Camping in Algonquin Park for the $200 Challenge

The $200 Challenge is back!

The piercing laugh and cry of the loon reverberate across the polished glass of Grand Lake. It's a sound I've heard a hundred times before in recordings, but never in the flesh, and I'm taken aback by how haunting it is. When the loon finally settles into a stealthy, silent swim, the entire campground is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. 

The peaceful beauty of Grand Lake.

The silence is soon broken as the subtle moods and moans of the forest come to life. Pine needles fall from above and skittle across the roof of the tent, competing for audio space with the white noise hum of the insects, all while there's a faint crackling of snapping cedar and maple from the neighbour's campfire. 

Playing on the beach at dusk.

The peaceful, secluded trails of Algonquin Park.

This is Algonquin Park, who's very name, appearance, and sound have become synonymous with one word: "Canada".  With such remarkable natural beauty and rich historical legacy, how could we turn down the opportunity to take the $200 Challenge to Algonquin Park?

The premise is simple - can the two of us travel -and travel well -for two days and spend only $200? In terms of traveling well, Algonquin Park obviously wins - it would be hard to find a nicer location to spend two days at the end of summer! 

Resting after a short hike on the Jack Pine Trail.

The real question, of course, is how did we do financially?  Here's how things broke down:

• $81.00   Pet care for Chester: Unfortunately, where we stayed in this campground was pet free, so Chester had to stay in the doggy hotel (which he adores!)
  
• $40.00  Our share of the campsite (booked for three nights, split among 3 couples) (We had to cut our stay a bit short to pick up Chester).
• $38.00    Lunch at a classic truck stop on the way home. Oh, the gravy!!!
• $40.00    Beer, marshmallows, and extra groceries.
• $20.00    Coffee, coffee, and more coffee. 
• $219.00 - Total

 
Like our previous $200 challenge, we learned some important lessons:

• Pet care, like child care, is very expensive. About 40% of our budget went towards pet care. Next time I would prefer a pet-friendly campsite and spend a greater percentage on gourmet food.
• Coffee is our constant downfall!
• The least expensive part about camping is the campground fees.

Conclusion - the $200 Challenge was a success! We were only slightly over budget and we had a wonderful time. Once again, the $200 Challenge has proven itself as a great way to travel and see beautiful sites. I'm curious now to take it even one step further - find a way to move past campgrounds and take it to a city!

As always, I welcome and encourage your comments and feedback. Where should the $200 challenge go  next?

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