Chase
I was looking at taking an extended trip with my family to an uninhabited portion of Canada's frontier forest. Is it legal to construct a log cabin and dwell for a partially extended amount of time? If not, is the area of wilderness vast and desolate enough to conceal from discovery?
Also what are the penalties for un-authorized construction of a cabin? Is this penalty different of public lands? Is the entirety of the frontier forest public land or whom does it belong to?
Answer
Most Provinces refer to public land as "Crown Land". This is a very common phrase used in Ontario. I have camped in Northern Ontario for a week and never saw anyone. I've also camped in Northern Quebec and similarly - no one around. Because of this - no one really notices that you are constructing a "hidden cabin" unless they hear the sound of hammers banging on nails in the distance. I have walked up to many "huntin' camps" as we call them - some authorized some unauthorized. Basically, in Northern Ontario on Crown Land you are not allowed to construct a "permanent structure". You can make a tee-pee and stay a week - perfectly legal. If you construct a cabin and the ministry of Natural Resources personnel find it - they will tear it down, and if they know who you are, will bill you for the cost of tearing it down. Quebec has similar rules. It takes staff about a week to figure out whether or not you had permission to construct your cabin - so a sign on the door indicating you HAD permission might stall them a bit.Do not construct a log cabin in Ontario any time after September 1st as the black bear hunting season starts on that date and the mean hunters are very possessive of "their territory" therefore, if they found you building the cabin in "their" area, they would squeal to the M.N.R enforcement officers about the cabin. The Moose season stats in early October in the far north and the deer season starts one week after the moose season ends. Be very, very careful who you tell about the cabin in the area anywhere near where you intend to construct it as the locals try to get along with the MNR staff (at any expense) so that their name will once again "be fairly drawn" in the fixed male- moose-tag-draw for the fall hunt. The draw is sort of based on how friendly you are towards the MNR staff all year long and the same people get the male moose tags every year, not the odd stranger. Because of this illegally conducted draw, the hunters are always squealing about every little matter in the forest to get in good with the MNR staff for the fall draws (here are fixed also some antler-less deer draws). So, if one of the hunters got wind of your future log cabin site, they'd squeal. If I were you, if you are leaving the cabin to get supplies for a couple of days - post an official sign on the door and nail it on firmly. Get the sign laminated before you leave civilization. Have the sign read something like this:
ATTENTION M.N.R. STAFF; DO NOT DESTROY OR TEAR DOWN THIS LOG CABIN. THIS CABIN WAS ERECTED WITH THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF IRVING F. JOHNSON.
That should stall them a week as they would have to verify with certainty if there is in fact a Mr. Johnson as a senior staff member of the Ministry of Natural Resources (all the way up to the Minister's office) or whether or not Mr. Johnson is a field officer with any one of the 3 MNR offices within 100 miles i(n any direction) of your cabin.MNR staff only paddle and use small motorized boats on well-traveled waterways and use ATV's on some well used trails. They do not walk through dense bush on foot looking to see if there has been a (new) log cabin constructed, unless they receive a complaint. They are understaffed and they do not have the time for that.There is also a little-known rule on camping on Crown Land and I forget the maximum length of time (it's something like 2 weeks or something) where, even if you sleep in tents - yo have to vacate the site every few weeks and more on and re-establish yourself at another site..Tip: Do not stay over the winter in your cabin - Canadian winters can be extremely vicious and cold. You could be snowed-in for a week or your ATV or snowmobile dies while you are traveling in or out for supplies at 40 degrees below zero. Your cabin should be used between May and October, preferably June to September.
Most Provinces refer to public land as "Crown Land". This is a very common phrase used in Ontario. I have camped in Northern Ontario for a week and never saw anyone. I've also camped in Northern Quebec and similarly - no one around. Because of this - no one really notices that you are constructing a "hidden cabin" unless they hear the sound of hammers banging on nails in the distance. I have walked up to many "huntin' camps" as we call them - some authorized some unauthorized. Basically, in Northern Ontario on Crown Land you are not allowed to construct a "permanent structure". You can make a tee-pee and stay a week - perfectly legal. If you construct a cabin and the ministry of Natural Resources personnel find it - they will tear it down, and if they know who you are, will bill you for the cost of tearing it down. Quebec has similar rules. It takes staff about a week to figure out whether or not you had permission to construct your cabin - so a sign on the door indicating you HAD permission might stall them a bit.Do not construct a log cabin in Ontario any time after September 1st as the black bear hunting season starts on that date and the mean hunters are very possessive of "their territory" therefore, if they found you building the cabin in "their" area, they would squeal to the M.N.R enforcement officers about the cabin. The Moose season stats in early October in the far north and the deer season starts one week after the moose season ends. Be very, very careful who you tell about the cabin in the area anywhere near where you intend to construct it as the locals try to get along with the MNR staff (at any expense) so that their name will once again "be fairly drawn" in the fixed male- moose-tag-draw for the fall hunt. The draw is sort of based on how friendly you are towards the MNR staff all year long and the same people get the male moose tags every year, not the odd stranger. Because of this illegally conducted draw, the hunters are always squealing about every little matter in the forest to get in good with the MNR staff for the fall draws (here are fixed also some antler-less deer draws). So, if one of the hunters got wind of your future log cabin site, they'd squeal. If I were you, if you are leaving the cabin to get supplies for a couple of days - post an official sign on the door and nail it on firmly. Get the sign laminated before you leave civilization. Have the sign read something like this:
ATTENTION M.N.R. STAFF; DO NOT DESTROY OR TEAR DOWN THIS LOG CABIN. THIS CABIN WAS ERECTED WITH THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF IRVING F. JOHNSON.
