7 ONTARIO PARKS WITH BREATHTAKING SCENERY YOU MUST ROAD TRIP TO AT LEAST ONCE
Calling all adventure seekers and nature enthusiasts! Pack your bags, rev up your engine, and set your sights on Ontario this season.
There are so many provincial and national parks in Ontario with iconic natural attractions, world-class hiking and incredible views that any true Ontarian needs to visit at least once.
Including the province's most popular provincial parks and quieter parks with fewer crowds, these destinations offer all-season activities and so many picture-perfect moments just waiting to be had.
Here are seven Ontario parks that you must road trip to at least once. Don't forget your camera!
Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
Price: $10.84+ per vehicle
Address: 795086 3rd Line EHS, Shelburne, ON
Why You Need To Go: Located on the iconic Bruce Trail, Mono Cliffs Provincial Park offers excellent hiking and scenic views.
Located 1 hour and 30 minutes from Toronto, the park is a popular day-trip destination all year round, especially in fall when the leaves change colour.
The area is characterized by a floor of ferns, a canopy of cedars and exposed, rocky cliffs.
There are nearly 20 kilometres of trails in the park to choose from, including biking and hiking trails. The Cliff Top Side-Trail will take hikers past 30-metre cliffs, while the Spillway Trail will allow you to walk right through a canyon.
Algonquin Provincial Park
Price: $10.84+ per vehicle
Address: Algonquin Provincial Park, ON-60, ON
Why You Need To Go: Algonquin Provincial Park is the oldest provincial park in Canada, making it a park everyone should visit at least once.
Spanning 7,600 square kilometres, the park is also one of Ontario's largest and could be considered an outdoor lover's dream destination.
The park has a seemingly endless number of activities, including 20 hiking trails three bike trails, as well as 1,200 km of streams and 1,500 lakes providing many opportunities for swimming, canoeing and fishing.
The park is located about 3 hours from Toronto or 2 hours and 45 minutes from Ottawa. There are also tons of campsites available in the park for visitors who wish to stay a while longer.
Accessibility: All-terrain wheelchair available.
Pinery Provincial Park
Price: $10.84 per vehicle
Address: 9526 Lakeshore Rd, Grand Bend, ON
Why You Need To Go: This stunning provincial park has a 10-kilometre-sandy beach on the shores of Lake Huron.
Located about 3 hours from the GTA, the park also boasts unrivalled sunsets, a multitude of hiking trails and rare Oak Savanna and Coastal Dune ecosystems with incredible biodiversity.
While the unbelievable blue waters and soft sand shores are definitely worth a visit while the weather allows, the warm season isn't the only time to head to the park -- winter offers skiing, tobogganing and skating, as well as camping outdoors or in one of the park's heated roofed accommodations.
Accessibility: All-terrain wheelchairs available.
Bruce Peninsula National Park
Price: $8.50 per adult
Address: 469 Cyprus Lake Rd., Tobermory, ON
Why You Need To Go: Right on the waters of Lake Huron, Bruce Peninsula National Park offers breathtaking views of Ontario's landscape that are unlike those found in any other Ontario park.
The park features towering cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment that plunge into the bright turquoise waters of Georgian Bay, and offers incredible hiking opportunities, fishing and swimming, including the iconic grotto swimming hole.
There are also plenty of opportunities for camping, whether it's in the backcountry or in a yurt.
The park is also a designated Dark Sky Preserve, and one of just 12 Dark Sky Preserves in Canada. This means that the park has dark skies perfect for viewing the cosmos or even catching the northern lights.
The park is located about 4 hours from Toronto and just under 3 hours from Barrie.
Accessibility: Some accessible facilities located in the park.
Killarney Provincial Park
Price: $10.84 per vehicle
Address: 958 ON-637, Killarney, ON
Why You Need To Go: Killarney is another iconic Ontario park located in northern Ontario.
It's a bit of a further trek from Toronto at just under 5 hours, but makes for an easy day trip from Sudbury at just over an hour away.
Spanning over 645 square kilometres, the park is home to sprawling forests, sparkling white quartzite ridges, Georgian Bay Coast pink granite, and over 50 sapphire lakes that are so clear you can see right to the bottom.
The area is so captivating that it inspired works by the famous Group of Seven painters and inspires art lovers to return year after year to paddle the landscape, according to Ontario Parks.
The park offers a series of hiking trails taking hikers past bogs, mountains, serene lakes, and impressive lookouts. Its remote location almost makes it a great park for stargazing and catching a glimpse of the northern lights.
Accessibility: All-terrain wheelchair available.
Quetico Provincial Park
Price: $10.84 per vehicle
Address: ON-11, Atikokan, ON
Why You Need To Go: If you're looking for backcountry adventure in Ontario, it doesn't get much better than Quetico Provincial Park.
The park was the very first designated wilderness class park in Ontario, featuring over 2,000 interconnected lakes within the park's 460,000 hectares of remote backcountry.
It's renowned for its rugged beauty, towering rock cliffs, majestic waterfalls, lush forests and picturesque rivers and lakes. Its backcountry is actually world-famous for how remote it is -- You can explore the heart of the park for two days or two weeks, according to Ontario Parks.
The remoteness of Quetico also makes it a prime spot for stargazing and viewing the aurora borealis.
Located in northwestern Ontario, Quetico would make for a long journey from the GTA at roughly 16 hours (if you've got the time, you won't regret it!) but makes for an easy day trip from Thunder Bay, which is under 2 hours away.
Accessibility: All-terrain wheelchair available.
Lake Superior Provincial Park
Price: $10.84 per vehicle
Address: 96 Broadway Ave., Wawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Lake Superior Provincial Park is one of the largest provincial parks in Ontario and features scenic campsites, amazing trails and diverse local wildlife.
The park can be found along the northeastern shores of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world, nestled between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa, in Algoma.
Here, you'll find world-class hiking opportunities and paddling along the Lake Superior shoreline. Some of Ontario's prettiest swimming spots can also be found here, including Katherine Cove, Bathtub Island and Old Woman Bay.
You can also check out the Agawa Rock Pictographs, 35 red ochre paintings that date back centuries. The sit is one of the few pictograph sites in Ontario accessible by foot, and can be accessed until mid-September.
The park is about 5 hours from Sudbury and 2 hours from Sault Ste. Marie.
Accessibility: All-terrain wheelchair available for use.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
2023-08-26T15:34:15Z dg43tfdfdgfd