Park-lovers are natural explorers, and we love our visitors’ passion for adventure.
Sometimes, we see our visitors create their own shortcuts by cutting through sensitive habitat. This is otherwise known as creating a social trail.
Social trails can have a wide range of damaging effects on protected areas, and we’d like to ask our visitors to always stay on designated trails.
Continue reading Why social trails are damaging to provincial parks
Are you new to parks, 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…
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 iconic vistas to discover and explore this season.
Pretty River Valley Provincial Park is nestled into the Niagara Escarpment, and is an important part of a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The park is home to a multitude of species, ecosystems, and sensitive habitats, all of which Ontario Parks is trying to protect.
Your actions as a visitor can help us keep this unique park a haven for the many organisms that call it home, as well as a beautiful place for generations of park users to visit.
Continue reading What to know before visiting Pretty River Valley Provincial Park
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
Matt Cunliffe started at Ontario Parks in 2006 and has spent over a decade working as a park interpreter and an assistant park planner, and is now a Discovery Leader at MacGregor Provincial Park. An avid trail user and self-proclaimed nature geek, when he’s not on the clock, you’re likely to find him onto a new discovery somewhere in one of our parks.
Spring has sprung and I, like many Ontarians, cannot wait hike and bike as many trails as I can.
While you’re getting your gear ready for the next adventure, here are some tips to help you prepare and minimize impacts while you are out enjoying the trails.
Continue reading Hitting the trails? Know the etiquette before you go
We can definitely recommend “losing yourself” in our provincial parks by delighting in the sights and sounds of nature, and living in the moment.
We do not, however, recommend getting actually lost.
Park visitors get lost more often than you’d think. It can be a scary, stressful, and dangerous situation. It can also result in complicated and expensive search-and-rescue operations.
While we know no one sets out to get lost, there are steps you can take to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.
It’s International Day of Forests!
Ontario Parks protects a collection of breathtakingly beautiful forests from across the province. Each will be brimming with signs of life as the snow melts and temperatures warm.
Let’s take a look at five unique forests you can visit this spring.
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 Jordan Welch and Bianca Goncz, Discovery staff at Lake Superior Provincial Park.
Are you looking for a challenging, multi-day hike with spectacular views?
The Coastal Trail has it all!
Hike to rocky bluffs, traverse lush forests, and experience the power of Lake Superior.
This linear trail traces 65 km of Lake Superior’s rugged northeastern shore, offering an unparalleled chance to experience the wilderness and beauty amidst the largest of the Great Lakes.
Continue reading Backpacker’s guide to the Coastal Trail in Lake Superior Provincial Park
