The Visitor Centre has world class exhibits on the Park’s natural and cultural history, a relaxing restaurant, an excellent bookstore, and “The Algonquin Room” featuring ongoing exhibitions of Algonquin art. A theatre presentation sums up the Park story and then takes you out to the viewing deck from where you can admire a breathtaking panorama of wild Algonquin landscape.

Look out for the large sign by the side of the road indicating you have arrived and head up the road to the centre. Its a longer road than i first expected but you’re there sooner than you know. When we went the car park was only half full, so it seemed that it had plenty of parking – though i would imagine at some points in the year the car park may get rather busy! Remember if you’re going to park up anywhere in Algonquin Provincial Park or do any of the trails, you’ll need to pull up at the gates (big buildings just off the side of the road either end of Highway 60) and go in to get a Permit. These are $15.00 currently but the rates do change depending on the time of year, so remember to check out their website (linked at the bottom of the article!).

As you walk through the doors you’ll be in an open area with a large map in front of you showing the whole of the park. To your right is the public toilets, a shop and the cafe. To the left, there is the Theatre and the start of the short walk around the exhibits. The walk around exhibit trail is well worth having a look at, especially if you have kids with you, it includes interactive buttons and sounds so they can explore while playing.
The walk around includes exhibits showing how plants interact with each other, as well as how the animals that also live within the park interact with those plants. It’s pretty comprehensive in its approach, it explains from the very smallest plants through to moose, bears and wolves – as well as not forgetting Algonquin’s 1000s of lakes and what happens within and around its waterways.

Along with depictions of nature by having full sized, real stuffed animals on display in the exhibits, the walk around also explains how man has had an effect on the park – from its beginnings and the First Nations, through to the railways, tourism and conservation that has gone on in the park.

Due to the varying flow of visitors, the visitor centre has varying opening hours:

• April 24 to June 24, 2010: Daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• pril 24 to June 24, 2010: Daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• June 25 to September 5, 2010: Daily 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• September 6 to October 11, 2010: Daily 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• October 12 to October 31, 2010: Daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• November 6 to December 19, 2010: Weekends 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• December 27, 2010 to January 2, 2011: Daily 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• January 8 to January 30, 2011: Weekends 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• February 5 to February 13, 2011: Weekends 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• February 19 to February 21, 2011 [Family Day Holiday Weekend]: Daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• February 26 to March 6, 2011: Weekends 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

So, finally.. If you’re in the park, please don’t forget to go visit the visitor centre, even if it is just to park up and relax a little in the restaurant, or to take a look round their well thought out exhibits its not something to miss out on.
For an up to date list of park visitor centre’s opening hours click here, and for more articles on Algonquin park here on Canada Trip take a look by clicking here
For all other information, including permit costs and practical advice for trails, as well as information on all the most recent events you’ll also be interested in looking at Algonquin Park’s main website.

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Make sure you’ve picked up one of the Algonquin park news papers while you’re getting a permit, they’re free and they’re very .. VERY useful to use the map on the back so you know where you are going!

Before you go on any of these trails, remember to have brought with you, proper walking equipment – for example decent walking shoes with a good degree of tread, and comfortable clothes suitable for what ever the weather may be on the day you go on the trail. Another thing you’ll want to factor in is the bugs! If it’s forecast to be warm, chances are you’ll be up against the Mosquitoes and or Black Fly – so bring your bug repellent!

The Whiskey Rapids Trail is a 2.1kilometre loop starting on Highway 60, 7.2 kilometres from the West Gate of Algonquin. For about half of its length, the trail follows the Oxtongue River and culminates on a fine view of the picturesque Whiskey Rapids. The trail guide for this particular trail helps you understand the role of rivers in the natural and human history of Algonquin Park.

This was actually the first trail we had a look at going round, but as it wasn’t the most beautiful of days, grey clouds loomed over the forest and as we set off on the trail it started to rain.. so our trip to this particular trail was pretty brief. I’d recommend you take the Hardwood Lookout Trail first though if you are going on trails for the first time, regardless of Whiskey Rapids being closer to the West Gate simply as the terrain you will be walking on on the Whiskey rapids, at least at first is pretty uneven, and you’ll have to walk over plenty of tree roots down fairly steep inclines – so make sure you have proper walking boots!

Post one of the trail stops you just at the start of your river-side walk, only a short distance into the trail. The guide explains that you are now standing above a quiet stretch of the Oxtongue River. It’s hard to realise that this placid stream was once a huge, thundering river at its birth 11,000years ago. That was when the last glacier, two kilometres thick, finally melted back from Algonquin. The Valley you are stood in at this point carried away staggering quantities of icey melt-water and, obviously with it, millions of tonnes of sand and gravel released from the ice! The mighty river raged for a century or two but eventually the ice was gone and the torrential flow was reduced to almost nothing.. simply the quiet stream you’ll see today, meandering its way through the sandy bed left by its giant ancestor. Even though now it’s only a trickle of its former self, the Oxtongue is still of fundamental importance in Algonquin Park. It and seven other major rivers have their headwaters in the rugged Algonquin dome, the highlands of the Park’s west side where elevations reach as high as 585 metres above sea level! For much of their existence these rivers have served as major travel routes for us humans – first for the First Nations, then for trappers, and then for loggers who used them to float their timbers to the outside world as you may have seen in movies.. and obviously now for today’s canoeists.

