Looking for magazine-like views of pine-covered mountains sprinkled with lakes? Want to see plenty of wildlife? I’ve got your place: Algonquin Park. A 7,630 km2 heaven for outdoor activities located north of Toronto and west of Ottawa and one of my favourite spots in South-Central Ontario.
Whether for summer trips, long weekend stays, or one-day trips from Toronto or Ottawa (you can make it if you leave early morning), I’ve kept coming back over the years to hike its wonderful trails and kayak on the picturesque lakes.
You can visit all year round but during fall the foliage is just spectacular.
Algonquin Provincial Park is also famous for being the muse of Tom Thomson and The Group of Seven. This influential group of Canadian artists immortalized the beauty of the park in their paintings during the early 20th century. You can see them at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, and the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto.
Highway 60, traversing the park east-west, is the entry point to access 15 hiking trails, bicycle trails, cross-country ski trails, lakes, camping grounds, museums, art galleries, and stores where you can buy supplies or rent equipment to do fun stuff at the park.
It’s also one of the most scenic drives I’ve done. Besides the landscape, you’ll spot tons of wildlife along the way (especially in the early morning).
Can you just drive through Algonquin Park? Yes, but you need to buy a pass if you want to stop at any of the sites and facilities or explore the trails.
If you’re visiting from late spring to late summer don’t dare forget your insect repellant if you want to have an enjoyable hike.
If you’re heading to the park during the winter months, bundle up to enjoy all sorts of activities, from dog sledding to ice fishing.
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These are the things to do in Algonquin Park.
Table of Contents
Algonquin Park Trails
Algonquin Park has some of the best hiking trails (and three bicycle trails) with different lengths and difficulty levels and different scenery.
I’ve done several short interpretative walking trails in a day, or a combination of a long one with maybe one or two short. It all depends on the length of your stay and your energy level that day.
They’re all clearly marked, with guide booklets available at the trailheads, teaching you about the history of the place and the surroundings whenever you find a numbered post along the hike.
Mizzy Lake Trail
This is a great one to see wildlife (no dogs allowed), as it will take you through nine ponds and lakes along the forest. It’s one of my favourite trails if I’m doing an overnight trip. A must-see on my list.
It can be so muddy around rainy days you’ll think you landed on a giant chocolate pudding.
Mizzy Lake Trail (at Km 15.4) is a 10.8 km loop with easy to moderately difficult sections. It requires six hours.
Two Rivers Trail
It all starts with an easy walk through the forest before you start climbing your way up to the cliff. Nothing beats seating at the edge to admire the never-ending sight of pine trees.
Two Rivers Trail (at Km 31) is a 2.1 km loop with a rather easy climb. It requires 1.5 hours.
Lookout Trail
You’ll rarely encounter a scenic lookout without a climb up, up, up, and this one is not the exception.
However, the view waiting for you at the top makes the steep and steady climb worth every single drop of sweat. I sat on ginormous boulders to look at the green carpet ahead of me. Needless to mention that views in the fall will make your heart stop.
Lookout Trail (at Km 39.7) is a 1.9 km loop with a moderately difficult climb. It requires one hour.
Spruce Bog Boardwalk Trail
A boardwalk elevates you over two different bogs, while you cruise open fields surrounded by a massive wall of evergreens.
I just stopped and let the sense of awe sink in before entering the green fortress and submerging myself in a forest of larger-than-life trees.
Spruce Bog Boardwalk Trail (at Km 42.5) is a 1.5 km loop, super easy to do (accessible). It requires one hour.
Want to camp and canoe in Algonquin but you don’t want to bother with the preparations? Let someone do that for you so you just show up and enjoy:
4-day Camping & Canoeing Adventure: hike, paddle, swim, cliff dive, stargaze, and more in the company of a small group and a accredited guide during this wilderness adventure where tents, meals and activities are arranged for you.
Book your Algonquin adventure, with a rating of 5/5 based on more than 20 reviews.
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Fire Tower Trail at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre
It’s totally worth stopping here. Located closer to the East Gate, the visitor centre has an interesting exhibit with specimens commonly found in the area and a narrative of the park history and evolution throughout the years.
In addition to the information desk, a store, and a café, it has a viewing deck from where you can admire the vast landscape with no climbs involved. Curious about the view right before you? See it live in real-time on the Algonquin live webcam.
It also has its own mini trail – the Fire Tower Trail- 200 metres-long only and fully accessible, for more tree-viewing.
The Algonquin Park Visitor Centre is at Km 43
Beaver Pond Trail
A beaver pond is exactly what you’re going to see (among other things). Actually, you’ll see two ponds. The second one is Amikeus Lake, also the result of beavers at work (you may even see one, or two). You’ll be enchanted by two large and beautiful bodies of water surrounded by a forest, plus an aerial view of the pond from a cliff.
Beaver Pond Trail (at Km 45.2) is a 2.0 km loop, with moderate difficulty. It requires 1.5 hours.
Canoe trips in Algonquin Park
You can choose from more than one thousand lakes for your canoe or kayak trip. I can recommend these two spots for a fun day in the water:
Lake of Two Rivers (around Km 34)
This is a sweet spot to have a picnic after a long hike, go for a swim, or paddle away on your kayak while surrounded by the magnificent tree skyline.
Canoe Lake (around Km 14)
I rented the kayak on-site at the Portage Store and paddled away on this massive lake with breathtaking views. You can spend the whole day here absorbing the colours, shapes and sounds of the gorgeous environment and its wildlife.
Guided Canoe Trip with Short Hike: paddle across Canoe Lake with this 6-hour guided tour led by a naturalist and learn about this history of the park and the wildlife around. You can take a short, scenic hike and swim. Light lunch included. 11 people max.
Book this canoe trip, with a rating of 4.9/5 based on more than 75 reviews.
Public Wolf Howls
A wolf howling is the voice of the wilderness calling. So primal, it resonates deep inside.
We just jumped at the chance of attending a wolf howl event at the park. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen (either weather-related or no wolf packs around Highway 60), but we still enjoyed the informative presentation about the wolves of Algonquin Park. Led by a park naturalist, they take place at the outdoor theatre in August until the day before Labour Day.
I learned about the wolves inhabiting the area, their habits, the role they play in the ecosystem balance, the threats they faced in the past (they were hunted even by the park rangers as they were wrongly considered detrimental) and in the present.
In the end, the presenter imitated the wolf calling and we all joined him for some howlingpalooza.
With so many trails and lakes in the heart of a dense forest, Algonquin Park is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and a source of inspiration for artists. Have you been to Algonquin? What is your favourite trail? Let me know in the comments.
Algonquin Park
Daily vehicle permit fee: CAD$21; Seasonal Day Use Permits available; Additional fees apply for camping and other activities.
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