This Park is one of the oldest parks in Ontario and one of the well-known parks in the country.
Where is Algonquin Provincial Park located?
There are two entrances to the Park on Highway 60: the Est Entrance with the entrance to the town of Whitney or the West Entrance with the gate of Huntsville.
What about Algonquin Provincial Park?
The essence of Algonquin is in its vast interior of maple hills, rocky ridges, and thousands of lakes – 7,635 square kilometers of forests, bogs, lakes, and rivers. The only way to explore the interior of this Park is by paddle or on foot. There is also a second Algonquin – along the 56-kilometre stretch of Highway 60.
What did we see:
We decided to follow the Highway to discover the Park, and here are the stops we made:
-The Algonquin’s Room: This is in the Visitor Center and you can see some art exposition from local artists. If you decide to buy something, the money you spend there will be transferred to the Friends of Algonquin Park Association, which are used to make some enrichment program for youth in the Park.
-Spruce Bog Boardwalk: It is a 1.5 km loop designed to introduce you to the history and ecology of Algonquin Park’s spruce bogs. The trail visits two separate bogs; about half the length consists of boardwalk sections resting on the bog mat.
-Whiskey Rapids Trail: A 2.1 km loop that follows the Oxtonque River for about half its length and features a fine view of Whiskey Rapids.
-Two Rivers Trail: It is a 2.1 km loop featuring a pleasant through a young Algonquin forest and a fine view from the top of a cliff.
-Hardwood Lookout Trail: This short 0.8 km loop features a pleasant walk through a typical Algonquin hardwood forest and a fine view of the Smoke Lake Basin.
-Track and Tower Trail: It consists of a 7.7 km loop that visits an old fire tower location with an outstanding view out over Cache Lake and has an optional 5.5 km side trail down an old railroad bed.
Large trestles were often required where the railway crossed rivers and bays of lakes. The original wooden bridge over the Madawaska River was replacer with one of steel in 1899. The trestle was 110 meters, and it remain today.
Fires started by sparks from steam locomotives created extensive open burned areas near the railway. Towers to detect forest fires were erected throughout the Park. Nearby Skymount fire tower overlooking Cache Lake was built in 1922 and dismantled in the 1950s.
-Peck Lake Trail: A 1.9 km loop takes you entirely around Peck Lake. The trail affords several fine views of the lake and uses boardwalk sections to cross boggy areas.
-Beaver Pond Trail: This is a 2 km loop through the rugged Algonquin landscape before returning you to the parking lot. The trails visit a pond and Amikeus Lake, both created by beavers.
-The Algonquin Logging Museum: The Logging Museum exhibits are located along a 1.3 km loop trail that begins and ends here at the Museum’s Visitor Reception Building.
We spent a nice long weekend there, but the humidity was terrible, and we had to walk under the sun with a ton of mosquito spray, so just be aware if it’s your intention, especially during summertime!