If you continue on the trail, you’ll be taken through a hidden world of underwater discovery, with the points on the posts marked along the river describing the flora and fauna that is found beneath the clear waters, as well as how the different species interconnect in their own ecology. Obviously you’ll likely be there on a fairly good day, and if you’re there in late may you may end up having to contend with the Blackfly, who are featured in the trail guide! You’re right by one of their spawning sites!

The trail as I’ve mentioned continues until you reach the rapids themselves. The guide explains how important rapids actually are to river life, forcibly mixing air into the water – giving the water more oxygen so that fish and other creatures can live better in the water downstream. And while you’re here have a read of the guide at point seven, paying particular note to the final facts it gives.. I’ll let you find what exactly it says for yourself – but you will wish you had your bugspray if you don’t have it on you already!

Post 8 lets you discover exactly how the Whiskey Rapids got it’s name – and the rest of the guide then explains about this area’s logging history, and sets you on the path of an old tote road, a primitive road which logging companies built to allow them to take their cargo to and fro. I will however leave the discovery of how the rapids got their name, along with the rest of the information about its logging past, the railway, road and dam for you to find out on your walk!

Don’t forget – the trail guide is only $0.50 so put a couple of quarters in the pipe below the sign back at the start of the trail, which as this trail is a nice simple loop circuit you’ll find yourself at before you know it!

Overall, this is a nice short trail with plenty of variety in its scenery – it is obviously slightly more challenging in places to walk, but it’s worth it providing you take yourself bug spray and proper walking equipment!

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Basically what you will find is an interesting spot – which although is historical, is the result of the removal of various previously essential components of the early park. You’ll arrive at the Car park and walk up to the right where you’ll find your first sign explaining the site. The sign explains that you are now standing at Cache Lake, the hub of Algonquin Park from the 1890s to the 1950s. Park Headquarters, a major railway station and a large hotel occupied this site during those years. As it says, all you need to do is take a 250 metre round trip along the old railway station platform to view four other historical panels which will explain what was there during those 60 years.

You walk up past the sign on your right, and you’ll find yourself looking curiously at some railway sleepers, and a very small length of railway track. On its right you’ll find the recognisable raised platform of a railway station, and plenty of trees which surround both the platform, and even encroach on the track just a little up the platform.

On your right you’ll find the first panel. It explains the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway line, constructed through the southern part of Algonquin Park began operation in 1897 running steam locomotives. Algonquin Park Station was built in 1906 on the flat area you stand on to read this particular panel. The rail line was a busy freight and passenger route in the early years, and the main way to come to Algonquin Park until Highway 60 was completed in 1936. Through travel on the railway stopped after a trestle between Cache Lake and the Lake of Two Rivers was condemned in 1933. Local use declined over the next 20 years and the last train left Cache Lake in 1959.. I always have a big soft spot for railways, especially the steam railways of the past. I cant help but feel these days with diesel and electric trains, some of the magic which used to seem to surround steam trains, and the odd romance about abandoned lines — has all been lost. Still at least at this spot – the site is remembered for what it was, and once was used for.

If you walk further up, the next panel explains about the large hotel that used to exist just up the sloping hill on the right of the station. The Highland Inn was opened in 1908 and by 1910 it could accommodate 150 people. It featured fishing, boating, swimming tennis, billiards, dancing to a live band, music and reading rooms, a store and even a post office. Things went well until the great depression of the 1930s and use of all of Algonquin’s hotels declined dramatically. And with the rise of camping after the second world war, the Highland Inn was dismantled in 1957, leaving the hill empty for trees to repopulate.

If you head further down the platform you’ll find the park headquarters panel on the left. This gives you a good understanding of where the headquarters used to be. If you peer through the trees and look at the board, you can imagine how it looked before these rapidly growing trees existed. A number of fairly sizable house-looking buildings providing the offices for the administration of the park. The buildings were torn down or moved in 1959 – and the current HQ is at the East Gate of the park.

As the final panel then explains, little evidence remains of Cache Lake’s early days as an essential peice in Algonquin park’s history. the removal of the highland inn, the railway and most of the park’s headquarters in the 1950s was part of a government policy to return Algonquin Park to ‘a more natural state.’ However, Cache Lake is still a very busy place, serving as an access point for canoe trippers, more than 60 leasehold cottages, two youth camps for girls and Bartlett Lodge.

If you head back again towards the car park, the lake will now be on your right.

This is a good spot to snap a couple of photos, and there’s also a couple of toilets there as well should anyone need them!

It doesn’t take long to quickly walk this little platform of history – but its nice to get a sense of what was there, and to see exactly how things have changed.. especially for those who like railways.

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First, I’ll say it again.. this is a beast of a trail. You really have to be serious about this one, it’s going to truly take the majority of your day to walk this one, and with a difficulty rating of “Difficult” you’ll need to make sure you’re properly equipped for the job too!

The Mizzy Lake Trail is an 11-Kilometre loop (not counting a two-kilometre optional side trip) beginning on the Arowhon Road just in from km 15.4 on Highway 60. The trail visits nine small lakes and ponds with a view to maximising your chances of seeing wildlife, particularly moose and beaver. Results obviously cannot be guaranteed but the possibilities are good, especially if you are at the prime areas early in the morning or later in the evening. (Try to avoid the middle part of summer days. That is by far the poorest time to see wildlife.)
You should wear good, solid, water resistant footwear and allow SIX HOURS to do the trail. If by some chance you have misjudged your rate of progress and want to avoid finishing the trail in darkness, you may walk back to the parking lot via the Arowhon or Weldwood roads, both of which connect to the old track part of the trail.

