Tag: northwestern Ontario

Exploring the Great Trail in northwestern Ontario Parks

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

Top 10 reasons to paddle the Northwest Wilderness Quest

Today’s post comes from Barb Rees, Natural Heritage Education/Marketing Specialist with Ontario Parks.

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to paddle and camp for a minimum of three consecutive nights in each of Quetico, Wabakimi and Woodland Caribou Provincial Parks by October 15, 2019.

Why? Read on. We list the top ten reasons why you can’t miss out on the Northwest Wilderness Quest.

Continue reading Top 10 reasons to paddle the Northwest Wilderness Quest

Top 3 paddling destinations in Ontario’s Sunset Country

Ever paddled through the hush of the boreal forest at dawn? Watched the sun rise over a network of Canadian Shield lakes?

Whether you prefer canoe, kayak or SUP, Sunset Country is a paddler’s paradise.

Continue reading Top 3 paddling destinations in Ontario’s Sunset Country

Ouimet Canyon: a northwestern birding hotspot

Today’s post comes from our Northwest Regional Planning Ecologist Bill Greaves.

Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park is typically visited for its jaw-dropping geological feature, but it’s also one of the better birding hotspots in the Thunder Bay area.

What might you see at Ouimet Canyon?

Continue reading Ouimet Canyon: a northwestern birding hotspot

The Boundary Waters/Voyageur Waterway: a Canadian Heritage River

Today’s post was written by Kestrel Wraggett, a planning intern from our Northwest Zone.

Did you know that there’s a network of nationally recognized significant waterways all over Canada?

There are 42 Canadian Heritage Rivers within the country, 12 of which are located in Ontario. Two of these designated heritage rivers run through Northwestern Ontario and both are located within the boundaries of provincial parks.

Continue reading The Boundary Waters/Voyageur Waterway: a Canadian Heritage River

Are you ready for the Northwest Wilderness Quest?

Do you dream of paddling the vast wilderness of Northwestern Ontario, gliding past moose, caribou and wolves? Can you hear the gentle sound of your paddle smoothly caressing endless lakes and rivers, drops of water slowly tumbling off the tip of your blade? Does the scent of pine and spruce forests invite fond memories of past backcountry canoe trips and inspire dreams of future adventures?

Just picture it. This is the Northwest Wilderness Quest.

Continue reading Are you ready for the Northwest Wilderness Quest?

Resource field crews: coming to a northern park near you

This post comes from MaryJane Moses, Resource Stewardship Coordinator in the Northwest Zone of Ontario Parks.

You may have encountered Ontario Parks staff during your visits.

They’re friendly, and will provide customer service, perform routine maintenance duties, and hold Natural Heritage Education programs in our campground parks.

But have you met any of our Northwest Zone resource stewardship team members yet?

Continue reading Resource field crews: coming to a northern park near you

5 questions with a northern superintendent

Welcome to our “5 Questions” series! We chat with park staff around the province to give you an inside look at what it’s like to work at Ontario Parks.

Trevor Gibb started with Ontario Parks as a summer student. He worked his way up from park warden to superintendent, earning degrees in geography and education along the way. He now manages Quetico Provincial Park, a vast backcountry park popular with paddlers. Continue reading 5 questions with a northern superintendent