Bens Lake Campground & Adventure
2741 Murray Harbour Road C0A 1A0 Montague, PE, Canada

BENS LAKE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Hi all! Josh here. I just wanted to give people a run down on how we are operating things this year, clear a few things up as I have been getting a lot of calls with the same questions. So this is both for people who have never been to bens lake and for people that have been here many times over the years as we’re doing things a little differently. These guidelines were put in place to maximize your ability to enjoy the property and fishi...ng while also conserving our fish stocks. 1. We offer catch and release on both sides of the fence now - BUT - if it swallows the hook, it’s a keeper. The reason we offer catch and release, is because we want you to be able to spend more time fishing and enjoying the property, without checking your watch to see if your hour is up, or cutting lines and leaving hooks in fish that you don’t want to pay for. 2. Single barbless hooks only. This is easier on the fish. 3. $10 Park Admission per adult, $5 for kids under 12, Free under 3, includes access to fishing with your own gear, swimming, gazebos for functions, trails, washrooms, etc. 4. Rental equipment is available for fishing rods and tackle at $10/rod. Kayaks are $20/hour (seats 1). Row Boats are $30/hour (seats 3). Worms are $6. 5. Memberships available at $250 for the season running through to October 31st. 6. You can keep on the inside of the fence, but it’s NOT cheap. $10/lb. It’s not that uncommon to catch a 5lb Rainbow in here, so if you plan on keeping, consider that’s a $50 fish. There are many reasons for this. 1. Our Rainbow Trout are sterile. They are Triploid Rainbows, bred to get big fast. They do not reproduce on their own. So, for every big fish that comes out, that’s one we need to replace, and it takes years of feeding to get them to that size. You are welcome to keep fish, but keep that in mind when considering how much you plan on taking home. 6. I’m a Wildlife Conservation Biologist AND Sport and Recreation Programmer by trade, and an avid spin and fly fisherman, so if you have any questions while you’re here about how to fish, local wildlife, environmental history in PEI or anything at all, that’s what I’m here for. I love helping each and every one of you, it puts a big smile on my face and it’s incredibly satisfying to see the little ones catch their first fish. I do have a lot on my mind at everything that needs to be done at all times, so just holler at me if you need help! 7. COVID-19 Details: stay 6ft apart. We have sanitizing stations available. All that said, don’t hesitate to contact me between 8am to 4pm to get more information! - 902-940-1042

A Trip Down Memory Lane Today we had a visitor pull in that said he just wanted to have a look around. Turned out, Earl MacPherson on my left was born just up the road in 1939 and lived here on site. He grew up here living in the house at Ben’s Lake (Prowses Pond at the time) with his grandfather Malcolm Klondyke MacPherson, 1 of 4 brothers that moved to this area from Scotland and ran a Lumber Mill here. He wasn’t sure when the mill started as he said it was at Ben’s Lake ...when he was born. Thought this was incredibly interesting and great to meet this man as I’ve been trying to find out more history on the property. I guess the Scottish often used nicknames (probably why my groundskeeper and I make nicknames for all our guests to keep track of people lol), so Malcolm Macpherson was Malcolm Klondyke named after the district name at the time. Interesting piece of history because we sit alongside the Klondyke Heritage Road. Was great to meet you Earl. Stop by anytime and share more of your memories with us!

Contact us for more info #forsale Curly Maple live edge slabs $5 per board foot (averages about $80-100 per board depending on custom length)... Hardwood firewood $225/cord blocked Pine poles $100 per 48ft pole Or $2 per foot cut to length

The fall colors are out and we're still open though October. Park fee is just $10 per person which covers catch and release fishing with your own gear. Camping even includes your park fee! Kayaks, rowboats, and rods for rent, and some trails to hike. We'd love to see you out!

Yard Sale happening, tomorrow, Saturday 830am-4pm at the lake! Come visit and see what what we've been up to!

Behind every great man is a woman reminding him he can always be better. Found this picture taken of us by the Eastern Graphic and I thought it would be a good opportunity to introduce my wife Amanda Lindsay and our daughter Lana. This is the woman that puts up with my crazy. From ‘Hey dear, I’m going to invent a fork accessory and go on Dragons Den’ to ‘Hey dear, I think I’m going to take over a campground’. She’s the strong independent woman that drives me absolutely insan...e at how much she expects of me, and I love her for it. This morning she tells me: ‘You see expectation, I see possibility. You are capable of more than you think’. Well, she’s never been wrong before. As much as I wish she would be wrong just once, so I can say Hah! You were wrong! So this morning I told her I need her, because she expects more of me, and it makes me better than I am without her, and to my surprise, she said I make her better too. Not sure how, she’s perfect lol. Relationships are not without their struggles. That’s for damn sure. We have had our ups, and our downs, but we keep going. Why I love this woman is because she is everything I am not. We are complete and polar opposites, and we drive each-other insane because of it, but for some reason, it works. We laugh, we carry on, and we grow together. Even though she doesn’t think I’m funny, even when I know I’m hilarious. So, I’d like to welcome and introduce my wife, the mother of my child, and my shut up and be better half to the team behind Ben’s Lake. She’s a travel agent by trade, and way back when we met she was a cute little housekeeper when we worked in the same hotel. So, I know, we can definitely use her help in whipping us into shape and growing this place into what I imagine it could be and making this place a truly family run operation. So dear, if this is where we’ve ended up after 12 years, who knows where we’ll be in another 12, but I’m happy to find out with you. Welcome to the team my sexy stallion. - also, she’s going to give me shit for calling her sexy on the internet.