Remember if you’re going to park up anywhere in Algonquin Provincial Park or do any of the trails, you’ll need to pull up at the gates (big buildings just off the side of the road either end of Highway 60) and go in to get a Permit. These are $15.00 currently but the rates do change depending on the time of year.

Make sure you’ve picked up one of the Algonquin park news papers while you’re getting a permit, they’re free and they’re very .. VERY useful to use the map on the back so you know where you are going! Another thing you’ll want to factor in is the bugs! If it’s forecast to be warm, chances are you’ll be up against the Mosquitoes and or Black Fly – so bring your bug repellent!

We had a quick walk a little way into the trail to just get the very first glimpse of it. We simply didn’t have the time needed to go round the whole trail, nor did we have the correct footwear! The first sign you come to – once again reminds you of the undertaking you’re about to embark on

As i said, this trail is pretty rough territory, the fallen leaves and vegetation on the ground makes it a little slippy underfoot but, to be honest this is a true trail! It takes you through almost overgrown areas, you make your way round trees, under branches and along a meandering path which is well trodden but still more difficult to see than the previous trails we’ve featured so far. As i said earlier this trail focus’ on allowing you the opportunity to see wildlife for yourself, in the wild, in their own natural habitats. If you’re up to the walk this is truly a trail to go on if you’re wanting true Canadian wildlife!

One of the first points along the trail you will come to is an especially picturesque beaver dam. Beavers are actually less numerous in Algonquin than they used to be but, even so, the Park probably has a population of well over 10,000 animals.
But, quite apart from their impressive numbers, the beavers of Algonquin Park have other strong claims to be the number one position they have on this particular trail devoted to park wildlife. For one thing, Algonquin Park may never have been established if it hadn’t been for the beaver. In the late 1800s, many people in Ontario had become greatly alarmed by the decline of game and fur-bearing animals (particularly the beaver) and one of the major reasons for the establishment of Algonquin Park in 1893 was to provide a sanctuary where depleted wildlife stocks could recover and survive.

The plan was so successful that a mere 15years after the park was created, beaver numbers were so high that they were being live trapped for shipment to zoos around the world or to re-stock other areas in North America where beaver populations had been extirpated.

Again, the trail guide for this particular trail is fantastic, and certainly worth the 50c that you pay to keep it, it doesn’t simply just talk about beavers – it also talks about the other wildlife that exist on this particularly eclectic adventure through places which hopes to provide you with experiencing the different creatures that live here. The booklet documents some of the creatures that live here as being of coarse Beavers, but also otters, deer, moose, bears, Eastern-Wolves, turtles, martens, fishers, porcupine, great blue herons, broad-winged hawks, white throated sparrows and the scarlet tanger.

One of the species i’m sure a lot of people would have picked up on in that particular list is Wolves. Many people would love to connect with that particular part of Algonquin Park’s wildlife and this trail does in fact allow for that.

Post 6 is at Wolf Howl Pond. This pond was named in the early 1970s when the meadow at the far end of the pond was used by a pack of wolves for several summers as a ‘rendezvous site’. A wolf rendezvous site is a sort of temporary headquarters used by wolves when the pups have become too big for the den but are still too small to travel and hunt with the adults. Because wolves tend to occupy such places for long periods of time, the discovery of a rendezvous means that park staff can take visitors out to hear wild wolves howling with a rather high expectation of success. Back in the 1970s several thousand people participated in ‘Public Wolf Howls’ and heard at that very location the incomparable sound of wolves howling under starry skies, in response to the imitation howls given by park naturalists.
Public wolf howls are still held each August whenever a rendezvous site is found at an accessible location and they continue to have a high rate of success. If you get a chance to go on such an expedition, they highly recommend that you do! there are few ways better of making contact with Algonquin Park’s most famous animal and listening in on its family life, not in a zoo or on television, but in that animal’s true environment.

If you’re interested in going on these Wolf Howls, remember to ring up the park and find out if these are going on to arrange your visit.

So, this article has touched on just a couple of the natural wonders you may see on your trek around this impressive trail – The best way to see this all though, is obviously to head out on it yourself! If you are looking for adventure, and a wildlife enthusiast – this trail is the only one you’ll want to go on!!

For more information about Algonquin park and its Trails and attractions – remember to check out our Algonquin Provincial Park section

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The Spruce Bog Boardwalk's main Bog

Make sure you’ve picked up one of the Algonquin park news papers while you’re getting a permit, they’re free and they’re very .. VERY useful to use the map on the back so you know where you are going!

Before you go on any of these trails, remember to have brought with you, proper walking equipment – for example decent walking shoes with a good degree of tread, and comfortable clothes suitable for what ever the weather may be on the day you go on the trail. Another thing you’ll want to factor in is the bugs! If it’s forecast to be warm, chances are you’ll be up against the Mosquitoes and or Black Fly – so bring your bug repellent!

The Spruce Bog Boardwalk is a 1.5km, wheelchair-accessible loop which will take you across two separate bogs, the Sunday Creek Bog and a small kettle bog, enabling you to see at close range the little known bog habitat. About half of the trail’s length consists of boardwalk sections resting on bog mat.
To be honest, although it’s an easy trail, one of the very easiest in the park, for me it was actually the most fun. The variety of different sites sounds and environments you pass through make no section of it particularly samey.

