Fall is the perfect time to paddle.
As the temperatures cool there are no bugs and the lakes become less crowded. Plus you can catch some of our beautiful fall colours!
But fall weather can be fickle. Hitting the lake too late, failing to respect weather conditions, or paddling beyond your skill level isn’t just risky — it’s downright dangerous.
We chatted with Paul Smith, Superintendent of Kawartha Highlands Signature Site, to get some top do’s and don’ts for fall paddling safety:
Imagine.
You put your canoe or kayak into the lake. The water is smooth and reflective. The sky’s a deep, dark blue, and the clouds are brilliant white. The day is sunny, cool and crisp, and the trees that cover the hills around you…well, they’re a stunning display of red, orange, and yellow.
There’s something special about paddling in Ontario’s provincial parks in the fall, particularly secluded Restoule Provincial Park.
Who needs a gym membership when you have the outdoors?
Outdoor exercise has a stronger effect on blood pressure and mood than indoor exercise. Stress is relieved within minutes of exposure to nature as measured by muscle tension, blood pressure, and brain activity.
To put it simply, time spent outside is good for you! On World Health Day, let’s take a look at a few fun outdoor activities that can improve your health.
Continue reading Five outdoor activities to improve your health
Just when we thought nothing could top the “good for you” news about chocolate…
…research shows that paddling is good not only for our physical health, but for our mental health as well!
Here are some of the benefits that will have you reaching for your paddle:
This post comes from Park Information Specialist Jill Legault of Quetico Provincial Park.
“Portaging is like hitting yourself on the head with a hammer: it feels so good when you stop.” — Bill Mason
Did you know Quetico Provincial Park’s solitary wilderness experience and pristine nature is available without portaging?
Continue reading Quetico’s backcountry routes without portages
Today’s post comes from Sarah McMichael, Ontario Parks’ Healthy Parks Healthy People Coordinator.
Backcountry camping is known for being a way to experience beautiful, serene landscapes. But a backcountry trip also provides an opportunity to challenge yourself physically and mentally.
The combination of paddling, portaging, and hiking through the backcountry is a great all-over workout. Plus, you will experience a ton of health benefits simply by being outdoors.
Hit the backcountry for a killer total-body workout this summer. Let’s do this!
The deep green boreal forest of Kettle Lakes Provincial Park contains 22 beautiful little lakes. Of these lakes, 20 are called actually “kettle lakes” by geographers.
So what is a “kettle lake?”
To answer that question, we first must look at how kettles are formed.
This blog comes from David Legros, a Natural Heritage Education Specialist at Algonquin Provincial Park, and lover of backcountry camping.
There you are, standing on the rocky shore of a lake. A windswept pine sits behind you, and a wild landscape before you. Welcome to backcountry camping!
Continue reading Backcountry routes without portages at Algonquin
Paddling into the wilderness, fishing from a canoe and then going back to camp to enjoy a backcountry fish fry is a special experience.
If you’re up for a trip like this, check out our recommendations for the best backcountry fishing destinations in our northern parks. Continue reading Top 6 parks for canoe fishing in northern Ontario
Surrounded by shining waters and cloaked in towering pines, Finlayson Point Provincial Park lies just south of the Village of Temagami.
Sharing a shoreline with the Lake Temagami Skyline Preserve, a protected ring of pine forest that surrounds the lake, Finlayson Point provides visitors with access to Temagami — a treasured part of Ontario that many travellers see only a glimpse of as they head north or south along the highway.
