Category: Summer

July’s digital download

Watch velvety pink clouds strain out the last glimmers of daylight and feel all your fatigue fade away.

July is the perfect time to reconnect with the restorative benefits of nature.

This month’s FREE digital download comes from Woodland Caribou Provincial Park!

Join us on July 15 for Healthy Parks Healthy People Day to snap a special photo of your own. In the meantime, enjoy this stunning scenery on all of your devices.

Throughout 2022, we’re sharing a free downloadable graphic for you to use as wallpaper for your favourite devices. We’ve specially sized these images for your  computers, tablets, smartphones, and Facebook covers.

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What’s that loud buzzing sound from up in the trees?

Today’s post comes to us from the Discovery Program staff at Charleston Lake Provincial Park.

Most summer visitors to the park will no doubt hear a loud buzzy “droning” sound, broadcasting from high up in the trees. The sound starts soft and gets louder, before tapering off. Some people say it sounds like a buzzing electric saw, with each burst lasting about 15 seconds.

Continue reading What’s that loud buzzing sound from up in the trees?

June’s digital download

Watch the water glisten and shimmer as you glide across the lake, taking in the serenity of the late afternoon.

This month’s FREE digital download comes from Mikisew Provincial Park!

Throughout 2022, we’re sharing a free downloadable graphic for you to use as wallpaper for your favourite devices. We’ve specially sized these images for your computers, tablets, smartphones, and Facebook covers.

Continue reading June’s digital download

Just roll with it: how one park adapts to an unpredictable shoreline

Today’s post comes from Amy Hall, a Resource Management Project Technician at Pinery Provincial Park.

Many of our visitors have been coming to Pinery for decades, witnessing the park change in many ways over time.

If you’ve been here in the last few years, you may have noticed that our beach is constantly changing month to month, and even day to day!

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Honouring Quetico: my experience as an artist-in-residence

The Artist-in-Residence Program at Quetico Provincial Park provided two weeks of rest, peace, inspiration, and creativity at the artist’s studio on French Lake. In today’s post, Jennifer Caie shares her experience as Quetico’s artist-in-residence in June and July of 2019.

Arriving at the studio, I was exhausted and worn out by the stresses of life.

After unloading my art supplies from the car, I just sat down in an overwhelming calmness.

The scene was peaceful.

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The great outdoors are… great!

Today’s blog comes from Sarah Higginson, a market development specialist with Ontario Parks.

August is over and so is the Healthy Parks Healthy People 30×30 Challenge.

This was my first year taking on the challenge (not counting the year I did it for two days then got distracted) and it was a magical month-long adventure filled with scenery, sunshine, and even some self-awareness!

Continue reading The great outdoors are… great!

5 things I learned on my first hike-in backcountry trip

In today’s post, Ontario Parks’ Assistant Program Coordinator Megan Birrell recounts her first hike-in backcountry adventure. 

Last year, I tried backcountry camping by canoe for the first time. This summer, my camping crew and I decided to take it up a notch and try hike-in camping.

We selected Bon Echo Provincial Park’s Abes and Essens Trail as our hike-in destination and the planning began.

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August’s digital download

Being lulled to sleep by the call of a loon or the waves lapping at the shore…does it get any better than this?

Did you know that spending time outdoors is proven to help with sleep problems? Pair that with the 100% natural sleep sounds, you’ve got a night of sweet dreams ahead!

This month’s FREE digital download comes from Algonquin Provincial Park.

Throughout 2021, we’re sharing a free downloadable graphic for you to use as wallpaper for your favourite devices. We’ve specially sized these images for your computers, tablets, smartphones and Facebook covers.

Continue reading August’s digital download

Nature is calling – are you listening?

When’s the last time you really appreciated your surroundings?

This summer has flown by. It’s been difficult to make time to get outside and experience the rejuvenating effects of nature.

Luckily, Healthy Parks Healthy People’s 30×30 Challenge happens every August! It’s a month-long opportunity for you to get outside into nature for 30 minutes for 30 days in a row.

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So there’s a fire ban. Now what?

Today’s post comes from Meg Bethune, an assistant naturalist at Killbear Provincial Park. 

Campfires are an iconic part of any camping trip. Whether you’re toasting marshmallows and spider weenies, or just chatting with friends, the memories made in the flickering glow of the fire are ones we hold dear to our hearts.

So what happens when a fire ban hinders one of our favourite camping traditions?

Continue reading So there’s a fire ban. Now what?