That should stall them a week as they would have to verify with certainty if there is in fact a Mr. Johnson as a senior staff member of the Ministry of Natural Resources (all the way up to the Minister's office) or whether or not Mr. Johnson is a field officer with any one of the 3 MNR offices within 100 miles i(n any direction) of your cabin.MNR staff only paddle and use small motorized boats on well-traveled waterways and use ATV's on some well used trails. They do not walk through dense bush on foot looking to see if there has been a (new) log cabin constructed, unless they receive a complaint. They are understaffed and they do not have the time for that.There is also a little-known rule on camping on Crown Land and I forget the maximum length of time (it's something like 2 weeks or something) where, even if you sleep in tents - yo have to vacate the site every few weeks and more on and re-establish yourself at another site..Tip: Do not stay over the winter in your cabin - Canadian winters can be extremely vicious and cold. You could be snowed-in for a week or your ATV or snowmobile dies while you are traveling in or out for supplies at 40 degrees below zero. Your cabin should be used between May and October, preferably June to September.
Is a 13 day trip enough to drive from Philadelphia, to Newfoundland and Labrador? Which is better for tourism?
gaastra60
I am planning to go to Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Newfoundland, and Labrador.
Should I skip Newf and go right to labrador? How much do I need to plan in advance? Are there campsites? Are the roads awful?
Answer
There are lots of campsites in Atlantic Canada. But you haven't said when you plan on taking this trip.
In the winter most campsites shut down because of the off season so finding a place to camp will be harder.
The roads in spring and summer are fine in the winter that's another story. It all depends on how the weather is and where you are. Because of heavy traffic on the main routes they are usually clear but they will be icy and snowy in some areas. So if you're planning a winter trip leave those all season tires at home and get winter tires.
Labrador is wonderful but skip it. ( Sorry Labrador I love you) The roads will be worse up there if you're going up in the winter it's going to be even worse. The Island of Newfoundland has more tourism built up and more places for you to stay. If you wanted to skip The island it may be easier to drive though Quebec.
If you're planning a Newfoundland trip in the winter be warned the ferrys do not always run in bad weather. So you could get stuck on the Nova Scotia side or you could get stuck on the Newfoundland side. a 13 day trip doesn't seem like a lot of time in the summer and in the winter I think it would be risky especially if you plan on going to Newfoundland where you could be delayed with the ferry.
I would give it a few weeks planning. Research where you want to stop and book your ferry crossing to Newfoundland early if you plan a summer trip. ( do yourself a favour and get a cabin so much better) Find out where the camp sites are on your route and call them up to see how busy they will be around the time you plan your trip. Some campsites in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland block up really quickly so if there is a place you really want to stay book a site in advance. Most will allow you to book a site a few days in advance or when you show up. When you say campsite do you mean tenting or pretend camping with a camper?
If you decide to go to Labrador from Newfoundland you'll need to catch another ferry so you'll want to call that one and book a spot when you arrive in Newfoundland.
When you go to Newfoundland try not to drive too much around twilight particularly around central. if you do decide to drive around at night watch out for Moose they're not like the deer in Nova Scotia they don't just fall down if you hit them, they crush your car.
There are lots of campsites in Atlantic Canada. But you haven't said when you plan on taking this trip.
In the winter most campsites shut down because of the off season so finding a place to camp will be harder.
The roads in spring and summer are fine in the winter that's another story. It all depends on how the weather is and where you are. Because of heavy traffic on the main routes they are usually clear but they will be icy and snowy in some areas. So if you're planning a winter trip leave those all season tires at home and get winter tires.
Labrador is wonderful but skip it. ( Sorry Labrador I love you) The roads will be worse up there if you're going up in the winter it's going to be even worse. The Island of Newfoundland has more tourism built up and more places for you to stay. If you wanted to skip The island it may be easier to drive though Quebec.
If you're planning a Newfoundland trip in the winter be warned the ferrys do not always run in bad weather. So you could get stuck on the Nova Scotia side or you could get stuck on the Newfoundland side. a 13 day trip doesn't seem like a lot of time in the summer and in the winter I think it would be risky especially if you plan on going to Newfoundland where you could be delayed with the ferry.
I would give it a few weeks planning. Research where you want to stop and book your ferry crossing to Newfoundland early if you plan a summer trip. ( do yourself a favour and get a cabin so much better) Find out where the camp sites are on your route and call them up to see how busy they will be around the time you plan your trip. Some campsites in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland block up really quickly so if there is a place you really want to stay book a site in advance. Most will allow you to book a site a few days in advance or when you show up. When you say campsite do you mean tenting or pretend camping with a camper?
If you decide to go to Labrador from Newfoundland you'll need to catch another ferry so you'll want to call that one and book a spot when you arrive in Newfoundland.
When you go to Newfoundland try not to drive too much around twilight particularly around central. if you do decide to drive around at night watch out for Moose they're not like the deer in Nova Scotia they don't just fall down if you hit them, they crush your car.
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