Humanity’s fascination with the celestial bodies dates back millennia.
And times haven’t changed.
Star parties and night sky events are held in our parks every summer, especially in northern Ontario, where there’s less light pollution.
Continue reading Summer star parties 2019
Time to reach for our sleeping bags and tents?
Research shows that camping in nature is good for our mental and physical well-being.
What better reason to head out with family and friends into the great outdoors and sleep under the stars?
Check out the brain and body benefits of camping:
Continue reading Try a regular dose of camping for good health
Today’s post comes from Lise Sorensen, Quetico’s Atikokan Entry Station Gate Attendant and off-season Trails Officer with the Path of the Paddle. If you’re planning to paddle the Maukinak Trail, this info will be indispensable.
Follow the path. It will lead you through boreal rivers and crystal-clear lakes, and past silent, watchful cliffs. Your guides will be eagles and your destination endless.
An integral segment of The Great Trail (Trans Canada Trail), the Path of the Paddle is a ribbon of water that stretches from Thunder Bay to the Manitoba border.
The Maukinak segment of the Path of the Paddle transects vast tracts of uninhabited crown land and connects the small communities of Atikokan and Dryden.
Continue reading The Maukinak Trail: paddling from Dryden to Quetico
Today’s post comes from Park Naturalist Lesley Ng of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park.
Did you know there are blooming beauties which are adapted for the arctic tundra or alpine environments? In short, they like it cold!
And we don’t need traverse tundra or climb mountains to see them. We just need to take a spring hike along Lake Superior’s shoreline.
Continue reading Chilling out by the lake: arctic-alpine disjunct plants along Lake Superior
Today’s post comes from Barb Rees, Discovery Program/Marketing Specialist with Ontario Parks’ Northwest Zone.
Ontario Parks is fortunate to be able to both protect and showcase an abundance of natural vistas across the province.
While some locations are relatively easy to access, others will challenge you before rewarding you with their amazing views.
Here are seven of northwest Ontario Parks’ top iconic vistas to discover and explore this season.
Planning a cross-province adventure? Check out the Ontario Parks Driving Routes.
This is a world-renowned northern travel route for car and RV travelers.
This bucket list experience connects Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay, offering spectacular rugged shorelines, cascading rivers and waterfalls, smooth rock and sand beaches, unique geological features, and excellent wildlife viewing.
Today’s post comes from Bob Elliott, Superintendent of the winter wonderland that is Lake Superior Provincial Park. Please note: so far in 2019, no ice caves are present.
Every so often, the winters around Lake Superior are cold enough to freeze the waters of Gitchee Gumee, providing a magical opportunity to walk on the ice of the world’s largest freshwater lake (by surface area).
Continue reading A winter wander along a frozen Lake Superior
When most of us picture winter ice, we conjure up mental images of skating rinks and icicles. But did you know there’s a lot of variety in wintry water formations?
From frozen falls to ice volcanoes, winter water is quite a sight to behold:
Today’s post comes from Laura Myers, a tea lover and Marketing Specialist with Ontario Parks.
This blog is dedicated to all of those who love tea and nature.
Whether it’s a cool summer evening, or a chilly winter day, it’s always a good time for tea time. There’s something about having a cup of tea that ignites a sense of stillness and calmness. It reminds you to take a step back, and really take in a moment.
Ontario’s northwest provincial parks provide some stellar backdrops for the most perfect outdoor tea parties. Make a cup of tea, and read on to discover six tea hot spots!
Continue reading Hot spots to have a cup of tea in Ontario Parks’ northwest
Today’s post comes from Anna Scuhr, a naturalist with Lake Superior Provincial Park.
The arrival of snow and ice transforms the rugged landscape of Lake Superior Provincial Park into a stunningly beautiful, albeit unforgiving place to live.
As temperatures drop, the park can accumulate up to six feet of snow in the interior. This makes just about every aspect of an animal’s life more challenging.
Northern winters are a true test of an animal’s fitness. Let’s look at how they adapt to survive long, harsh winters.
