Rain Lake Reflections - Algonquin Park

It’s the silence mainly, that keeps me returning to this amazing place. Perhaps it's the magnitude of the park also, with stunning views in every direction. Being larger than the entire province of Prince Edward Island, the more than 1500 lakes and endless miles of trails in Algonquin Park make for countless possibilities.

It could also be the wildlife sightings, the chance to catch a glimpse of a bear or moose or shiver at the distant howling of a wolf pack. It could be the night skies and it's brightness, making me feel small and insignificant under its extreme vastness. It could be any combination of these factors but I am convinced that, for me anyway, it’s the silence.

Complete, and only interrupted by the welcome and equally soul-lifting cry of the loons, it seems to totally surround, wrapping your being in a cocoon of calm, deafening in its nothingness.

After a day of travel by car, by foot and by canoe, we set up our camp on an island located at the eastern edge of Rain Lake. Eight of us: brothers, sons, cousins and nephews connected by blood and by our mutual love of this place.

After setting up, I leave the group and paddle off alone, circling to the other side of the island. The water is perfectly still and flat like a mirror, but for the wake of my passage. The reflections of the clouds and the trees are extraordinarily vivid, another world viewed upside down in the black still water.

I stop paddling and take it all in. The silence is complete, perfect and soul-cleansing. I exhale fully and am at peace. I remind myself to soak it in and burn this scene to memory.

After some time, I reluctantly return to my group, joining in the laughter, the camaraderie and the fun. This family is a blessing to me and I am pleased with the knowledge that my sons will retain these memories forever.

At some point my youngest nephew says to me “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” I agree. “Do you want to paddle around the island with me?” he asks. “You bet, Matt” I say, smiling. “There’s nothing I’d rather do.”

Getaway to Inverhuron Provincial Park

Although exploring the trails of the Dundas Valley is one of my favorite pastimes, the summer season brings with it the opportunity to venture out into other parts of Ontario as well. Last weekend we spent a few days on the sunny shores of Lake Huron at Inverhuron Provincial Park.

One of Ontario's best kept secrets, Inverhuron Provincial Park is quite small with fewer than 200 sites. It is located in the hamlet of Inverhuron which is between Kincardine and Port Elgin.

This park features a nice sandy beach, biking trails and large private campsites. In addition to the spectacular beach and dunes, Inverhuron includes wetlands and a young hardwood forest.

The diverse habitat nurtures rare plants and protects many woodland animals and birds. The park is also steeped in history.  Aboriginal people roamed here for thousands of years. In the 1800s, a small town was located in what is now part of the provincial park.

We camped in the Gunn Point section of the park, a location that we have visited before as it provides excellent access to the rock beach. I always enjoy getting one the sites that back onto the beach as getting one of these sites will ensure that you are lolled to sleep to the sound of the rolling waves on Lake Huron.

The waterline here is fascinating, rocky and rugged and with a feel that nothing has changed in thousands of years. For me, there is nothing better than sitting here with the first coffee of the morning and watching the day get started. In terms of hiking opportunity most of mine on this trip entailed walking the Scenic Drive Trail which is approximately four-kilometres long and follows along the Lake Huron shoreline cutting through parklands back towards the park office. This a great trail that provides for a continually changing view as it follows the shoreline.

There is a unique feature in the park, that being an old family cemetery that is like stepping back in time. This is within cycling distance of all camp sites and is worth a visit. You can’t help but be aware of how infant mortality rates have improved since the turn of the century when you see how many of the stones in the cemetery are for children under the age of seven.

All in all, we had a great time. We had one night of rain but other than that we enjoyed the camp fires, spectacular Lake Huron sunsets, well maintained private camp sites and the quiet. If you are looking for a quiet park with great views, I would highly recommend this one.

Have you visited the Dundas Valley and Beyond page on Facebook yet? Check it out for photos and more hiking info. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dundas-Valley-and-beyond/120774278042380

Thanks for the ongoing support and dialogue. Happy hiking!

A Perfect Day

One thing I love about winter is the chance to plan for summer camping and hiking trips. This year we are planning another father and son journey into Alquonquin Park which to me is as close to paradise as I’ve ever seen. Having not been there in 3 years, both my sons and I are excited about the prospect of canoeing, fishing and exploring the incredible vastness of the park.
Going through my notes, I came across the following story that I wrote shortly after returning from our trip there in 2009. I love how the description really took me back to that memorable trip and I wanted to share it here.
Friday July 24, 2009 was the perfect day. Sitting on a rocky point overlooking Ralph Bice Lake, a perfect flame broiled burger perched on one knee and a cold beer in hand; I surveyed the scene of perfection around me. Spectacular Alquonquin Park scenery, incredible silence and a feeling of accomplishment surrounded me and I was at peace.What made the day so wonderful was the effort that was required to be here. We had set off early that morning, my brother Ryan and I and our boys, his two sons and my two, four excited boys all under the age of nine.
After registering in Kearney and checking in with the outfitters, we proceeded for a 50 minute drive into the park down a sometimes very narrow logging road, arriving at our first checkpoint on the shore of Magnetawan Lake. We loaded up our gear into the two canoes that were waiting there for us and started out across this very small lake, arriving at our first portage point in minutes. Walking the trail with a canoe on my shoulders, I was happy that the first portage was a short one and we were soon paddling again, this time across Hambone Lake and deeper into the park. By the time we crossed Hambone Lake, completed a longer portage into Ralph Bice Lake and found our site it was mid afternoon. We set about putting up tents, gathering wood and exploring the area around us.The discovery of bear droppings near our site and the sound of loons swimming by caught the attention of the boys and they marveled at the quiet and beauty of our new temporary home. By the time dinner was ready, we were all famished and the meal was delicious. Sitting in front of our fire, with the sun setting and the loons calling was a great way to cap the end of our first day in beautiful Algonquin Park. Good times ahead! Looking forward to an exciting summer but first, a weekend of hiking opportunity awaits.
Get outside and enjoy your weekend!