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Winter in Algonquin Provincial Park

January 11, 2013 by Glenn 7 Comments

Evening Grosbeak in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario

Check out Winter in the Wild. Activities focus on the park’s winter wildlife. The park’s  secret “Collections” room opens for tours. Strange park artefacts dating back 80 years are in the collection. There are winter snowshoe hikes, a chance to feed and learn about park birds, a big evening bbq and bonfire and the grand finale is a guided evening wolf howl with park staff from the Mew Lake Campground. If you want to make a weekend of it, rent an Algonquin Park yurt or try Resorts of Ontario if you’re looking for a winter chalet to rent . We loved the Snowshoe Cabin at Foxwood Resort, one of Resorts of Ontario members. It is located on Lake of Bays about 25 minutes from Algonquin Park’s west gate.

 Algonquin Provincial Park is extraordinary at any time of year but if you’ve never visited in winter, you are missing out on one of the world’s greatest winter wonderlands.  Established in 1893, Algonquin is the oldest park in Ontario’s provincial park system and one of Canada’s most popular outdoor destinations. Algonquin is BIG – about 7653 square kilometres! That’s bigger than the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. There are 2,400 lakes and 1,200 kilometres of streams and rivers that run through the park. In warmer weather, people from all over the world  come to paddle and kayak here.  In winter, Highway 60 is kept plowed of snow and the park Visitor Centre stays open. Cross country ski trails and snowshoe trails are second to none. All you need is a park day pass to use the trails. A pass (one per car) can be picked up at the park’s east or west gate. Most winter trails are groomed and track set and the latest trail conditions are found on The Friends of Algonquin Park web site.

Our buddies Alex and Judy Eberspaecher, professional travel writers and photographers are also big birdwatchers and wildlife-lovers. Judy snapped these photos and sent us this description of their Algonquin winter visit:

“We were everywhere that roads were cleared – Opeongo, Spruce Bog, Boardwalk, Mew Lake and the moose (2) were along the highway. We stopped for at least 10 minutes and they just kept munching on dry branches. The Pine marten is a beautiful animal but I wouldn’t want to touch him, although he wouldn’t stay around to be touched. I hadn’t seen Evening Grosbeaks for about eight years so that was the one bird I wanted.”

Pine Martin in Algonquin Park

 All pictures on this page are courtesy of Judy Eberspaecher. Thanks for the tales Judy.

Snow covered path through trees in Algonquin Park Spruce Grouse feeding on needles in Algonquin Park

 

 

 

Filed Under: Canadian Places Tagged With: Algonquin Park, moose

Comments

  1. Algonquin Park pine cabins says

    January 18, 2013 at 4:29 am

    Nice post! I love reading about blogs related to tourist places. Keep posting more.

    Reply
    • Judy says

      January 18, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      Thanks so much. We will!

      Reply
  2. Leigh says

    January 23, 2013 at 10:05 am

    I xcountry skied years ago in Algonquin and plan to do a hut to hut trip again next year. I’ve already got a canoeing trip planned for May. Despite growing up in Ontario I have never been there in the summer. I love the wildlife photos. It looks to me like you could spend a lifetime exploring the park.

    Reply
    • Boomergirl says

      January 28, 2013 at 11:00 am

      Oh, you’re in for a treat Leigh. Algonquin Provincial Park is paddler heaven. Great hiking too. I think you’re right, you could spend a lifetime exploring this park. Lots of good outfitters in and close to the park to make trip planning easy for travelers. Parkbus also operates from Toronto to Algonquin which is good to know if you don’t want to rent a car. Let us know when you’re headed this way.

      Reply
  3. Joe Todd says

    January 29, 2013 at 1:27 pm

    Great blog. Enjoyed your posts and really enjoy Canada

    Reply
    • Judy says

      February 11, 2013 at 12:24 pm

      Thanks Joe, appreciate you letting us know!!

      Reply
  4. lucasneetham says

    August 26, 2013 at 12:32 am

    This one’s is a nice blog and pictures attached are excellent. I had a visit to Algonquin park last summer with my family and stayed in Algonquin park pine cabin and the stay was memorable as the cabin was located inside the park itself. It was worth watching the wild life and exotic natural beauty of the park. Seeing the pictures I think of visiting the park again in winter as this will be another great experience . Thanks for the post.

    Reply

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