The Spruce Bog Boardwalk trail is located at the 45.2KM point on highway 60, so keep your eyes open for the kilometer marker posts so you can find your way to it. It should take about 1 hour to go round and as I’ve said previously it’s defined as an easy trail, one of only 3 ‘easy’ trails in the park.

When you pull into the car park, you’ll see there is a small toilet block should you need it while in the area. The trail starts as normal at the big sign which also dispenses your guide booklets. If you want to get the most from the trail, as always I’d recommend you taking one – and even purchasing it by depositing $0.50 into the collection pipe.

As soon as you start on this trail, you’re immediately taken on the board walk. A wooden path built on top of the boggy marsh underneath it. Occasionally you can see underneath the current boardwalk the remains of a previous boardwalk which had existed in the past though had succumb to the damp environment that it rests on top of.

You come fairly soon to the first point in your trail guide which then gives you a round up of the flora that’s around you – including the black spruce trees and the carpets of moss. It’s at this marker also the guide will explain exactly how these bogs were formed and even how the presence of particular animals helped create the environment you’re able to walk through.

After you have walked over the first small arm of the bog, you’ll find yourself back on solid ground briefly, and as you turn to the right on the trail your first view of the open bog can be seen through the parting in the trees where the trail takes you

as you make your way through the trees you see the beginning of the boardwalk once again as it makes its way out into the marshy land, at parts you wonder how it’s not simply sinking in as the bog is completely waterlogged, thousands of years of fallen leaves and dead plant matter built up into a thick peat – and you’re walking on a remarkably sturdy wooden path crossing the very centre of it. This is when you’ll find your second post which explains everything you would need to know about this particular open bog. If you’re unlucky with the bugs – this is going to be one of their hot spots – standing water is right by the boardwalk!

If you walk a little further, on the right there is a bench – built just out from the board walk so you can sit for a while and listen to the birds and the breeze as it rustles through branches. It’s also quite interesting to look around you and see where the bog starts and the trees end – forming this natural clearing in an otherwise very wooded area. If you continue then, further up the trail, you’ll start to see the thin trees which are trying their best to march into the bog, thin and scrawny at first, gradually getting better and better established until you finally set foot on the ground once again to walk through yet more woods. Keep a look out for the various plants the guide book talks about, as it gives you a sense of curiosity to find them, having explained the various uses some of the plants had actually been used for – such as Labrador Tea!

Not much further along you’ll now come to the Kettle Bog. In a nutshell, these form by a large ice block which existed for many many thousands of years, which had been first stranded by a glacier, then buried by sand and gravel. As temperatures rose, the ice melted allowing the covering sand and gravel to sink causing a large almost circular hole in the ground – filled with water. It’s then in this water that the plant life surrounding it encroach on, making the bog. These days – or at least certainly the day that i was there, there was no visible water at all, just what looked to be almost a meadow! but don’t be fooled.. this cover simply masks a small lake of water. Eventually of coarse this will be completely filled with peat, but not for many thousands of more years. Obviously, don’t try walk onto it? You’d only be doing something woolly mammoths were considered stupid for doing many many thousands of years ago, when we find their remains preserved for thousands of years in the acidic, oxygen-poor peat nine metres down!

Don't be fooled by it's meadow like appearance, its simply a thin bog mat, resting on the top of 9 metres of water!

The kettle bog is about half way round the trail, you start to head back, following the trail, and you initially once again find yourself walking through a wooded bog – the boardwalk surrounded by a number of trees – and the sunlight dappled on the walkway through the canopy. As in my photo below, there’s also a number of trees that haven’t been so lucky in recent storms which can occur in the area, being blown over – though still supported in part by their old neighbours

when you once more find dry land, you’ll have almost finished your bog board walking experience, from here on the most of the walk is on land. There’s some particularly photogenic cliff faces draped in a covering of brown dried old pine needles and other leaves on the left as you make your way back.

The final part of the walk takes you over the last part of the bog, and across a small bridge that almost looks like it’s being washed away by the almost stationary stream flowing beneath it and across the bog – it’s at the next numbered post where you will learn how humble beavers 7,400 years ago built dams to set the stage for the bog in the first place. From here its a straight walk back to the car park!

My only word of caution i will give about this particular trail, is that the boardwalk is as you can see from the photos above, not always fenced on either side. The majority of the boardwalk is actually unfenced, so if you’re going with children, remember to keep a very close eye on them and keep them close..

Honestly though, if there’s only one trail you do, being short of time or short on energy, this is the one I’d absolutely set as a must to do. Its a relaxed beautiful trail where you can set your own pace and just enjoy the nature around you – and as you’re walking over the wooden boardwalk – it almost seems that you’re literally walking on water.. giving you a privileged feeling to be there looking at the middle of a bog.. without the need for the usual accompaniment that goes with seeing the middle of a bog – drowning!

For more information about Algonquin park and its Trails and attractions – remember to check out our Algonquin Provincial Park section
And you can also visit Algonquin Park’s official Website.

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The Trail this article is focusing on is the Peck Lake Trail.

Make sure you’ve picked up one of the Algonquin park news papers while you’re getting a permit, they’re free and they’re very .. VERY useful to use the map on the back so you know where you are going!

Before you go on any of these trails, remember to have brought with you, proper walking equipment – for example decent walking shoes with a good degree of tread, and comfortable clothes suitable for what ever the weather may be on the day you go on the trail. Another thing you’ll want to factor in is the bugs! If it’s forecast to be warm, chances are you’ll be up against the Mosquitoes and or Black Fly – so bring your bug repellent!

