Puzzle Lake Provincial Park is a non-operating wilderness area in Stone Mills featuring over 9,000 acres of rugged rock barrens and diverse wetlands. This “untapped” park protects 16 provincially rare species and offers unspoiled opportunities for backcountry camping, hiking, and fishing for experienced explorers seeking a true wilderness experience.
Puzzle Lake Provincial Park is an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI), recognized for its biodiversity and mosaic of igneous cliffs. The park spans 9,000 acres of rock barrens and lakes, supporting rare species including the Blanding’s turtle and five-lined skink across a mix of upland and wetland habitats that feel more like Northern Ontario than southern.
As a non-operating park, there are no comfort stations, no maintained trails, and very few visitors. The granite is exposed, the water is deep, and navigation is on you. Puzzle Lake offers excellent flatwater paddling and challenging unmarked hiking terrain for those who are comfortable setting their own route.
What to Expect
Here’s What’s Different
- Explorers will encounter an “unspoiled natural beauty” with no markers or maintained paths.Â
- The environment is composed of dry-mesic mixed forests and numerous wetlands, providing a raw and fascinating landscape for those who are fully self-sufficient.
Good to KnowÂ
- Cell service is limited. Download maps before you leave home. Because the park is unmapped and unmarked, visitors should carry a Puzzle lake provincial park map and GPS.Â
- Norway Lake Road is seasonally unmaintained and very rough. It may be impassable for low-clearance vehicles.
- There are absolutely no facilities. Practice strict “Leave No Trace” principles and pack out all garbage.
- The portage from Gull Lake into Puzzle Lake is short (50m), but it’s enough to keep the big motorboats out.
- LOCAL TIP
Use the paddle-in entrance at 2459 County Road 15 for the most efficient access to the interior fishing lakes and ponds.
- FAST FACTS
- It is one of only three Provincial Parks located within Lennox & Addington.
- Designated as a “Natural Environment” park, which prioritizes the protection of the landscape over visitor facilities.
Location Details
Distance: 5.6 km (Norway Lake Trail Round Trip)
Difficulty: Moderate – Hard (Unmarked)
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 44.6083, Longitude: -76.9333
(Approx. Gull Lake Launch)
Your Route
What We Offer
- Rugged, unmarked hiking opportunities
- Backcountry canoeing and kayaking
- Interior camping (First-come, first-served)
- Fishing opportunities
- Dark sky viewing potential
Common Questions
Yes, camping is permitted but there are no designated or maintained sites.
There are no marked trails; visitors must navigate the rock barrens and forests independently.
Keep a lookout for five-lined skinks, Blanding’s turtles, and bald eagles.
Contacts
Get the Itinerary
Get the official Backroad Adventure route sent to your phone with stops and local recommendations ready to go.
Getting Here
3054 County Rd 15, Tamworth, ON (Gull Lake Launch)
Access the paddling route via the Gull Lake Launch on County Rd 15. For hiking, take Norway Lake Road (Note: This is an unmaintained seasonal road).