This post is written by Dave Sproule, Natural Heritage Education Specialist with Ontario Parks.
If you are looking for a new trail to explore this summer, the Lonesome Bog Trail at Esker Lakes Provincial Park might be just the ticket! This 1.5 km interpretive trail sweeps around Sausage Lake and travels through a variety of habitats, introducing visitors to boreal forest ecosystems and ancient glacial landscapes.
Whether you’re conquering a rocky scramble or taking a leisurely stroll across a boardwalk, we’ve got the perfect trail for you.
How many of these must-see trails from around the province have you explored?
It’s probably no surprise that hiking is good for your health, but it might surprise you that the benefits reach from head to toe!
Check out the brain and body benefits of hiking:
The eastern shore of Georgian Bay is a pink necklace of islands scattered on a turquoise sea. A freshwater sea, that is.
Georgian Bay is part of Lake Huron, and Huron is one of the Great Lakes, the largest expanse of freshwater in the world.
Eastern Georgian Bay is world class. In 2004, the area was designated as a world biosphere reserve by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Continue reading Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve: biodiversity on the Bay
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.
Today’s post comes from Michelle Halstead, a travel, tourism and eco-adventure placement student with Ontario Parks Northwest Zone.
Canada is proud to be the home of the greatest recreational trail in the world. A 24,000 km trail of land and water that stretches across 10 provinces and three territories.
The Great Trail (formally known as the Trans Canada Trail or TCT) is a project that started in 1992 and with the help of various donors and volunteers working together across the nation has become one of the greatest trails in the world. The trail offers a variety of outdoor recreation activities and scenery throughout Canada’s urban, rural and wilderness areas.
Continue reading Exploring the Great Trail in northwestern Ontario Parks
Happy International Day of Forests!
Let’s take a walk in the woods.
With no specific destination in mind, we will wander, observe and immerse ourselves in nature. Allow our senses to guide us.
When was the last time you walked into the woods with no plans? No final destination? Without a species to ID, hill to climb, or lookout to conquer?
This is exactly the experience offered by a forest bathing session.
Continue reading Healing in the forest: a guide to forest bathing
Our parks are wearing the green this St. Patrick’s Day and you don’t have to be Irish to appreciate it!
“You do need to be observant, though,” says Algonquin Provincial Park biologist Alison Lake. “But it will be well worth the effort.”
Taking St. Patrick’s Day stroll? Here are 7 shades of green you might spot in our parks:
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
The health benefits of hiking are head-to-toe. A walk in the woods can help alleviate mental fatigue, and improve creative thinking. Hiking is also great for cardiovascular health and muscle tone.
But is hiking an option in the winter?
Absolutely. We’ve collected a list of five parks with stellar options for winter rambles:
