Smoothwater Outfitters

I recently returned from a 5 day/4 night canoe trip into the environs of Lady Evelyn Lake, with eight high school classmates, some of whom I had not seen in over 35 years. We had an unforgettable trip into the wilderness, and many thanks go to Johanna, Francis and John. With their guidance, we paddled 82 km, hiked up Maple Mountain, and returned without incident. We enjoyed the breathtaking beauty of the surroundings, with sightings of bald eagles, loons, mergansers and other birds. All equipment was solid and tents/pads were as new. The food prepared and packed for us, was outstanding and we were never without enough. Delicious meals and snacks made each day pleasant regardless of the weather, which was mostly sunny and warm. The area is a canoe tripping paradise, and Smoothwater Outfitters were knowledgeable and thorough in their preparation of our trip. The lodge is warm, clean and welcoming and we had a comfortable first night there, with an excellent dinner to welcome the group. We could not have had a better time, and this is in no small part due to Smoothwater. Strongly, strongly recommend, for the classic Canadian canoe experience.

Brilliant! Friendly and helpful, lovely food in a homely environment. Great way to bookend your trip if you stay at the accommodation. Lake swimming and log burner sauna.

This was our second year traveling to Temagami as a family of 5. I had ambitions for a more serious trip for us all, and Francis was wonderful at advising us on potential routes that would suit our abilities.We opted to rent canoes and some gear from Smoothwater and start our trip by camping out on their beautiful property. This allowed us to make sure we had everything packed ahead of time, and ease into the trip after our drive to Temagami. We ate dinner in the beautiful lodge, and Johanna had prepared an incredible feast for us all that was as hearty as it was fresh and delicious. Johanna also graciously took suggestions for meals from my daughter, which was so sweet!After our trip, we came back to Smoothwater and checked in to one of their lovely rooms. The Heron's Nest was big enough for all 5 of us, and it was SO nice to sleep on their comfortable beds and take a hot shower after 5 nights of thermaresting. We only stayed one night, but should have made it longer. That said, the one night was the perfect amount of time to get us feeling rested and refreshed and ready for our drive home. After another delicious breakfast, we were on our way, sad to be leaving but happy to have stumbled on such an amazing treasure for our Temagami trips.Thank you, Francis and Johanna, for running such a lovely property and for making our trip to Temagami so awesome this year! We'll be back. :)

Just returned from an exceptional four-night stay at Smoothwater with our eight-year-old. From our first contact with Johanna last November to start planning our visit, through all the questions about visiting during a pandemic, to our last questions before the journey home, no detail was too small for our amazing hosts. We spent our first day with the incomparable John, who took us on a guided visit to some of Temagami's hidden gems. He was full of wisdom, experience, patience and good cheer. With the unrivaled knowledge of the team at Smoothwater, we then planned our next two days of hiking, paddling and swimming. Every day started with a delicious breakfast and ended with a terrific dinner. We slept soundly in our clean and comfortable room. Thank you" seems insufficient in return for all they did to help make the wonders of Temagami so easily accessible for our family. We look forward to visiting again!"

My friend and I rented a canoe from Smoothwater and couldn't have been more impressed. The location was stunning, the kevlar canoe was a treat (it made portaging not only bearable, but almost fun!) and the owners were kind and welcoming.

This was our second year at Smooth Water Outfitters. It's a wonderful experience to be able to stay there before and after our canoe trips into Temagami. The food is fresh and beautifully prepared. Rooms are really clean and welcoming after sleeping outdoors for a week. It's a magical place that Johanna and Francis have created. We would highly recommend!

The lodge is beautiful, all staff are super welcoming and helpful. Brought my dog and he had a blast with the other pups on the property.Breakfast and dinner was delicious! The dining setup was very cute and thoughtful (a vase with flowers and a candlelit dinner).Did the full outfitting grey owl adventure! Definitely not for the faint of heart. Smoothwater equipped us well.Would definitely plan another trip with them again. Thank you!

I have added to this review as I went back to Smoothwater this September 2020 and it was just as great, if not better, than my last visit. The room was very clean and smelled fresh. The dinner meal prepared by Johanna and the staff was so delicious. I also find when I come there, you never know who you're going to meet and usually end up having some really nice conversations with the other guests. It feels very comfortable, like a coming home. Highly recommend a visit.Review from September 2019:I really enjoyed my time at Smoothwater! Johanna prepares the most delicious food and was very accommodating with our dietary preferences. The vegan enchiladas were sooo good! We used the gathering space for yoga and meetings; it is a lovely, cozy space. They started the sauna for us, which was great. The beds and rooms were clean and comfortable. There was an issue with water pressure in the cabins one night, which Johanna promptly took care of. She was very friendly and provided a good level of service. I am already planning a Temagami trip for next year and would love to return.

What absolute gem this place is! I set out on a 8 day solo trip, which was my first time taking on a trip of this magnitude. Johanna and Francis made it a trip to remember! From cozy accommodations the night I arrived and a delicious breakfast to fill a lumberjack before I set out on my 8 day adventure. I was supplied with all the gear, food, canoe and maybe most importantly the knowledge to enjoy my trip to the fullest and boy did I ever. Not to mention after that long in the wilderness, even coming back a day before scheduled, they made sure I had accommodations at their lodge and a lovely dinner and dessert. If you want to truly enjoy and experience an authentic, life changing adventure, I wouldn’t book with any other outfitter! Top of the line here at Smoothwater!

This is an old one, but certain recent events made me do it. My brothers and I took a trip in 1989 through Smoothwater, they were wonderful people, the equipment back then was top notch, and it made for a wonderful bonding experience between the three of us. If you want a decent trip, outfitted by people who know what they're doing, Smoothwater is the place to go.We never did do the whole loop, it was the Diamond-Obabika loop, we had too much fun on Diamond and basically stayed there the whole time. My brother that arranged the trip recently passed and we were going down memory lane when pictures of the trip showed up, after seeing the fun we had, I've thought about completing the loop, if I do, I'll be contacting them again.