Algonquin Provincial Park – 2013 Research Road Trip Series

Visiting Algonquin Provincial Park with KEEN and NPA.

Algonquin Provincial Park in Northern Ontario, Canada is magical place filled with wildlife and best explored by water or on foot.

Algonquin is one of the most recognizable adventure park destinations in Ontario, Canada for canoeing and backpacking adventures – if not the most recognizable in Canada. Some will argue that last point. Too each their own.

Algonquin Provincial Park is a giant of a park measuring 765,345 hectares. It is home to many various wildlife and birding species.

The activities enjoyed in the Ontario park are numerous. During the summer season canoeing, wilderness camping, backpacking, fishing and wildlife photography are the main adventures.

For the family their are developed campsites, hiking trails on selected lakes in the southern half of the park popular for biking, boating, picnicking and swimming.

After the snow falls in the winter season selected trails and lakes are home to snowmobiling, snowshoeing, xc skiing and dog sledding.

Canoeing Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada

Previous trips we have ventured to the northern section of Algonquin Park along Highway #17. The northern section is rugged, remote and more isolated and closer to nature. Our preferred destination in Algonquin.

The wilderness campsite of choice on the north side of the park is the Kiosk Campground. It is small, unserviced and on the shores of Kioshkokwi Lake. The site is more of a launching point for canoeing the chain of lakes throughout the north end of the park. Wow!

On this 2013 visit we entered the park via the southern route on Highway #60. We were dressed to the “nines” in our KEEN Canada hiking boots and Northern Park Apparel shirts.

To many people in Canada this is the main route leading into the serviced park. Hwy #60 is also home to the more developed campgrounds and amenities.

Most (not all) of the walking and hiking trails on this south end of the park are shorter and a few are interpretive trails with information signs. The south end of the park is allot more family oriented.

KEEN Canada does the walking and Northern Park Apparel clothes the EH Team.

The main trails explored in the park include the Two Rivers Trail (2.1 km), Peck Lake Trail (1.9 km), Lookout Trail (1.9 km), Whisky Rapids Trail (2.1 km) and Spruce Bog (1.5 km). Nothing long, as time is a factor and backcountry backpacking in not in the cards at this time.

The Lake of Two Rivers day use area and campground was base camp for us for a few hours. We explored, lunched and then we watched as the black storm clouds moved in chasing the blue skies away.

“BOOM!” Thunder exploded sending shivers up my spine. “Crack” Lightening strikes. Then a second later the sky fell and bullets of rain pounded down on us. What to do?

The rain pushed us out of the park cutting our visit a little short, changing our plans of action. We hit the road again wanting to stay ahead of the storm instead of being caught in it for the next few days.

Onward and upward as they say. The adventure must go on.