Algonquin Provincial Park - Venturesome, quiet and outdoorsy

A serene destination with a leisurely sense of adventure

Algonquin Provincial Park is a place where you can enjoy tranquility and silence, broken only by the call of the loon, in a stunning outdoor playground of endless lakes, crystal-clear rivers and solitary moose. This pristine wilderness area offers a wide variety of adventure, depending on the season, from canoeing the 1,200 miles of routes to horseback riding, hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, skate skiing and skijoring. For an especially heart-pounding adventure, join a dog sledding excursion and glide through the snowy woods pulled by a pack of Huskies that run at 20 miles per hour.

The park also boasts some of the best brook and lake trout fishing around in its more than 620 miles of streaks and some 1,500 lakes. Outside of the winter months, canoe and fish in the backcountry by joining researchers for fall field work, a skills workshop, or by hiring an outfitter.

The best way to experience this park is to camp, whether in a backcountry tent or a rustic pine cabin. There are 15 former ranger patrol cabins available between April and mid-October, and while there’s no running water or electricity, most feature bunk beds and wood stoves, while some even include private docks, gas-run lights and screened verandas. Staying overnight, you’ll be able to take advantage of the incredible dark night skies, bursting with countless glittering stars, thanks to the lack of light pollution, and you might even catch a glimpse of the magnificent northern lights as they dance across the horizon.

Five reasons to visit Alonquin Provincial Park

• Disconnect from the chaos of the modern world – in the heart of the park, you won’t have any cell reception, but there are few better things for the mind, body and soul than paddling around a lake with no one else in sight, cosying up to the warmth of a crackling campfire and marvelling at the shooting stars
• The abundance of wildlife is sure to thrill, from the chance to hear the eerie primitive call of howling wolves to the cry of the loon, as well as the opportunity to spot majestic creatures like moose, beaver, black bear, white-tailed deer and some 250 bird species
• Year-round activities, from picnicking, canoeing, mountain biking, swimming, hiking and outstanding fishing in the warmer months to snow-shoeing, cross-country skiing, winter camping, snowmobiling and dog-sledding during the chillier months of the year
• A wide variety of accommodations await to suit all, from those who want a remote backcountry experience and the opportunity to become immersed in nature to comfortable glamping, cabins and lodges
• Experience a diverse and unique Ontario landscape with pristine creeks, water-lily filled ponds and clear lakes to rocky cliffs and even sandy beaches