We portaged our gear down to Prong Lake and loaded the canoe. We pushed off and after a very short paddle found ourselves portaging from Prong Lake into Bittersweet Lake. As we paddled to our campsite saw a parking area and realized our "wilderness" campsite resided within earshot of the parking area. After a little exploring we could see that rough roads with small parking areas connected the four lakes that make up the Bittersweet Lakes State Natural Area. These roads look appropriate for four wheel drive vehicles with plenty of clearance, although a good rain could make it challenging to drive back out.
We camped on Bittersweet Lake trying to follow the shade to stay cool. Fish jumped, spiders spun their webs, and dragon flies swooped. The weather remained hot and humid throughout our trip, and when relief from the heat arrived after sunset the bugs swarmed. For fun we paddled around Bittersweet Lake and over to Smith Lake and Oberlin Lake. The area is rather small and we learned the entire length of it can be paddled and portaged fairly quickly.
The campsite and portage signage made for easy navigation. Our campsite came equipped with a fire ring, a latrine and a picnic table. The well trampled site with it's bits of pastic, pennies, and twist ties on the ground gave a well-used impression.
We found the Bittersweet Lakes area to be a nice little spot for a quick and easy canoe trip. However, it is best to go in knowing and accepting the idea of seeing and hearing plenty of other people. For a longer trip we would certainly head for more remote wilderness areas.
That's all for now, let's get outdoors and keep our wild places wild!
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