My family, which also consists of two dogs who also love camping, enjoy getting into backcountry lakes and setting up our tent in less traveled areas. We use my 17-foot Souris River canoe. This boat gets two adults, two kids, two dogs and all the gear we need for at least a week with no problems. Provincial parks offer canoe rentals for those who don’t have one to explore backcountry lakes in the parks.
We stuff our clothes and essential camp items in two pack barrels. I would highly recommend getting at least one pack barrel for backcountry. It keeps things dry no matter what happens, such as rain or tipping the canoe over.
Before embarking, it is critical to have your load properly balanced. It helps if you have played Tetris before. It can be tricky with two kids and two dogs. I have found it is best to pack all the gear in first and leave two spots open for one kid and one dog to sit in each.
With all things, the more you do it, the more you become proficient in it. If you’re still feeling hesitant about canoe tripping in backcountry, start with something short such as an overnight excursion or even a day trip. A good way to ramp up the family towards an awesome adventure deep in the bush is to bring them to a lake with a shallow beach for a few hours. Pack all your gear in the canoe and learn how it handles and what it takes before you actually go and get into the wilderness. You can even have some fun and tip the canoe in the shallow waters so everyone can get a feel for it in case it happens. I did this with my family. This can really help establish a comfort level for some.
The rewards of getting the family out camping are endless. It’s impossible for kids to get bored out in the bush. They have no need for a tab or cellphone.