Peck Lake Trail is a 2.3 kilometre loop starting on Highway 60, 19.2km from West Gate of Algonquin Park. The trail takes you right around Peck Lake. The trail is of Medium difficulty, mainly due to the uneven and steep inclines you have to walk up and down. There are some fairly steep drops right by the path as well so make sure you have good footware on so you reduce risks of slipping. Remember to pick up one of the trail guides that you will find in the initial sign at the start of the trail. If you know you wish to keep the trail guide as a souvenir then put $0.50 into the pipe that is located right below it. Alternatively, you can always do this when you’ve completed your walk (or deposit the guide back in the small ‘letter boxes’ under the sign.

The whole idea of this trail, is to help you see what goes on within a lake – typical of those in Algonquin. This one in particular has Rocky shores and clear water – and the lakes in the park are one of its main attractions – as it does in fact have thousands of them! The trail guide is there to help you understand exactly what makes a lake tick.

The first part of the trail is also the part you will come back down last. you’ll know when you get to the splitting point as you’ll see a bench over looking the lake, and you’ll need to head right on the well trodden path around a particularly large tree. It’s worth taking that route round the tree as the route round the other side could lead to trips! You’ll be walking on natural forest floor covering this time round, not a gravel chip path – so there will be leaves, pine needles, twigs and of coarse dirt.. oh and not to mention the tree roots!

This trail is one of my favourites as it combines the beauty of the forest around you, along with the idyllic peace of a small inland lake. When i went, there was only us on the trail so it was particularly quiet that day. Unfortunately though as i mentioned on our last article the weather didn’t seem to be as favourable so when we got to the first informational post – designated in the tour guide booklet the scene over the lake, although beautiful was framed with particularly grey looking clouds!

Walking round the lake you’ll have the possibility to admire not just the trees but also the wildlife around it – if you’re lucky enough you may even get to see the Common Loon – a Bird that not only is one of the finest anglers as it dives under water to catch fish — but is also the bird you’ll see on the reverse of the Canadian Dollar coin – which gives the coin it’s name as being “the loonie”.

The trail book will also literally show you the story of “there’s always a bigger fish” from the minute algae to water fleas, to fish to even Mink and Otters.

So, after you’re mini lake adventure, about 1 and a half hours later you’ll finally get back to that bench. If you manage to catch it on a slightly more clear day than we did you’ll be able to take some fantastic photos of Loons, Kingfishers as well as the whole scenic background of the lake

If you’re reasonably good with walking, this is a trail you’ll want to head out on – it doesn’t take too long and there’s plenty of variety in the scenery!

For more information about Algonquin park and its lake – remember to check out our Algonquin Provincial Park section
And you can also visit Algonquin Park’s official Website.

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So, you’re kitted up – Make sure you’ve picked up one of the Algonquin park news papers while you’re getting a permit, they’re free and they’re very .. VERY useful to use the map on the back so you know where you are going!

Before you go on any of these trails, remember to have brought with you, proper walking equipment – for example decent walking shoes with a good degree of tread, and comfortable clothes suitable for what ever the weather may be on the day you go on the trail. Another thing you’ll want to factor in is the bugs! If it’s forecast to be warm, chances are you’ll be up against the Mosquitoes and or Black Fly – so bring your bug repellent!

The Hardwood Lookout is located at km13.8 up Hwy 60 and I’d recommend you go on this walk as a warm up. It’s a short 0.8km loop featuring a pleasant walk through typical Algonquin hardwood forest and a fine view of the Smoke Lake Basin. The difficulty level for this particular trail is medium, but to be fair, the walk is pretty easy in general for anyone – the only bits that cause it to be medium is a small uphill incline that is very ‘rooty’ which I’ll show you later, and a number of steep ascents and descents down hillsides. This trail is also handily ‘paved’ with fine chippings.. So be careful as they may be slightly loose in some places, make sure you have a good foothold before heading down a steep part of the path!

So, you park up in the car park and get out, a quick look around will give you an idea of where to go, you’ll see the entrance back onto the road, a small path that seems to head up into the woods, and in the corner the Trail Sign which you’ll become familiar with the more trails you do.

Head over to the sign and you’ll get an explanation about the Trail. Feel free to pick up the trail booklet. As you’ll come to see, each trail book is colour coded so no book looks the same. Each book has useful information about points along the trail, so rather than just walking along the trail and admiring the beauty of the park, you can also stop at the posts and read about the flora and fauna that’s present at that point. I’d recommend you picking one up to start with and take it round with you on your walk. If you then want to keep it you can pay your $0.50, if not you can push it through one of the slots on the collection boxes which can be found towards the end of the trail, or under the original sign you pick them up from.

From the sign – turn left and you’ll see the entrance to the trail, your first obstacle a small stream with a wooden platform over it… not too difficult see?

Follow the path along, you’ll see it fork and an arrow pointing right – that’s the direction you’ll want to head initially. You’ll find all the trails will do this should they share the same path at beginning and the end. If you follow the map on page 1 of the booklet, you’ll get to post one.

At this point you’ll be standing in a hardwood forest typical of the park’s west side. As the booklet says, although many people consider the park to be “up north” the park is actually dominated by distinctly southern elements — trees, plants and animals which aren’t found very much north of there. And this particular hardwood forest is one of those features! To all you people who want to see a true maple tree, called The Sugar Maple, this is the most numerous tree in the hardwood bush. The booklet will explain how important the tree is in the hardwood forest and how it influences the lives of every other plant and animal in the forest.

