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Height: 1808 feet / 551 meters
GPS recorded height: 1831 feet / 558 meters
Lat/Lon: N45.62246 W78.42301
Date Summited: April 26, 2024

Overview:

Peak 551 is situated along the Hwy 60 corridor at the eastern edge of Algonquin Park. This forested summit is accessible via Sunday Lake Road, but it requires a final short and steep bushwhack to reach the top.

Directions/Trip Report:

Peak 551 is located along the Hwy 60 corridor at the east end of Algonquin Park. It can be accessed via Sunday Lake Road at the Big Pines Trailhead, which is opposite Rock Lake Road off Hwy 60. You can park at the Big Pines Trailhead, or you may be able to park roadside near the gate on Sunday Lake Road, which is 1.6 km from Hwy 60. For this hike, I chose to park back at the Big Pines Trailhead parking lot and biked up Sunday Lake Road. The initial 1.6 km to the gate is a well-groomed gravel road. There were several vehicles parked alongside the road during my visit, suggesting that it is possible to drive and park near the gate. Past the gate, the road continues but becomes rougher. Continue along Sunday Lake Road for an additional 3.3 km until reaching the base of Peak 551.

At 5 km from Hwy 60, the road diverges right and ascends the shoulder of Peak 551. I chose this spot to leave the road and began to bushwhack. It’s a steep bushwhack through deciduous forest for 360 meters to the summit of Peak 551. The highest point is marked by a large rock in a partial clearing. The GPS indicates an elevation of 558 meters at coordinates N45.62246° W78.42301°.

On the descent, I took some time to explore the summit plateau to ensure there were no other high points in the area. I then returned to the starting point of the bushwhack, retrieved my bike, and completed the ride back to Hwy 60.

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Trip Summary:

00.0 km – Departed Big Pines Trailhead on Sunday Lake Road (9:31 AM)
01.6 km – Arrived at Gate on Sunday Lake Road (9:44 AM)
05.0 km – Start of bushwhack up Peak 551 (10:03 AM)
05.3 km – Arrived at the summit of Peak 551 (10:17 AM)
05.7 km – Departed summit region of Peak 551 (10:30 AM)
06.1 km – Arrived back at Sunday Lake Road (10:38 AM)
11.1 km – Arrived back at Big Pines Trailhead Parking Lot (11:04 AM)

Gallery:

GPS Tracklog (GPX Format):

Peak 551 GPS Track (.gpx format)