A number of people have been telling me to offer camper storage, I’m not really sure what places charge for that. But we’ve got a lot of room for it. Anyone have any idea what I should be charging for outdoor camper storage?

Always found it interesting how so much of nature can be found within our own physiology. The branches in a tree branch off in the same ratio as the veins in our body, the same as how a bolt of lighting forks and a river flows into a bigger river. The universe is a fascinating place, and you’re a part of it.

So this happened... Now, do I use it to pay off the tractor or opt to have some fun and plan a trip? I hear Costa Rica calling me back... I could use that as a work study tour could I not? Hang out in the jungle and learn how other eco-adventure parks operate? That counts as a business expense right?

Got a decent stack of hardwood in from the mill. Mostly Curly Maple, couple yellow birch. If you’re looking for live-edge slabs, let me know. $5/boardfoot - 12x12x1 = Boardfoot

Trade #16: Pottery Gift Card for a 27 HP Touchsmart So throughout the summer things got a little too busy to be doing a whole lot of trading, but as things slow down at the campground I figure why not keep it going. Some of you may remember I had missed out on this computer trade along my journey. Well, as it turned out, the guy that ended up with the computer gave it to his little girl, but it was too much computer for a 9 year old, so he reached out to me to see if I had ...anything else to trade. I offered him the pottery studio gift certificate I had on hand that I got for the latest fish hook, and now I got the computer I wanted in the first place. This is a fairly heavy duty computer with a lot of capabilities as a gaming computer or other for the tech savvy (which I am not). Since the campground is slowing down, I’ll be getting back at the trading, so, as always, if you have something to trade for this computer, let me know in the comment section!

Always love seeing people have fun at the lake!

THE PROBLEM WITH FITTING IN So I had an early morning discussion with my groundskeeper about relationships, mental health, addictions, what makes relationships work and what doesn’t. We went real deep real early but we ended up coming to some interesting conclusions that I thought I’d share. These are just my thoughts, so don’t hate on me if they’re not yours. ...Continue reading

The Labour Day long weekend is quickly approaching! We still have sites available and would love to share the natural beauty and fun our lake has to offer as summer wraps up and many get back to a fall routine! Email [email protected] to book your site!

We’re kind of weird people here that do weird things and we like it that way. Getting ready for Halloween at the Lake tonight!

HALLOWEEN @ THE LAKE - TOMORROW August 22nd We’ve been talking about doing some sort of Halloween event at the lake this year for a while and we decided screw it, why wait for October 31st. Put your best costume on and join us for a spooky adventure for the whole family.... Activity Line-up: 6:30pm - Face Painting 7:30pm - Monster Mash & Candy Buffet 8:30pm - Haunted Woods Owl Prowl 9:30pm - Ghost Stories by the Fire Lots of spooky and fun surprises planned. The activities are FREE and open to campers. Drop-ins welcome by donation!

New full event description poster. Not much time left to join in. Grab your friends and let’s go hang out in the woods!

YET ANOTHER RANT: THIS ONE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH Something I’ve wanted to talk about for a while but admittedly had my own reservations about actually striking up a conversation about it is mental health. It’s no secret that there is a rather large demand for mental health support in PEI. I won’t pretend to say that I know anything about what our health care system needs. I know a lot of front-line workers, and I know they are doing the best they can with what is available, but...Continue reading

Kerri O'Brien Congratulations Kerri you are the winner of the like and share draw! You and a friend will join the bens lake team along with 18 other guests in a weekend of camping and outdoor adventures hosted by outdoor and fitness professionals. Enjoying a weekend camping, adventure, physical and mental fitness, cooking, eating and beer and wine tasting!

Those ears though... Still booking for this weekend! I know I’ve heard a number of people can’t find a spot to get in camping that isn’t booked up, so just thought I’d let people know we still have sites available for this weekend for any last minute campers looking to get some camping in before the end of season. 2-ways, 3-ways and private tenting and wilderness sites available.... We may not be your standard, but if nature is your thing, that’s what we’ve got. Swimming in the lake Kayak or Row Boats available Old growth hiking trails

Stephen and I were working on some signage to put in our Zen Zone under the Hemlock tree in the woods. Preparing to spread the NEWS with these signs to go North, East, West, and South around the tree for our meditation seminars. Also sporting our new Camp Morning Dove and Camp Night Owl T-shirts for the upcoming retreat.