Nature looks completely different under a glittering blanket of snow. Why not strap on some snowshoes and experience Ontario Parks in a whole new way this winter?
Check out some winter parks with top-notch snowshoeing opportunities:
Tag: Quetico
10 ways to enjoy winter at Quetico
Today’s post comes from Quetico Superintendent Trevor Gibb.
Quetico Provincial Park is primarily known for its world class backcountry canoeing opportunities.
However, once the lakes freeze and snow blankets the forest, the park transforms into a wilderness winter wonderland.
November’s digital download
Don’t let shorter days stop you from getting outside!
Making a “nature appointment” means you can reap the physical and mental health benefits of the outdoors daily.
This month’s FREE digital download comes from Quetico 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.
An outsider’s view on the importance of Anishinaabemowin
Today’s post comes from retired Quetico Provincial Park biologist Brian Jackson.
Anishinaabemowin is the traditional name for the language of the Anishinaabeg or Ojibway people who have lived for centuries on the land now known as Quetico Provincial Park.
In recent years, Quetico has taken steps to incorporate more Anishinaabemowin into educational material for the park.
Examples include the “Animals of Quetico in Anishinaabemowin” brochure available from entry stations, or the new Anishinaabemowin/Ojibway lake names display we are working on that will go into the Dawson Trail Pavilion.
But why should learning more about Anishinaabemowin be important to non-Indigenous people like myself who know very little of this beautiful language?
Continue reading An outsider’s view on the importance of Anishinaabemowin
Backcountry canoeing with your dog
Today’s post comes from Jill Legault, Information Specialist at Quetico Provincial Park.
Summertime means puppy playtime!
Dogs love the opportunity to be outside as much as you do. A little planning means every family member is happy and safe in the backcountry.
Discover Quetico’s northern entry points
Today’s post comes from Carter Morash, who has worked as a backcountry warden in Quetico Provincial Park since 2015.
The north end of Quetico is a beautiful place.
There are quiet lakes, great fishing spots, wildlife viewing opportunities, and a variety of routes to try out.
Did you know that the north end is also paddled less than the southern end of the park? That makes it a great area of the park to explore in the fall!
Planning a “bucket-list” trip to Quetico Provincial Park
Today’s post comes from paddling enthusiast Dave Caughey who, along with his wife, recently made the trek to Quetico Provincial Park.
For years, my wife and I longed to visit Quetico Provincial Park. We had heard the canoeing there was awesome, through a terrain peppered with countless lakes, and routes that could involve days between portages!
But Quetico seemed mind-bogglingly far from our home in Ottawa—1,600 km to be exact! Who would be compelled to drive that distance, just to go paddling?
Continue reading Planning a “bucket-list” trip to Quetico Provincial Park
The measure of a canoe trip
Today’s post is a polite rant from Quetico Provincial Park’s Librarian Jill Sorensen.
We seem to constantly hear about expedition-style trips. Grunt narratives where people have broken speed records, paddled the longest distances, or have been “the first” to complete a route. The blisters. The sleep deprivation. The endurance.
And that is fine. I have no problem with kilometre tracking or race attempts. But if you insist on measuring all of your trips, may I suggest that you count something else? Something that instead connects you to the landscape, or a piece of cultural history.
A little less pace. A little more place.
Here are some suggestions of other things to count:
Quetico: an International Dark Sky Park
On February 23, 2021, Quetico Provincial Park was officially designated as an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark Sky Association!
The opportunity to look up into a beautiful starry sky has forever been a part of the Quetico Provincial Park camping experience.
Imagine yourself lying on your back gazing up into a wide-open sky filled with a million points of distant light (like the sky captured above by David Jackson!). You take a deep breath of clean air and stare upwards in wonder.
Learning to skijor: your questions answered
Park Information Specialist Jill Legault at Quetico Provincial Park recently took up skijoring. In today’s post, she shares her best advice for getting started with your pup.
If you love skiing and have a dog, skijoring can be a blast!
Before you “hike up,” here are answers to some of your most frequently asked questions about this fun winter activity:
Continue reading Learning to skijor: your questions answered