Backcountry canoeing with your dog

Today’s post comes from Jill Legault, Information Specialist at Quetico Provincial Park

Summertime means puppy playtime!

Dogs love the opportunity to be outside as much as you do. A little planning means every family member is happy and safe in the backcountry.

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The ultimate fall adventure destination: paddle, bike and hike at Restoule Provincial Park

Influencer Diana Lee lives for adventure, the great outdoors, and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP)! Find out what she’s (S)UP to @only1phoenixx on Instagram and Twitter.

Experience the magic of fall at a park that has it all: Restoule Provincial Park!

From tranquil paddling routes to scenic trails for hikers or mountain bikers, there is something for everyone! And this quiet park does not hold back on the vibrant fall colours!

Continue reading The ultimate fall adventure destination: paddle, bike and hike at Restoule Provincial Park

Paddling Woodland Caribou Provincial Park after a forest fire

Today’s post comes from Kristiana Wilson, Assistant Park Superintendent at Woodland Caribou Provincial Park

2021 was quite the fire season in Ontario.

Last year alone, approximately 55% of Woodland Caribou Provincial Park burned due to natural forest fires.

The park is no stranger to forest fires — fire is key for regeneration in the boreal forest.

Still, when most people think of picturesque park landscapes, they typically don’t think of park areas that have been burned.

We’re here to change any preconceived ideas you have about travelling through large burns and share some tips to make your next post forest fire park paddling trip a little easier!

Continue reading Paddling Woodland Caribou Provincial Park after a forest fire

What it’s like to fly in and paddle out of Wabakimi

In today’s post, influencer Ken Jones recounts his backcountry trip to Wabakimi.

This past year was interesting to say the least. The global pandemic has changed a lot about how we travel. After having to cancel a trip to Alaska in September, my wife and I wanted to explore somewhere in Ontario where we’d not yet been.

As avid canoe trippers, we decided to plan a wilderness canoe trip to arguably one of the more remote areas of Ontario: Wabakimi Provincial Park.

Continue reading What it’s like to fly in and paddle out of Wabakimi

Planning a “bucket-list” trip to Quetico Provincial Park

Today’s post comes from paddling enthusiast Dave Caughey who, along with his wife, recently made the trek to Quetico Provincial Park.

For years, my wife and I longed to visit Quetico Provincial Park. We had heard the canoeing there was awesome, through a terrain peppered with countless lakes, and routes that could involve days between portages!

But Quetico seemed mind-bogglingly far from our home in Ottawa—1,600 km to be exact! Who would be compelled to drive that distance, just to go paddling?

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Top 6 parks for canoe fishing in northern Ontario

Paddling into the wilderness, fishing from a canoe and then going back to camp to enjoy a backcountry fish fry is a special experience.

If you’re up for a trip like this, check out our recommendations for the best backcountry fishing destinations in our northern parks.  Continue reading Top 6 parks for canoe fishing in northern Ontario

A canoe journey to each point of the compass

In today’s post, Conor Mihell captures the timelessness of Wabakimi Provincial Park.

The rumble of car tires on gravel slowly fading into the distance is the glorious sound of freedom after many long hours on the road. Silence descends, and suddenly my wife Kim and I are alone and faced with the task of loading 24 days worth of food and gear into our canoe and setting off on Little Caribou Lake, across the threshold of Wabakimi Provincial Park.

The isolation is at once daunting and exciting; there are few places where the feeling is more intense than in the hinterlands of northwestern Ontario.

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Woodland Caribou trip-planner

Woodland Caribou Provincial Park is arguably one of Ontario Parks’ best destinations for backcountry wilderness camping and canoeing.

This vast park (544,160 hectares) features a Boreal ecosystem influenced by a prairie climate and displays a diverse community of flora and fauna, including being a home to threatened Woodland Caribou.

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A trip down the Pakeshkag River at Grundy Lake Provincial Park

Today’s post comes from Sonje Bols, a former naturalist at Grundy Lake Provincial Park.

Part of a park naturalist’s job is to familiarize themselves with the natural and cultural wonders of their park through exploration.

Whether it’s hanging out at bogs to catch and identify dragonflies, checking rocks for snakes, or canoeing along Indigenous canoe routes, naturalists set out to observe and explore every inch of their parks so they can bring that knowledge and experience to park visitors and managers.

Continue reading A trip down the Pakeshkag River at Grundy Lake Provincial Park

Restoule: a fall colours paradise

When we hear the words “fall colours,” our minds often jump to Algonquin. Trouble is, Algonquin’s gotten so popular that autumn brings long line-ups, crowded trails, and traffic-snarling “leaf jams.”

So where can we go to see awe-inspiring fall colours, hike to breathtaking lookouts, and avoid the crowds?

Restoule Provincial Park.

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