Biking
Keep it green and bring your bike for getting around on our paved and gravel park roadways or perhaps you are up for a challenge to take a bike hike on the Esker Trail.
Birding
Ivanhoe Lake protects a big piece of Boreal Forest, often called the Songbird Nursery. A wide range of forest songbirds can be found nesting in the park. Many species of warbler can be heard and sometimes seen defending their patch of forest, like the pretty Chestnut-sided Warbler. The commonly heard but rarely seen Red-eyed Vireo whistles its tune thousands of times a day throughout the park. The mouth of the Ivanhoe River is a staging area for waterfowl, with the Common Goldeneye being one of the most numerous ducks found feeding there.
Boating
Ivanhoe Lake is a large lake, popular with boaters. Motor boats are permitted in the park, however no gas motors are allowed on Boyce Lake and Saw Lake.
Canoeing
Canoe the quiet waters of Saw Lake and Teck Lake or take a day trip up the beautiful Ivanhoe River. Bring along your binoculars and camera as you are almost sure to see eagles, waterfowl and the ever-present moose along the fertile shoreline.
Discovery Program
Join Discovery staff at an Exploration Station during the months of July and August. Bring along your Discovery Activity Book (or pick one up at the Exploration Station), and use the equipment and materials provided to explore the park, observe plants and animals, and discover the wonders of nature. Be sure to share your observations with park staff! For more information keep an eye out for weekly calendar of events posted throughout the park.
Fishing
Ivanhoe River’s slow, fertile waters offers excellent fish habitat, resulting in good fishing opportunities for Northern Pike and Walleye, (also found in Ivanhoe Lake) along with Whitefish. Many of the kettle lakes are frequently stocked with Brook Trout.
Hiking
Saw Lake Trail – 2.8 km loop, easy
This trail leads up and over beautiful esker ridges and continues along the shores of serene Saw Lake, a small glacier lake stocked with Speckled Trout. Be sure to bring your camera as the waters here gleam a greenish hue on a sunny summer’s day.
Quaking Bog Trail – 0.8 km, easy
A short but worthy trail for hikers that takes you along a path that was once at the bottom of Ivanhoe Lake. Interpretive panels located along its path bring to light some of these features as well as a viewing platform overlooking a rare quaking bog.
Teck Lake Trail – 1 km, moderate
This trail is a peaceful, solitary walk for those who venture through its mature boreal forest before coming to rest at tranquil Teck Lake. Here you can discover a small kettle lake formed by glaciers and stocked with Brook Trout. Like Saw Lake, the waters here also gleam green on a sunny summer’s day.
The Esker Trail – 8 km, moderate to difficult
Hikers can trek along one of the most accessible and representative eskers in Ontario. If you feel like a scenic walk with panoramic views, follow a small gravel road which takes you up above the tree tops providing views of green-hued kettle lakes, mature stands of forest, abundant wildlife and the most spectacular view of Ivanhoe Lake anywhere in the park. There are also a couple of side trails that will take you to the solitude of Axe and Canyon Lakes. For the safety of all trail users, the use of motorized vehicles is prohibited during the months of July and August.
Hunting
Sport hunting is permitted to continue in the Ivanhoe Lake Addition, which incorporates the Ivanhoe River. Hunting is not permitted within the original Ivanhoe Lake Provincial Park (which includes the campground, beaches and trails), however possession of encased, unloaded firearms will be permitted while accessing hunting areas adjacent to the park.
Swimming
Grab your towel and picnic basket and head down to one of the two shallow sandy beaches. Please note that no lifeguards are posted on the beach. The day use beach offers children a playground – much to their delight.