel Rapids.)

This is a view of the same falls as seen from upstream. Approaching the falls on foot from downstream is difficult; on Tuesday I (re)discovered that it is reasonably straightforward to approach them on foot from the upstream side.

The "drop" can be located by the spray. My shooting position for the first photo is near the end of the "tunnel".

The weather in May can be miserable or beautiful. On Tuesday it was sunny, calm and 23C.
This shot is looking upstream (around to the left) from near the mouth of Spoor Creek. Spoor Creek seeps into the Barron River through the marsh to the right in this photo.

The Barron Canyon the Barron River in Algonquin Park

In the lower reaches of the canyon.

Wild columbine, Aquilegia canadensis, on the walls of the Barron Canyon in Algonquin Park

Wild columbine is relatively common on the canyon walls.

Encrusted saxifrage, Saxifraga paniculata, on the walls of the Barron Canyon in Algonquin Park

The locally rare encrusted saxifrage. I keep tying to catch these in bloom, but I don't know when I should be looking. Oh well, more excuses to return!
(The more common virginia saxifrage was in bloom and in one location, the two species were growing side-by-side.)