BOREAL Canoe Trip
Join us for an unforgettable excursion from Toronto, July 11–13, 2025! For 18 years, we’ve traveled like kids to summer camp for a weekend of music, waterfalls, and connection. Your $325 ticket (+HST & fees) covers bus transport, canoe rentals, meals, music, and more.
About Task Group Signup Itinerary What to Pack Connect DJ Sets Photos
About BOREAL
Boreal, a group camping trip with a twist, departs from Toronto every July. We travel north as a group in school buses to a beautiful river in Muskoka. Upon arrival, we paddle canoes upstream to a secluded campsite, where we build the weekend around a Saturday night 🕺 dance party like no other.
Our destination is part of the Canadian Shield, the oldest rock on the face of Earth. It is an undeveloped hardwood forest with rocky shores on the river’s edge, waterfalls, and rapids.
We’ll enter a wilderness where wildlife might be spotted, including moose, beavers, turtles, foxes, the endangered Five-Lined Skink (Ontario’s only native lizard species), the venomous Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, and Bald Eagles
This is the perfect destination for magnificent swimming and camping, and a place we will all honour for its wild, majestic beauty. Boreal brings open-minded, diverse, and inclusive people together to share unforgettable outdoor experiences and forge lasting bonds.
Task Group Signup
Boreal thrives on teamwork. Everyone joins a task group before the trip and participates in that task while on the trip so that we can all have a wonderful weekend together. Your task group is fun. Pick one:
- Supply Boat Pack: Start immediately upon bus arrival at the river.
- Kitchen Setup: Begin upon arrival at camp.
- Outhouse Construction: Begin upon arrival at camp.
- Dinner Prep: Start 1 hour after arrival at camp.
- Canoe Tidy-Up: 1 hour after arrival, stow canoes in groups, upside down and away from the shoreline.
- Firewood Collection & Campfire Build: After you set up camp.
Saturday Tasks:
- Brunch Prep: 10:00 AM
- Sound Setup: 2:00 PM
- Dinner Prep: 5:00 PM
Sunday Tasks:
- Brunch: Served at 11:00 AM
- Clean-Up: Begins at 3:00 PM. We leave no trace!
Trip Itinerary
Friday
- 11:00 AM: Keele Subway Station parking lot (520 Indian Rd). The key to Boreal is leaving and arriving together.
- 3:00 PM: Arrive at Moon River and paddle upstream with life vests on and 3 people per canoe
- 4:30 PM: Set up camp and perform task group activities for those on Friday tasks.
- 8:00 PM: Dinner, campfire, meeting new friends, exploring camps, and stargazing.
Saturday
- Noon: Brunch
- You can swim, float, canoe, and hike up the river to see more waterfalls. Dreamy music begins in the afternoon.
- 7:00 PM: Dinner
- 9:00 PM – 4:30 AM: Dance by the fire and under the stars.
Sunday
- Noon: Brunch
- 3:00 PM: Everyone in their canoes.
- 4:00 PM: Picnic break by tuck shop.
- 8:30 PM: Back at Keele Subway at sunset. Don’t forget anything!
What to Pack
- Water: Pack 8L minimum each.
- Camping Gear: Pack a tent, sleeping bag and pad, and clothing layers. See the complete Boreal Packing List (PDF).
- Eatware & Snacks: Plate, bowl, cutlery, and snacks.
- Toiletries+: Sun, rain, and bug protection.
- Footwear: Outdoor or water shoes are suggested, not required.
- Biodegradable Products: Use only products on soil and not near water to protect aquatic life.
- Bag ID: Use a bandana or charm for spotting during unloading.
- Essentials Only: This is a backpacking canoe trip, so pack lightly—space is limited yet check the Weather and be prepared.
- No Glass Containers: Pour liquids into stainless steel or plastic.
Connect
For assistance, you can Email Justin, or join our Facebook Group to ask questions and connect with fellow campers. Thanks to everyone who shares helpful vibes, pics, and stories there. Supporting one another ensures a smooth and enjoyable trip for all. Don’t forget to check the tag #borealcanoetrip for highlights, and RSVP for our friends on Facebook:
DJ Sets at Boreal
Many thanks to past DJs for creating and posting their sets 💗
More Photos