As you follow the route, you’ll notice blue dots on some of the trees, these are there to help you keep to the route, and not get lost – so keep your eye out for them on some of the routes where the trail isn’t so very well pronounced.

One of the more spectacular things you’ll see on the trail is a tree that seems to be growing over the top of a giant rock!

Eventually just after post 8 you’ll come to a steep bit which is the only part of the trail where the path becomes a little ‘rough’ underfoot. Mainly from tree roots. But it’s only short and you should be fine providing you have the right footwear!

As soon as you reach the top however you’ve finally made it to the lookout! At the top there’s a memorial for someone who was instrumental in the creation of the park, as well as a couple of benches. This is definitely a place where you’ll want to have brought your camera.. and hopefully you could take some slightly better photos than i did – since the day we went to Algonquin park, it was a bit of a variable weather day, with mostly miserable looking clouds!

On your way back down from here, following the trail you’ll come across a box with a visitors book to sign, its worth signing these, even if its just to leave your mark there! As soon as you have passed this you’ll find yourself back on the beginning part of the trail and back at the sign. This will be where you can decide on whether to take the last little bit which is the Red spruce side trail, which you will find by walking straight on and the entrance is on the left. These last two posts will take you through the red spruce stand, its a little bit more difficult to walk than the previous bit of the trail, being unpaved but it still provides some pretty scenes – and the guide booklet will tell you about the trees you’ll see here

So that’s the trail! Definitely one of the easiest ones, and if you’re coming from the Gravenhurst direction, its the second into the park, so quick to get to. Now’s the time to decide on if you want that booklet or not as well, so if you want to keep the booklet, head over to the sign you got the book from and you’ll see an odd shaped pipe thing below it with 50c on it – just put a couple of quarters into it and the book’s now yours to keep and take home!

I’ll be covering a number of the other trails over the next couple of months, so keep your eyes out for them – as well as other special spots you’ll want to call off at as you head round Algonquin Provincial Park’s southern bit!

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While we were out in Canada last week, we went to a family wedding, and the reception was at a place, around a lake we’d never been round before. Unfortunately, after we’d picked up the truck and had driven out to the area, we had forgotten the name of the place we were going to and we had to rely on the sat nav to take us to the place it suggested. One thing about the place our sat nav had taken us was that even if this place wasn’t the place the wedding reception was going to be – it sure had one amazing view over a beautiful lake, surrounded by sheltered bays, all bathed in woodland with the slight glimpse of the odd cottage scattered along the shoreline on the far sides. We weren’t blessed with the best weather that day, and there were quite a few clouds around, not to mention the large looming raincloud off to the left of us, so i hopped out of the truck and took some photos of this beautiful scenic lookout – beside a store.

View over Baptiste Lake on a slightly cloudy day

We set off to Bancroft to get something to eat while trying to decide on what was best to do – we just couldn’t remember the name of the place the wedding reception was at and we were doubting our sat nav.. had we put the right address in 118 village road? or 188 village road.. so we headed back to that store, where the sat nav wanted us to go – with the beautiful view and tried to ring someone who would know on the pay phone just outside. Unfortunately the person we were trying to ring was in a no-signal area. . . but as the rain started to pour, things started to click in place. This place wasn’t just a store. On closer inspection, having got out of the truck one more time, there seemed to be tables set, down some steps behind the store. This gave us a little hope. We knew we were in the right area so we decided the best thing was to wait, and see if we saw anyone we knew passing by in their vehicles..
Finally, someone did.. and parked right up beside us! This place, as we finally were reminded – was the Country Fare & Inn, Baptiste Lake!

The store we visited twice and took photos from its car park was the Country Fare Store, located above the restaurant and near the hotel rooms. Unsurprisingly we breathed a sigh of relief – but now we could finally get to take in the location of this Inn.

Totem Pole at Country Fare & Inn

One thing i had been checking out when we arrived and i took photos was the Totem pole, as well as the railway car wheels which are set beside the car park to the venue, so as if the signs which are clearly out on the main highway weren’t enough, along with the signs on the building its self – you’ll know you’re there when you see these! If you hit upon a day with better weather, feel free to snap up some photos – this place is stunning, and in the right light will offer some amazing picture postcard photos… (and if you get some don’t forget to let me know about it and i may very well put them up on here!)

This place, as you now know is not simply a shop, it is a mixture of everything you’ll need on a short break or trip. My personal thoughts would be if you’re traveling north from Toronto, Newmarket or Orillia, going for a trip to Algonquin Provincial Park.. head out east and stay here the night. They offer spacious rooms with all the facilities you’d need – including high speed Internet, satellite TV, coffee maker, a fridge, microwave and sizable beds. If you need to stock up on any provisions, the store is in the same building, so you can pop in and get your things before walking just feet back to your room to settle down… But this isn’t all the rooms offer. Each of the main rooms at this very cosy place have a private balcony, giving you absolutely the best views you can get of Baptiste Lake.. that stunning view from the car park can be yours for your stay here as you relax on the patio furniture with a drink overlooking a beautiful sunset listening to the crickets chirping around you.

