Category: Winter

December’s digital download

Don’t stay inside pining for warmer weather!

There’s tons of things to do (and wildlife to see) while visiting parks in the winter! Check out our Visiting in Winter page for more info!

This month’s FREE digital download features a Pine Marten spotted at Algonquin Provincial Park.

The elusive Pine Marten is a captivating predator in Ontario’s northern forests.

In preparation for winter, they grow fur between the pads of their toes, creating a snowshoe effect that allows them to walk on deep snow. The solitary, agile Pine Marten expertly navigates in the winter months, diving underneath snow to hunt in tunnels made by Red Squirrels.

Captivated by the Pine Marten? It’s one of the four winter animals featured in our greeting card set!

Continue reading December’s digital download

Your winter preparedness guide

If you’re reading this, you’re likely a human being with a core body temperature around 37ºC.

Your body works very hard to maintain this temperature. If it drops even a few degrees, moving, thinking, and other basic tasks become difficult. You will need to warm up quickly, or you may find yourself in a dangerous situation.

To prevent cold-related emergencies, it’s important to plan your winter adventures with care.

Our friends at Subaru Canada want to share the best ways to stay safe in cold weather:

Continue reading Your winter preparedness guide

Why it’s important for children to play outside in winter

Every winter, as the temperatures drop, so does the amount of time we spend outside. This is especially true for children — playtime can become limited to the indoors.

It may be tempting to hide inside until the weather warms up, but outdoor play is essential for your children’s well-being all year long.

Here are some of the top reasons why you should get your kids outside and active this winter:

Continue reading Why it’s important for children to play outside in winter

5 ways to stay active in the cold

Brrr! Temperatures are dropping, and winter’s icy grip is almost upon us.

We bet you’re feeling just about ready to tuck into a nice, long winter’s hibernation.

Not so fast! We’ve partnered with our snow-loving friends at Subaru Canada to share some great ways to stay active and enjoy winter.

Outdoor activity is important for our mental and physical health all year long. Getting outside is good for you even when the weather is not ideal.

Ontario Parks has 30+ parks open in the winter. Each park offers plenty of ways for you to get active in the chilly months.

Continue reading 5 ways to stay active in the cold

December vacancy highlights (roofed accommodation)

The holiday season is just around the corner!

Imagine spending it surrounded by snow, with the sound of nature at your doorstep.

We’ve got lots of cabins, cottages, and yurts available throughout December!

Accommodations featured below are available as of November 15, 2023. 

Continue reading December vacancy highlights (roofed accommodation)

Underground, underwater or frozen solid: how do frogs & toads spend the winter?

This post was written by David LeGros, a park naturalist at Ontario Parks.

As the crisp fall days get colder and the occasional dusting of snow whitens the landscape, we know that winter is just around the corner. For the countless songbirds of our forests, they avoid our cold winters and lack of food by migrating south.

Other animals are adapted to the cold conditions and may grow a thicker coat of fur or feathers. Some, we think, have the enviable ability to sleep away the long Ontario winter by hibernating.

Continue reading Underground, underwater or frozen solid: how do frogs & toads spend the winter?

10 hot chocolate hacks

In today’s post, Chef Deb Rankine, a.k.a. The Fridge Whisperer, shares her favourite hot chocolate recipe along with 10 BEST ways to kick it up a notch!

What’s more welcoming than a hot mug of cocoa after a day’s hiking or a nature walk through a frosty forest?

In addition to our recipe for a rich tasting, velvety smooth hot chocolate mix, we’ve given you 10 fun and creative ways to make your hot chocolate experience the best one ever.

Continue reading 10 hot chocolate hacks

Slithering into fall: hibernation for Ontario’s reptiles

Today’s post was written by seasonal student Heather Van Den Diepstraten from Rondeau Provincial Park.

It’s not just students and birds on the move this fall.

As the cold weather approaches, reptiles are trekking across Rondeau Provincial Park in search of hibernacula (places in which wildlife overwinter). Researchers for Wildlife Preservation Canada are busy tracking the movements of snakes, turtles, and skinks within the park as they find suitable habitat for their hibernation.

Continue reading Slithering into fall: hibernation for Ontario’s reptiles