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:
Category: Hiking
Wet weather hiking
So, you’ve planned your trip and thought of everything.
Your boots are sitting at the door and your backpack is full of water, snacks, route maps, extra clothes, and your trusty first aid kit.
Your favourite park awaits!
The ultimate Pinery challenge
In today’s post, Sarah Fencott, a naturalist at Pinery Provincial Park is sharing her journey to completing the ultimate Pinery challenge. The goal? To complete all ten trails at Pinery, including lookouts and extensions.
Last year, my goal was to hike every trail before the end of the summer. I completed my goal with three days left in my contract.
This year, my goal was to hike all of the trails in one week. This worked out well, as we needed to do an infrastructure survey of the park trails anyway! By hiking three trails per day I had completed my goal within my first week back at work.
With my initial goal so easily achieved, I set my sights on a new challenge that would be harder than anything I had done in the park before: the Tour de Pinery.
4 top tips for fall hiking adventures
Fall is our favourite hiking season.
It’s not too hot. The bugs are gone. Solitude is easier to find.
But fall hiking has its own complications, especially when it comes to weather.
We teamed up with our friends at SAIL to create this handy fall hiking checklist:
Add nature to your self-care toolkit
As the days get shorter and the colder weather arrives, it’s time to talk self-care. Bubble baths and meditation are great options, but have you considered adding nature to your self-care toolkit?
October 10 is World Mental Health Day, and it’s the perfect time to think of ways we can take care of ourselves and our families.
How to plan your day trip to Forks of the Credit
Forks of the Credit Provincial Park is a beautiful park west of Toronto. It offers excellent hiking, picnicking, and fishing opportunities, as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter.
But the secret is out on this hiking destination located close to home! Forks of the Credit can experience large crowds of visitors, especially on summer weekends.
As the park’s popularity has grown, so has our need for visitors to put extra thought into being respectful. Visitors should plan ahead to avoid large crowds, potential fines, or being turned away at the park gate.
Continue reading How to plan your day trip to Forks of the Credit
Bike and hike the Giant
In today’s post, Discovery Leader Rachelle Law answers a common question: “How do I get to the top of Sleeping Giant?”
Hiking up the Sleeping Giant and some of the tallest cliffs in Ontario can be quite the challenge, but the experience and the views are the ultimate reward.
One of the most commonly asked questions at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park is: “How do I get to the top of the Giant?”
Most are surprised to hear the three different hiking trails that go up the Sleeping Giant are long and rated difficult. But it’s no reason to be discouraged, as navigating to the Giant is also possible, in part, by bike!
Healing in the forest: a guide to forest bathing
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
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?
An Ontario Parks glossary
Are you new to camping, or maybe a park veteran looking to brush up on your knowledge?
We’ve assembled a handy guide to all the terms you’ll need to know and understand before you visit the park…