After the main meal, we noticed the sky had cleared up and the sun had set, though it didn’t stop me getting my camera out. It was a fairly warm and humid day, and after the rain the water had started to evaporate in an ankle height mist across the ground, so check out the sunset photo below – taken from just outside the Restaurant

Baptist Lake Near Bancroft

I would really recommend the food here. Canada has some amazing quality food – and the restaurant here cooks to a high standard – and i was lucky to have chance as the restaurant is not open currently, they intend on opening it back up for next Summer. Though you can still get great take out pizza from the store! So if you’re planning on heading out to Canada next Summer – don’t miss out on visiting this Restaurant – you can even sit out under the canopy at the back enjoying the evening air by the lake.

If You’re looking for a little longer stay here, you can always rent the Inn’s own private cottage. This is amazing value – you get the luxury of having your own little cottage just over the road from the Store and Inn its self, it comes fully equipped with microwave, coffee maker, Satellite TV & VCR and will sleep up to six persons. All this, as your private little place for $99.00 per night Sunday to Thursday or $109.00 per night Friday & Saturday based on two people staying – that’s around £60, so a whole cottage for a day for the same price as you’d pay for a room at Premier Inn! Why not stay a couple of nights, soak up the sights and visit Bancroft, the closest town to the inn, and then head on up to Algonquin park for the day – before coming back to rest in your cottage.

The Country Fare & Inn is located at 188 Village Street, R. R.#2 Bancroft, Ontario, Canada K0L 1C0 – trust your Sat Nav! It’s only 1 hour from the East Gate of Algonquin Provincial Park, so you don’t need to worry about driving for a hours after your hiking or exploring in the park, and as i say you can relax on the balcony with the cool breeze coming in off the lake

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So this is the Country Fare & Inn! Don’t miss staying, eating and soaking up this fantastic place with friendly staff, welcoming warm atmosphere and spectacular views.
You can contact them by:

Phone: 613-332-2408
Fax: 613-332-2497
or visit their website to email them, and find out more information about what to do and more photos of the rooms, cottage, store, restaurant and of coarse the lake

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Algonquin Provincial Park

In the UK, lets face it – Although we created the idea of National Parks, we figured the best thing is to designate an area and let it sit there.. So in the UK our national parks, although a place of great beauty very rarely have huge potential for long stays – unless you plan on going hiking across the wilderness. A few scenic lookout points along the road and a tea shop or two in a quiet village is the most many who travel through the peak district for example get to see.. We went to Algonquin, naively expecting the same.. And we were so very wrong! This place is so packed that not only could we not get everything we needed in the short time we had there – but i’m wondering if in the whole day we’re planning next trip to go there – will be enough time to get a good snapshot of everything this beautiful Canadian national treasure has to offer.. So, here’s the information i wished i had had before we headed there!

First, Algonquin Provincial Park is far far from the idea of a road with a few lookout points to see wildlife. . . it’s a superbly managed park designed to allow visitors to get the absolute maximum they wish to get out of the area, be it spotting for wildlife, canoeing, hiking, biking, camping or a scenic drive. If you’re planning on going here for a visit – give it a good full day.. But as you’re about to find out – many spend much longer in the park!

Algonquin Provincial Park is a provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River in Central Ontario, Canada. It is the first provincial park in Canada having been established in 1893. It covers about 7,653 square kilometres. Its size, combined with its proximity to the major urban centres of Toronto and Ottawa make it one of the most popular Provincial parks in the province and the entire country. Highway 60 runs through the south of the park, while the Trans-Canada Highway bypasses it to the north. Over 2,400 lakes and 1,200 kilometres of streams and rivers are located within the park, including Canoe Lake and the Petawawa, Nipissing, Amable du Fond, Madawaska, and Tim rivers. These were formed by the retreat of the glaciers during the last ice age. The park is considered part of the “border” between Northern Ontario and Southern Ontario.

The park is home to a huge variety of wildlife – Water Shrew, Star-nosed Mole, Little Brown Bat, Northern Long-eared Bat, Silver-haired Bat, Eastern Chipmunk, Woodchuck, Grey Squirrel, American Red Squirrel, Northern Flying Squirrel, American Beaver, Deer Mouse, White-footed Mouse, Porcupine, Red Fox, American Black Bear, Raccoon, American Marten, Fisher, Striped Skunk, Northern River Otter, Lynx, White-tailed Deer, Moose and Eastern Wolf .. And these are just SOME of the mammals that you, like many may see while on the trails or out in the inner park.. but don’t forget the birds – you’ll have the opportunity to see (among many others) Woodpeckers, Humming Birds (especially in august) and one of the most spectacular birds the Blue Jay.

Algonquin Park's West Gate

If you’re driving up the direction we did – from the direction of Orillia, south west of the park, you will enter the park a kilometer or so before getting to the West Gate of the park. In this first unofficial Kilometer you’ll see a sign on your right saying Information on an FM radio station – tune in and listen to the short peice of information to update you on a few opening hours and places you may want to stop by – then pull into the West Gate which will be on your right.
To park up and walk on any of the trails, or stop at any of the restaurants or go to any of the places in the park you will need a Permit. Permits are $15.00, so head into the building and approach the desk enquiring about getting one. Also while in here pick yourself up the Alqonquin Newspaper, also available free which will provide you with a whole heap of information, as well as a big map on the back page showing where all the trails, campsites and amenities within the park, as well as valuable information about the rules and regs which you’re required to abide to – for the protection and conservation of the Provincial Park.

A road side view of a lake in Algonquin Park

Now, seeing as I’m not likely to be going camping – even though i would love to do so, it’s a big part of Algonquin Park – Back country camping.. This is where you enter the park, park up and set off – with your equipment by foot or canoe and literally go exploring. A true hiker / camper’s dream. If you go to Canada, Algonquin park, whether you’re going backcountry camping – or simply going on the route we’re covering in brief here – is the real Canada, and an absolute must if you’re anywhere near.. Canada is seen in many films, TV shows, books, stories and legend as a vast country of trees, lakes, wildlife and snow – and no matter what time of the year you go, you’re always guaranteed to see at least three out of those four! Again – at the Gates, whether you enter West, East or the other gates north, you’ll find all the information you’ll need to go camping.

The Hardwood Lookout Trail Information Board

The newspaper you have picked up will have a map on the back displaying all the “Interpretive Walking Trails”. These are trails which are marked from Easy to Moderate to Difficult to walk, and a huge variety of durations from approximately 45 minutes to around 6 whole hours, all going through the beautiful woodland its self. Driving up the main road which goes through the south of the park, you’ll see Kilometer Markers. You can use these along with your newspaper that you picked up to judge how far or close you are from your next stop. For example the Hardwood Lookout trail, of moderate difficulty which takes around 45minutes to complete is located around 13Km from West Gate. When you park up at the car park which is just off the road of each trail, you’ll find an information board – as seen in the picture above which gives you a brief summary of the trail, and also as you can see – is a vendor of small booklets which will be your guide (and even a souvenir) of the trail you’re about to embark on (if you want to keep it – just put $0.50 into the designated pipe below each trail sign). Each trail has sets of posts as you’re walking round with numbers which match up to numbers in your trail guide – this will give you information about the flora, fauna and help you get the most out of your walks, so remember to pick one up!

The Portage Store

Along with Trails, your map will show you where you can buy gifts, eat, use the telephone, hire canoes and get any Petrol/Gas for your vehicle. One such place, located just 14km up the road from West Gate is the Portage Store. Why not call in and get yourself a drink while looking out at the view which i took for the photo at the top of this article. As you can see from this picture you can hire canoes here, as well as stopping for a bathroom break, buying gifts and getting a drink or bite to eat.

Heading on into the park, always be cautious of Moose and Deer, and if you’re walking through the trails, make sure you’ve read the section in your newspaper which tells you what to do should you see a bear. Although many want to see bears, as you can imagine, they command respect. These aren’t tamed or captured bears, they’re here living in their home, and you’re visiting – so make sure you pay attention to the information. But on a side note, i did find the Caution Moose sign fairly funny, simply as its a sign i had never thought i would have ever seen.. so for your enjoyment here’s the sign, though remember – Moose are HUGE heavy things, and real caution must be taken when driving through the park, not just for the protection of the animals who make Algonquin their home, but also for your safety too.

Caution, Moose!

Algonquin allows you to go camping in the inner park, away from roads, surrounded by pure uncensored nature – almost as close to wilderness as you’d get without travelling much further north.. though there are set camp sites which provide all the amenities you’d want, so if you are planning on staying for a longer visit, you can make one of these camp sites your base of operations. The camp sites set just off but away from the road through the park are Tea Lake, Canisbay Lake, Lake of Two Rivers, Mew Lake, Pog Lake, Whitefish Lake, Kearney Lake, Rock Lake, and Coon Lake. I’ll go into detail about these sites in future articles.

All this, and I’ve still only really scratched the surface of what this place has to offer. You can get to the park using the map below, and remember to check out the website dedicated to this gem of nature for more detailed information about various services i have touched on here, as well as the many things i haven’t yet had chance to yet. http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/

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So that’s the very brief summary of Algonquin Park, if you’ve got any questions, I’ll be happy to help – i have my trusty newspaper still, along with the trail guide for the Hardwood Lookout Trail – so I’ll do my best to answer anything if you want to leave comments! Look out for more articles on Algonquin Provincial Park in the future!

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Algonquin Provincial Park

Now, we’ve been busy, we always are – and now we find ourselves specifically hunting out and descovering places to tell you about, and we sure have done that! – places we’ve been so far this week include Bancroft, Algonquin park (and wow did we underestimate what was on offer there!), Muskoka Wildlife Centre, Kirkfield Lift Lock, New market, Orillia and of coarse the beach near Bolsover, Lake Simcoe.

Baptist Lake Near Bancroft

We headed to Muskoka wildlife centre yesterday to call in on Juniper, and found that not only is she very happy, she’ll be introduced into the other raccoons and the foxes soon. Not to mention that they now have a new Albino Raccoon, another Red fox and a Fisher (which is a member of the weasel family) – and they were all out so we got plenty of photos of them!

Muskoka Wildlife Centre

And while we were at Kirkfield lift lock today we were lucky enough to see a number of very large boats going up and down the huge structure – so we got plenty of photos of that as well! Yesterday we were doing some star gazing, using the telescope we have over here – - a telescope i wished i had back home, since it has electronic movement where you press buttons and it moves.. very steady so very good when looking at stars! And with the sky out here so free from light polution, it makes spectacular viewing – especially when you’re lucky enough to see shooting stars!

Kirkfield Lift Lock In Use

So that’s about it! – This article obviously is set to go out on Saturday 22nd, so I’ll be sleeping when this actually goes out, and having a nice Canadian Breakfast when i do actually get up – but right now, I’m off to go to Newmarket and call at Upper Canada’s Mall – which we’ll also be featuring next week, along with a place which i cant wait to tell you about sat right on the side of Baptist Lake near Bancroft – so! I’ll see you all shortly on my return with plenty of fresh stuff to share with you all!

From Rocky — wish you were here!

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